Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-10-08

him-she dion measiOn Martin-to
shock the community and public opin-
ion? She wanted to know that and
other things similar He read q little
OF the letter TO Hartley and that's how
! heard It. I'd have heard more, prob.
ably. only Hartley got up and walked
on And he was blue as a milestone
for the rest Of the day
guess the Talford girl want quite
so shocked. Anyhow the and Van met |
her up In the village ono afternoon and |
she wanted to know all about the |
race.
II should like to have seen that old |
Mr.. Patterson" says she. "He is al
ways so very solemn and pompous.
II must have been killlngly funny"
Van told her tho yarn. trimming II
up fine as usual, and they laughed and
had lots OF fun over It. He went
around with her shopping all the AFT
ernoon and I was forgot altogether.
didn't mind. don't banker for
famousness, and the way the small
boys followed Van Brunt around and
pointed at him and snickered was too
popular altogether cal'late he'd been
preached up to them young ones as n
horrible example TIL they envied him
most rs much as II he was pirate.
Ozone Island was chock full OF
secrets and whispcrings by this time
Van kept up his little side talk and
backyard confabs with Scudder; and
Hartley seemed to have caught the
disease. see him and Nate looking
mysterious a. each other and meet
ing together in out Of the way places
time and time again And the mail
was getting heavier and there was
half burned telegram envelopes In the
stove ashes more'n once. But no.
body ever mentioned getting a tele.
gram.
There wns so much reading matter
round the place now that Eureka was
in her glory. She read when she got
breakfast, with q book propped up on
the kitchen table. She read when she
busted. holding the dust cloth in one
hand and a magazine in t'other. She
read when she ate. She went upstairs
at night reading; and l wouldn't won.
der If she read IN her sleep.
Washy had been pretty decent, for
him for the first week after he landed
in his new quarters But his decency
didn't last long. He begun TO fuss and
find fault and groan and growl. Miss
Page sent him nice things to eat-and
he always ate EN- every speck him
self-and medicine, which he took
about a spoonful Of and then said
'twa'nt helping him none and give II
up. He yelled for Eureka every few
minutes and she'd have to drop her
work and run and wait on him He
was a pesky outrage and everybody
hated him, including Van. who said
that he was a common nuisance and II
'twa'n't for his promise to Agnes he'd
abate him with a shotgun.
One day Eureka comes out on the
porch where the Heavenlies was set
ting, and says she:
Mr., Van Prunt, would you and Mr.
Hartley be willing for me to cure pa
Cure him" asks Van. surprised
Cure him. Yes. indeed Or kill him
either" he adds, under his breath.
Hartley didn't say nothing. HI
never spoke 10 old man Sparrow nov
nor of him, fairs that went.
"All right" Eureka says THANH
you"
What's the cook got up her sleeve
concerning the afflicted parent" asks
Van OF me.
) Il don't know" says |. And dldn {
That afternoon Eureka got me te
help her lug the haircloth lounge from
J the front parlor ont to the spare shed
the ono We didn't use. Twas little
ten by six building that Marcellus hac
for a Toulouse and the shingles was
falling off and the roof and sides full
Of cracks and knotholes. We set the
lounge down in there.
What on earth" says l.
I'm going to tell you says she
"Mr. Hartley said could have the
, lounge"
Then she told wha, her plan was
, Twas a mighty good one, and
promised to help along. ! laughed
, over 1t till supper time.
, mat evening We was dll III tHc u'A'
=, ing room. The weather had changeC
, lately and the nights was chilly anC
windy. 'Tva'nt pleasant enough 10
. tho Twins TO be on the porch an'
Washy had come down from his room
u and was all hunchcd up IN front OF tn
. stove in the kitchen. Eureka va
Just finishing the dishes. All Of sud
e den heard her say:
> PA. don't s'pose you feel wei
l. enough to go to work."
could hear her dads feet COM
. down of the stove hearth with
thump He started TO speak, and then
o remembering himself he coushed.
hollow as an empty hiler
- Il asked" Eureka goes on, "becaus
saw Mr.. Brown yesterday and n
' said you could have that job at tn
y hotel any time you wanted it,
Hotel job" hollers Washy. HOY
- long do you cal'late I'd last lugsin
:, bricks and digging? Amt you saus
- fed TO see me slipping into the gray
y day BY day, without wanting TO shov
me under all at once7'
- mo. l knew you want At to worF
But pa, I've been hoping to find wa
= to cure you some day, and now Nv
- learned the way And I'm going I
try It,"
10 yUoeby oouuhod o1ain was lister