Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-09-10

more ego. Martin was an orphan.
And then ! cal'lated II was about
time 10 heave ont the question that I'd
been loading up to all along.
What made the Page girl cut loose
from him and takc up with Van" l
SAYS "she don't look like the kind
that would no too hard on a chap Just
because his dad made the mistake OF
being born out OF township limits
Lord James Adgeted some over that
First he said he didn't know.
Well" says l, let's guess then.
Crossings a good Yankee trick and
you'd ought to have picked 1t up by
this time You guess FIRST"
He didn't want to guess but I kept
at him, throwing out all sorts OF fool
ish mnybes and perhapses. Finally he
got tired Of saying NO"
"Oh, / don't know" says ne. Il card
rs ow twas because 2 was too mer-
cenary. e was an awful chap In tho
etreet after is old man died. e was
there night and day. 'Ardly came ONE
At all
"Humph!" says I. I'D never sus-
picioned It to look at him. Want he
doing we'll at his job"
Lord James said II want that. Said
he was doing mighty we'll. Folks was
calling him born flnancier" and all
sorts OF names.
So" says l. Then don't see that
Miss Page had any complaints. 'Taint
usual for young woman to kick be-
cause her steady company Is making
too much money. There's something
else. Out with II. III keep my mouth
shut"
so then he told me llttle-much as
he knew. guess likely. Seems that
he was acquainted with the Teller they
call the butler-sort OF steward |
Judged nc wAa-over at the Page girl )
house And this butler was sweet on
the "maid"-the young woman valet
who took care OF Agnes buds and
spare rigging. And one night this maid
happened to be in the conservatory
which I presumed likely was the
high toned name for the preserve clos
et-and Miss Page and Hartley was In
the setting room. And Agnes was
laying into Martin for staying down
town and neglecting her.
The maid said she could hear only
part of the talk, but twas more than
average sharp and vinegary. Agnes
told Martin he was gottinE more MGR
cenary every day he lived. That all
he thought Of was the ONCE and ma
king money. She detested a mercen-
airy, hard. money-grasping man. Said
money-loving was the worst vice there
was, and she thanked God she mad
none OF II, meaning vice, Of course
she had money enough to sink q ship.
Then Martin he speaks up proud and
short and says no has been working
hard and had been trying to make
money. Said he had q good reason for
It, and some day he would tell her
what 1t was She said he could tell her
now or hang his May baskets on some
body elses door-or words to that ef-
feet. He says Very WE'LL" and she
says something else. but the maid
didn't hear It because Just then old
lady Page come IN and give her her
walking papers for listening.
And So" says Lord James. "the en-
gagement was broke of. And a good
thing. too, say. Watts the use OF 'er
lowe ing 'erself to marry man whose
father got Is money in trade7"
How did Vans dad get his money"
l asks.
by Inheritance" says he. "Of course
Mr.. Edward dabbles In shares, but,
Lord love you. only for the fun OF It. -
How was the Inheritance come by
In the first place." says !. He didn't
know, but found out afterwards.
Grandpa Van Brunt was an alderman.
The Twins come back into the house
then. They come Ia shaping and
jawing. judged that the mosquitoes
was living the Natural Life too. The
Heavenlies set down on each side OF
the f1replace--I had a wood fire going
lust for sociableness-and smoked
and talked.
BY and by Van rummages ont that
Natural book and spreads It OPEN
Martin" says he, bark TO the
voice Of the oracle. Come in here
skipper. and improve your mind"
But me and his lordship was I'M
proving the dishes just then, and
when that was done, he had beds to
make and had bread to mix and fires
TO lay and wood TO chop and = couple
OF million other chores TO do. The
Twins read and talked until they go,
sleepy, which was about half past nine
or SO: earlier than usual, but neither
OF EN- had rested we'll the night afore
I guess. Anyhow. they went upstairs
to turn in and kept on with my work
Lord James turned In too. He had the
back bedroom. the one over the
kitchen.
Twas still a. still could be. The
door and windows was open and there
want o sound except the mosquitoe,
humming glad and thankful, and the
breeze whining In the pines outside
and the waves moaning along tho bay
shore OF the island. Once In awhile I'd
hear his lordship thrash over In bed
and fetch grunt or . Eroan In hit
sleep. He had one OF the late Mar
celius' cornhusk mattresses. and
wouldn't wonder II there was col
end or two In with the husks. A rake
across the back from q corn cob ATM
the most comforting thing In tho worl(
even when . feller Is used TO II. ant
Lord James had been brought NJ
tender,