Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-12-28

Il heard" snapped Miss Susie.
when l change my mind III not send
Swanson. I'll come right over myself
and tell your
Il amt lookin' for no miracles in
these days" retorted Mr.. Loring good
naturally. Then his voice became Sc
rious. Il hope you're keepin' watch
on the river. Miss Susie Last year
your brother pretty near got fOated
off. and it wasn't anything to what it
is now. It's rained for nearly a week
up in Harpers, and if that bridge goes
well. your house and crop II go too"
I'm not afraid so long as we don't
get any rain here" returned Miss Su-
sic comfortably.
You better make that lazy Swede
keep an eye On the river, and if it
rises any more I'll come ever and help
you. Well, | must be movin' along!
Afternoon, Miss Susie"
Afternoon" returned the lady be,
hind the morning glories.
Miss Susie strained her eyes for a
backward wave of Pete Loring's hand
when he reached the corner of the last
| field, but his head was turned toward
the river, whose yellow current was
gradually rising to the level Of the
| steep banks. Once or twice he glanced
! back at the low browed house lying so
near the bank and felt some degree
| Of relief in the recollection that his
own comfortable dwelling was perched
| on q knoll above highest water mark
and must necessarily be a place of
! refuge for his less fortunate neighbOrS.
Six months previous Miss Susie had
come from her eastern home to live
with her widowed brother, but scarce
! ly three months had passed before he
| had succumbed to an attack of heart
disease and thus had left Miss Susie
| mistress of the hundred acre farm and
the we'll meaning but sluggish Swan
| son and his capable wife, Selma
COmely, dark eyed Miss Susan had not
| lacked for advice and vigorous assist
ance in managing the farm, for she
found kindly neighbors all about her.
and Pete Lorfng had been her chief
adviser in caring for the crops that
had been planted by the energetic
brother. but Pete had spoiled all things
by desiring Miss Susie to change her
| quarters and become the mistress of
the Loring home. and his quiet per
sistence had vexed the usually ami
able little woman to the point of an
tagOnism.
He might know couldn't make up
my mind all of d sudden after being
| single for forty-five years." she muir
| ,r1I1ro6 ho ,iHo ont of
sight. She thought of the miles Of
whispering grain fields that divided
her farm from Pete Loring's place.
and her face grew somewhat anxious.
In the northern counties rain had
fallen abundantly, but in Painted Rock
> the crops were slowly crisping in the
mercileSS heat, and now this swelling
i tributary of the Missouri fed by the
? cOpiOus rains at its source, threatened
| complete humiliation of the harvest
; With q little sigh and a sense OF
- guilt Miss Susie responded to Selma's
/ | call to dinner AS she ate of tie
! toothsome viands and tasted the de
iici0us berry pie she thought of the
hungry little Lorings' dining on musF
and milk They were lovable chill
| dren, helpful, obedient little things
and it was too bad that they were
mOtherlesS: there was only the busy
kindly father and the drinking. igno
rant old Indian woman, MahOna tt
care for them.
take one of these pies and a pail
full of the dinner over to Mr.. Loring'
Swanson" she said, going around t.
the kitchen door after dinner and i
was with some relief that she watch
! ed the slouching figure Of the Swedt
riding down the road, a large baske
swinging from one hand
1t was long after midnight whe1
Miss Susie awoke to the drip of rail-
on the roof and the soft rush Of wa
ter outside her window There wa:
sickening motion to her bed, an(
she was conscious that the furniture
in the room was creaking and stirrins
Ominously.
She called Swanson desperately
There was no response, but sh,
thought she heard a faint cry from
outside. 1t came from above.
THE roof" she said dazedly "Ht
is up there! Why, the house is afoatr
The floor slanted perilously as she
slipped to the edge of the bed and
tried to stand upon her feet. Some
how she managed to strike a mattel
and light a candle by her side. The
.. just because a lone woman comes
west to keep house for her brothe
7 every man jack in the county SHOULD
o. up and propose to her. | don't wan
4 to get married. / can take care O
d myself without help from no manr
IS We'll, maam, if you should chang,
your mind, Miss Susie, you can sent
70 Swanson over to my place and let M
h know, and I'll git here so quick you'll
If think I've been setting by the gate al
n the time, but I'm likely to be to hom
ro messin' around the Kitchen" returne,
T O1.i,or -