Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-12-09


peak of rough gray cap came nrst,
next keen. blue eyed. frost Redeemed
eountenancQ then a body attired In a
blue sweater. with cord Troy trousers
tucked into rubber boots. He stared
expectantly ut the petrifed group
around the fire at the end OF the store,
but before he reached the stove they
had vanished upon one excuse or an.
other. Even Darrell hurried to the 9th.
er room to walt upon an imaginary
customer.
Walter Hoops stopped short. stared
after them and then shot n glance at
the embarrassed clerk.
"Hello. Peter" he grinned. "You
wanted outside or In the next roomY
~ guess not How are you? You're
quite stranger here" said the clerk
uneasily.
I'm going to be more of a stranger
after this" said Walter mysteriously.
and he left the store to call In at one
place of business after another to
meet with more or less embarrassed
welcome rrom old friends or acquaint.
ances.
II Walter Hoops had kept his word
things might have been different. The
day he had left Compton he had an.
nounced that he would never return
to his native village until he came
bnck n rich man. That he had broken
his word and returned poor and needy,
without stage fare from the station
and overcoatless, was serious misde.
meanor II not an actual crime In the
eyes of his neighbors.
Now he STROBE down the snowy street
quite unmindful of the flying flakes.
he walked IA though he had some spe.
cial destination In mind. Before the
gate of his old home he paused and
leaned against the post The big square
house set In Its wide lawns doomed
dark and gloomy in front of him. lie
closed his eyes and dreamed of how
the place would look In the spring
when Nil the dropping elms were in
leaf and the grass was close shaver
ard the barn newly painted and there
were horses inside and perhaps bright
red automobile.
While Walter leaned against the
gatepost homeward bound Christmas
shoppers passed him. peering around
to look into his face. which he kept
steadily turned toward his old home.
SleighbeIls jlngled merrlly. and lighted
windows lined the street on either side.
From some place came the delicious
fragrance of newly baked mince pies
After awhile Walter walked on
through the snowstorm to a small,
many gabled cottage. where a light
shone softly through drawn shades
He pushed open the gate and walked
around through untrodden snow to
side door He did not follow a double
line of narrow footprints that led to the
front door Compton people were still
passing to and fro. and what Walter
Hoops had to say to Emily wayland
was not for all Compton to know-yet
Emily came to the side door. her
slender form showing through the
ground glass before she unlocked 1t.
"Come in, Walter" she said gently.
1--WE been expecting you. heard you
were here"
Thank you. Emily" he said, stamp.
ing the snow from his feet and barring
his head TO enter the warm room II
expect you've heard that I'm down and
out and that I've come home dead
broke"
"Never mind that, Walter" said EN-.
lily Wayland. with n break In her
voice. I'm glad you did come to us
l told mother what I'd heard. and we
are real glad that Cousin Rebecca
didn't come to spend Christmas with
us after all. because now You can have
the spare room. We expected to be
h<,
Walter Hoops steadied himself
against the tall bookcase and gently
took one of Emily's hands In his own
His face looked very keen and strong
in the lamplight. 1t seemed to have
lost that look of careless good nature
that had marked him as easy prey for
swindlers Walter Hoops had evident
ly found himself during that eight
years absence from Compton.
Emily" he said hoarsely. you re-
leased me from our engagement eight
years ago because l insisted. I was
poor and had been swindled out of ev.
erything. was great fool In those
| days. ] told you I'd come back rich
some day, Look at me now. walked K
down from the station. The clothes
have on are poor. and
Stop cried Emily softly. II can't 4
bear 1t. Walter. ! know 1t all: know
you have returned poor. but am sure
you can show them yet what you can
do l know you can! Let them
talkv'
"They will talk" said Walter in
curious tone. I'm not poor, Emily
Wayland! I'm rich-riche than ever +
dreamed of being I'm the rich New
Yorker who bought our old place. can
put horses and carriages and automc
biles in IL. and we need never work
another day az long as we live. If you
like me poor can you endure rich
husband. Emily2'
After Emily had said that she would
try to endure his riches and they had
broken the news to her invalid mother
Walter stood with her in the little par
lor decked with wreaths of ground pine
and bittersweet berries.
II put on these old garments pur
posely." he said looking down into her
great dark eyes. I'm starting my new
life must distinguish friends from
fnoa I mora fhoca old ,.lnthoo a nd went WI