Norwich bulletin., 1915-09-11
AFTER MANY YEARS HAD PASSED

Yes. some years ago" replies the
stranger.
Don't s'pose you know nobody
round here now"
| weller hardly. Is the old tav-
ern still in existence"
ooh. Lord. mol That's done away
with long ago"
And the store?" quizzed the
stranger, showing keener interest
| "Old Squire Tyler's store? That's
| there yet. He's dead and gone long
ago. His dorter, Saiomy, is living
/ still ON the old place. that's there yet
| Right arter her father died she sold
\ the store an put the money in the
bank, and here 'tother week the bank
busted an now she and lots OF others
round here hain't got nothing fer
their old age.
Yes, Salomy's a good woman. allus
was. That air sayin' bout castin'
bread on the water didn't go in her
case though. She's had sights Of
trouble. Got Tilted when she was
| young. Somehow or nuther she kind
| er hangs onto the rnem'ry o. that air
boy yet. He ran away to the city.
got rich. but he didn't come back
arter her as He'd promised. but in
| stead he married a rich gal there.
This gal he married was kinder
| frail-like. an some say she kicked the
bucket and willed him all her money,
an nobody hain't never seen nor
heard Of him sence.
My wife allus says mebbe he
might come back arter Salome some
day, for, she's been SO good an kind
ter everybody else all her life that
1 GOD wouldn't let her die 'thout a lit
tie bit of sunshine in her life.
But guess he'll likely never come
arter her. she's gettin' aling in years.
EFF We look down the old turnpike
road when we git over this hill you'll
see the ole millwheel That's also
lSfar e Vr,fI ALL zf
winter, durin' that storm. They say
that by the old mill is where he bid
her goodbye, the night he ran away
She goes down there nights now and
sits by. the old mill-dam until purity
late, so the neighbours say. Folks
think p'r'aps he's dead an haunts the
J old mill, an she goes down there &c
) see his spirit She don't never say
nothin' ter nobody bout it!
'"Spose she's goin' to mortgage heI
place termorrer. Thet bank affair tool
every cent she had. Kinder hard. AIM
: it7t
: At turn in the road, the stranger
! sees the white steeple of the old church
peeping through the green trees. An
other turn, and the village greer
spreads out before him
Obi the memories that cluster
, around the few quaint houses tina
encircle the velvety lawn on eithei
side of the road
|
landmark so sacred In years gone by
the stately pine tree in the yard o
Salome's home.
That's her" breaks in the driver
! out there in the paster back of thu
: house She's helping the deacon will
E his critters" said the driver as h
pulled up the old white mare in from
: Of the country store.
l The children are about the stor
door waiting for the mail. They watcl
the stranger curiously as he gets on
Of the wagon and walks across tn,
! | green.
/ What heaps of money he mus
D have" said one boy, for he had a dia
mond in each cuff, but perhaps the.
E were not really diamonds"
AS the stranger was crossing tn
| green Salome was coming into he
S | home, her home Sor the last time, 70
: tomorrow 1t was to be mortgaged.
| mortgage that would never be paid
When she heard the old knocker. sh
peered out through the sash curtain
5 | and seeing a well dressed man though
! Ito herself: MY fate is sealed. Coul,
4 they not give me this last night Il
my old home undisturbed
But she passes into the hall-and a
d abe does so the stranger stepped owe
= the threshold, and she hears a voic
=
Tho following Sunday, at the clos
!, OF the morning service. two lovers o
4 other days stand by the pulpit ami
. ferns and June roses, and we hea
| the yes. to love and TO cherish IL
I death do US part"
A ray of sunshine steals throuE
the window and falls across the bride
:, lighting her face with glorious bean
g | ty that recalls the girl of years gon
II by. II is as II Gods benediction Ia
Z crowned her after many years ha
t passed
: BUD.