Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-06-15
THE SHANTY

| She put the letter down and went
| to the window A robin flew past
with a straw in her bill. Somehow
the sight decided Barbara. For the
robin seemed to be flying in the ddrec-
| ton of Uncle Henrys shanty.
On late May afternoon she came
out of the woods into the small clear
| ing in the midst of which the shanty
/ stood, and paused to gaze about her.
| There was the small gray building,
with its two windows and door. A
| small henhouse was near it, and in
| the fenced-in enclosure a dozen hens
were busy Behind the shanty rose a
| ridge covered with trees, below it a
| pond cleaned. Beyond the pond was
a large white farmhouse in the midst
| of beautiful acres.
'In the twilight as she sat on her
doorstep watching the water and lis
tening to the birds, an old woman
emerged from the woods and ap--
preached along the little path-a thin
old woman, with brown skin and
cautious dark eyes. Barbara went
to meet her I know you are Mrs.
Popperi' said she.
And you're Barbary! I've heern
Henry talk about you till most know
you by heart. 1 thought mebby you'd
be lOneSome-like, so hurried over
soon as I got the chores done. I'll just
drop down here on the door stone, for
I can't stay long. Well, how do you
like it?''
81 love it," Barbara said tremu-
lous1y- "Oh, didn't know there was
such a spot in the whole wild world,
or such a neighbor as YOU She laid
scrawny brown one Maybe you'll
believe how much 1 appreciate your
delicious bread and butter when tell
you that tonight I've really enjoyed
my food for the first time this spring.
Yes see. indoor work doesn't agree
with me-" She stopped to cough.
Mrs. Pepper looked at her keenly.
You want to get rid Of that cough"
she said. I'll fix you up a mess of
wild cherry, Iobelia and such like. Eat
all the eggs and drink all the milk
you kin. and stay out o'doors. That'n
cure ye.'
One morning as she was hoeing in
her garden and trying to GUST the
birds, a boat moved across the pond,
paused on the shingle and a man
a basket on his arm. At sight of
Barbara in one of Mrs. Peppers big
Hopping sunbonnets he paused.
Good morning, neighbour he cried
Barbara dropped her hoe in sur
prise. He was young, sturdy, fresh
checked. with laughter in his clear
eyes. Those eyes made Barbara color
and she snatched off her sunbonnet.
With relish she saw the astoniShment
succeed the mischief in his eyes, but
was to see with her rumpled brown
hair and the rising color in her
smooth young cheeks.
Good morning, yourself. neighbor,"
she retorted.
He stood staring. why, I had no
idea you looked like that. And moth
er hadn't either. You see, we've been
watching you through the spyglass,
and we thought you looked
Like Mrs. Pepper? It's her sun
DO you live over the pond? I've
watched you. too, and wondered if
Mother sent me this morning with
this basket. And she said she was
coming over as soon as the rheuma-
tiSm got out of her foot"
Barbara was already exploring the
basket. Canned peaches and a whole
roast chicken-oh! Oh! And a mince
pie" she faced him with shining
eyes. What a perfectly beautiful
woman your mother must be!'
Come over and see for yourself"
he begged.
Just as I ann" Barbara looked
down at her blue bingham dress. 'Oh,
I'd love to-and 1 will"
So began the happiest time of Bar
bara's life.
One day in early September she sat
on the door stone writing to Uncle
Henry. at has been the happiest
summer of my life" she wrote. 81
can never thank you enough, dear
Uncle Henry, for your wonderful
kindness to me. But for you I should
never have had this opportunity to
get well and have so much joy. 1 feel
almost ungrateful in leaving the
shanty, but"
A boat touched the shingle and a
tall young fellow sprang out and
came running up the path. TO Uncle
Henry?' he asked, as he saw the I'M
finished letter.
Yes and, oh, Ben, dear, hope he
will get back home in time"
For our wedding" he interrupted,
as he bent to kiss her.-Philadelph
Bulletin.