Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-03-24
CHAPTER VIII.
THE LIBERTREE.

and in there shyly walked little
'urchin. He was in patches from
head to foot; on his head he wore
an old straw hat with the rim part
ly torn off, his long tously hair
asserting its airy freedom through
rent in the top; in his hand he
held little wooden pail.
Hollo, Twig! Or Sprig! can't
tell you scions apart" said Uncle
Ez; after some sour milk"
The little fellow nodded his head,
saying, Yep" The good dame
took the pail and filled it and hand
ed it back to him. He stood few
moments as if reluctant to go, eye
ing with bashful curiosity the WIS.,
itors. and then slowly went out.
Isn't that a pretty sorry case?"
said Marktree in low voice to his
partner.
Yes, indeed, answered the other.
Then turning to Uncle Ez Marktree
said, Who is that boy? Are his
parents so poor as to let their child
go so scantily clad?"
Yes" replied Uncle Ez, that
boys parents moved up onto the
mountain some three years ago
from down in the valley where they
got burned out and lost what little
they had; their name is Libertree.
They have a big family of children,
and how on arth they all get enough
to eat is more'n | can tell, but they
do manage somehow to keep alive
and we'll. Last winter they all had
the measles, pooty sick, too, some
on 'em. DR.. Hopewell herd ont,
and went up thar in a snow squall,
blowing like a hurricane, 'thout
bein' sent for, and dealed 'em out
some med sin, m they all got Up
smart. 'Cordin to the Good Book
that there doctors laying up pile
O. treasure, helpin' folks onto their
feet; and it'll be in store for i'm,
when he gets his last call, in the
mansion above"
Are the Libertree family honest
and respectable?" asked Marktree.
oh yes" answered Uncle Ez,
never knew 'em t'do anything bad,
good natured nuf, but so tarnal
poor; it's dig m scratch fer 'em t
git Twin off'n those rocks, but
there's no let go. ner give up to
'em, their logged creaturs. Now
gentlemen" said he, don't set up
any later than we please" and one
of the partners began winding his
watch. Il guess I'll wind up my
watch" said the mountaineer,
Did either you gentlemen ever see
watch wind itself up? I've got one
that'll do it."
The partners surmised a joke, and
asked to let them see it work. The
mountaineer whistled to his dog
which lay on husk mat before the
door, and called, Watch, Watch,
come here and wind up, take hold
of your tail and wind up" The dog
did so, following the gyrations of
his masters hand, much to the
amusement of his visitors, who now
climbed up the ladder to the loft
close to the roof where they found
clean husk beds to lie on. The sire
called after them from the foot of
the ladder saying, IF you should
hear it rain long in the night don't
be afraid of getting wet if the roof
does most touch yer noses, it's
shingled tight"
And sure enough, along in the
wee small hours of the night there
came up over the mountain ire
mendous shower; it was a unique
experience for the comfortable
r dodgers in the loft, to hear the pat
, tering and the battering of the rain
| upon the long single roof so close
: to their faces. Isn't this snug Sc.
5 curity?" said hardwood to his part.
=, ner, we did not quite appreciate
+ our fastness until this rain artillery
began pouring over our heads