Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-04-23

M him. But he was 50 near now that il
II twas foolish to turn back. Through
II the raspberry vine that scratched his
trousers and the milk-wecd that lief,
lint upon him, through the grassc.
II that were damp and wetted his shoes
through the little swalms of evening
II insects that lifted and fell in the
evening air, he went forward.
"Thc brush has grown up high,
he said. "Thc path is almost gone
The glen was darkened when al
U last he left the tall rank grass and
underground and saw before him the
: ghostly outlines Of tho cabin.
ats not fallen in yet" he observed.
"But how hoary and grizzled every
thing seems, like US boys and
girls who came up here on that even
ing in the long ago"
He surveyed the dilapidated old
cabin for q long time before ventur-
ing near. 1t had been well-built
cabin. The henlock logs had stood
the frosts of winter and the rains of
summer. The roof was fallen in at a
corner; the windows were gone.
Half the chimney had been carried
down and the door hung by a rusty
hinge. Everywhere were the marks
of the sharp teeth of the hedgc-hogs.
But still it was the same old structure
around whose fireplace those compan-
ions had gathered after that tired day
back over the years. And a choke
came in the editors throat and a
hameless hunger grew deep and
mangling in his heart.
Then as he stood there looking at
it, he saw a ghost! The ghost
Of Mibb Henderson stepped from that
doorway, not the Mibb of that
far-away holiday, but a Mibb
whose face was furrowed with sor-
row, whose hair was iron gray.
He wanted to run. He wanted to
cry out. But he stood rooted to the
spot in terror.
And the ghost of Nib Henderson
spoke to him.
SAM" it cried, "Sam Hold! :.
oh Gawd! is it you, Sam? Is
it you?"
"Yes,-it's me, Mibb," he replied in
voice he did not recognize as his.
"Oh Sam, Pm glad you've
come, l couldn't go back alone.
I'd have given out along the way"
And Sam saw it was not Mibb's
ghost. 1t was Mibb Henderson her
self and SIX. was just broken-down,
sorrow-ladcn, rcpcntant and suffering
old Notwithstanding with memories
as he was suffering.
"Why did you come up here,
Mibb?" he asked.
81 had to come, Sam. l had to
come"
$50 did l." he said.
After IL time he found himself in
the cabin with her.
Lets light fire, Mibb," he said.
"Lct's light a fire from the rubbish
and sec how the old place looks"
Deer-huntcrs who had probably &C.
cupicd the place the season before
had left ample wood piled beside the
fireplace. There were old papers
scattered about. 1t was the work of
a moment for Sam to make place
in the cold dead ashes He touched
match to the paper under the wood
which he had piled. 1t burned blue
at first and then blazcd up.
A few minutes after the cabin was
warm and filled with wic:d and rosy
light. Silently he swung box over
and Mibb, gathering her noisy silkcn
undcrskirts about her aN!.,.c;, sat
down upon it. He found similar
box for himself. He poked the fire
once or twice. 1t made queer shad-
ows of the two on the wall behind;
queercr shadows of the huts and iogs
and corners.
GLOW long has it been, Mibb;-,
thlrty-thrcc years ago."
"Thirty-three years ago." she said
in whisper; "thirty-thrcc years ago
tonight"
ID. "ronight!" =
She looked at him in sad surprise.
"Surely tonight" she confirmed.
"Why, that's why came! Did
MT you?"
"i'd forgotten just what month and
day it was, Nib. l only remember ;
it was in the late Spring. We were r
OH Il picnic in return, for the play
we gave that year at the Opera
House" f.
"Thcy sat over there on that wall !
settle, in tho shadow, aftcrward. It's Is
there yet! can see them, Mibb-"
The EDITORS voice wavered. -
."And Harriet is dead these eleven |. I
ycars!" ,.,.. ht
."And Dick? i. the last | heard !
o. him he was richer than Crosses J
md lonelicr than Job in his affliction I
living down in Boston,"
Mabel shut her lips suddenly hard Z
hard.
Silence for time. The fire 9
,racklcd and blazcd and drove the c
lamp from the musty old place. Sam I
,okcd it with his crooked. stick to l.
rive his hands somcthintr In To