Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1919-02-07
CHAPTER XII.
Tho Spirit Of Michael Henry and
Others.

At the examination Of Amos Grim
shaw my knowledge was committed to
the records and ceased to be source
of danger to me. Grlmshaw came to
the village that day. On my way to
the courtroom I saw him walking
slowly, with bent head as l had seen
him before, followed by old Kate. She
carried her staff in her left hand while
the forefinger of her right hand was
pointing him out. Silent as a ghost
and as unheeded-one would say-she
followed his steps.
l observed that old Kate sat on
front seat with her hand to her ear
and Grimshaw beside his lawyer at
big table and that when she looked at
him her lips moved in strange I'M
uttered whisper of her spirit. Her
face filed with joy as one damning
detail after another came out In the
evidence.
The facts hereinbefore alleged, and
others, were proved, for the tracks tit-
ted the shoes Of Amos. The young
man was held and presently indicted.
The time of his trial was not deter
mined.
/ wrote a good hand those days and
the leading merchant of the village
engaged me to post his books every
Saturday at ten cents an hour. Thence
forward until Christmas | gave my
free days to that task. I estimated
the sum that | should earn and
planned to divide it in equal parts and
proudly present it to my aunt and
uncle on Christmas day.
One Saturday while l Yves at work
on the big ledger of the merchant l
ran upon this item:
October as. Wright-To one suit
Of clothes for Michael Henry from
measures furnished by S. Robin
son Observation-Disclosures. o.
SHlrtS TO matcn ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -"
knew then the history of the suit
Of clothes which I had worn since that
rainy October night, for / remembered
that Sam Robinson, the tailor, had
measured me at our house and made
up the cloth of Aunt Deers weaving.
observed. also, that numerous ar
ticles-a load of wood, two sacks or
flour, three pairs of boots, one coat,
ten pounds of salt pork and four
bushels of potatoes-all for michael
Henry"-had been charged to Silas
Wright.
So by the merest chance I learned
that the invisible michael Henry" was
the almoner of the modest statesman
and really the spirit of Silas Wright
feeding the hungry and clothing the
naked and warming the cold house.
in the absence of It's owner. 1t was
the heart of Wright joined to that OF
the schoolmaster, which sat In the
green chair
I fear that my work suffered a mo-
Inent's interruption, for just then
began to know the great heart OF the
senator It's warmth was in the cloth
ing that covered my back, its delicacy
in the ignorance of those who had
shared Its benefactions.
/ count this one of the great events
Of my youth. But there was a greater
one, although 1t seemed not so at the
time Of 1t. A traveller on the road tC
Ballybeen had dropped his pocketbooA
containing large amount of money
$2,700 was the sum, If l remember
rightly. He was man who, being
Justly suspicious Of the banks, haC
withdrawn his money. Posters an
nounced the loss and the offer Of
large reward. The village was pro
foundly stirred by them. Searching
parties went up the road stirring III
dust and cropping in its grass and bri
ers for the great prize which was sup
posed to be lying there. 1t was said
however, that the quest had been IN
successful. So the lost pocketbool
became a treasured mystery Of tn
village and of all the hills and val
legs toward Ballybeen-a topic of oil
wives and Cabling husbands at tn
Preside for unnumbered years.
BY and by the fall term Of schoo
ondad TIpcla DoahOdv nama dOWn n
get me the day before Christmas.
had enjoyed my work and my life a
the Jackets, on the whole, but wa
glad to be going home again. M
uncle was in high spirits and Their
were many packages in the sleigh.
"A merry Christmas to ye both ar
may the Lord love vel" said MI
Racket as he babe us goodby. Ever,
day our thoughts will be going up tn
hills to your house"
The bells rang merrily as we hui
ried through the swamp in the har
snow paths.
"We're goin' to move" said m
uncle presently. "We've agreed to &c
out by the middle O. May"
"How does that happeni" I asked.
'Tsettled with Grimshaw and agree
to go. II 1t hadn't "a been for Wrigh
and Baldwin we wouldn't a. got
cent. They threatened to bid agalns
him at the sale. So he settled. We'r