Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1919-01-03

longer, ayes! can't. 1lS 100 pow
erful-ayesw
Having recovered my composure I
repeated that should like to give up
school and stay at home and work.
Aunt Dee interrupted me by say
ing:
II have an idee that Sile Wright
will help us-ayes He's comm home
an you better 60 down an see him
ayes! Hadn't ye?"
Bart an I'll go down to-morrer,"
said Uncle Peabody.
Some fourteen months before that
day my uncle had taken me to Pots
dam and traded grain and salts for
what he called rip roarin' fine suit
o. clothes" with boots and cap and
shirt and collar and necktie to match,
l having earned them by, saving and
cOrding wood at three shillings a
cord. How often we looked back to
those better days! The clothes had
been too big for me and had had to
wait until my growth had taken up
the SLACK" in my coat and trousers
before could venture out of the
neighbOrhOod. l had tried them on
every week or so for long time. Now
my statue filled them handsomely
and they filed me with pride and
satisfaction which l had never known
before.
"Now may the Lord help ye to be
careful-awful, terrible careful O.
them clothes every minute o. this
day" Aunt Deel cautioned as she
looked at me. Don't git no horse
sweat nor wagon greaSe on EN-"
To Aunt Deel wagon grease was
the worst enemy OF happy and re-
spectacle home.
We hitched our team to the grass
hopper spring wagon and set out on
our journey. 1t was warm, hazy
1ndian-summer day In November. AS
we passed "the mill" we saw the ST.
lent Woman looking out of the little
window of her room above the black
smith shOp-a low, weather-stained,
frame building, hard by the main
road, with narrow hanging stair ca
the side of it,
"She keeps watch by the winder
when she amt traveln'," said Uncle
Peabody. "Knows all that's goin'
/ On--that wOman-knOws who goes to
the village an how long they stay.
When Grimsnaw goes by they say she
hustles off down the roa in her rags.
She looks like sick dog herself, but
I've heard that she keeps that room
/ O. hers Just as neat as pin"
Near the village we passed a smart
looking buggy, drawn by spry-foot-
ed tOrse in shiny harness. Then l
noticed with a pang that our wagon
was covered with dry mud and that
our horses were rather bony and our
harness a kind of lead color. SO l
was in an humble state of mind when
we entered the village.
There was q crowd of men and
women in front of Mr.. Wright's office
and through its open door | saw many
of his fellow tOwnsmen. We waited at
! the door for few minutes. | crowded
in while Uncle Peabody stood talk
ing to a villager. The Senator caught
sight of me and came to my side and
put his hand on my head and said:
Hello, Bart How you've grown
and how handsome you look Where's
your uncle?"
He's there by the door," l an
swered.
well. les go and see him."
Mr.. Wright was stOuter and grayer
and grander than when l had seen
him last. He was dressed in black
broadcloth AM wore big beaver hat
and high collar and his hair was al
most white. l remember wildly his
clear, kindly, gray eyes and ruddy
cheeks.
"Baynes, I'm glad to see you" he
said heartily. "Did We bring me any
jerked meat?"
'Didn't think of it," said Uncle
Peabody. But I've got a nice young
doe all jerked an if you're fond O.
jerk I'll bring We down some tO-mor-
rer."
I'D like to take some to Washing
ton, but l wouldn't have you bring
1t so far"
I'D like to bring i'll want
chance to talk with We for half an
hour or such matter" said my I'M
Gle. 1--WE got little trouble on my
hands"
The Senator took us into his office
and introduced us to the leading men
of the county.
"Here," said the Senator as he put
his hand on my head, sis a coming |
man in the Democratic party"
The great men laughed at my
bushes and we came away with a
deep sense of pride in us. At last /
felt equal to the ordeal of meeting
the Dunkelbergs. My uncle must have
shared my feeling, for, to my delight,
he went straight to the basement
store above which was the modest