Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-06-01


land village. At the foot of the hill
nestled the tiny brown farmhouse, half
buried in lilacs, climbing roses, and
hollyhOcks.
Years ago when Reuben had first
brought Emily to that little brown cot
tage, he had said to her wistfully:
"SWeetheart, faint much of a place.
[ know, but We'll save and save, every
cent we can get an by an by we'll go
up to live in the big house on the
hill I" And he kissed so tenderly the
pretty little woman he had married
only that morning that she smiled
brightly and declared that the small
brown house was the very incest place
In the world.
But as time passed, the 'big house"
came to be the Mecca of all their
hopes, and penny by penny the say
ings grew. 1t was slow work, though,
and to hearts less courageous the
thing would have seemed an impOssi-
bility. No luXuries-and scarcely the
bare necessities of life-came to the
little house under the hill, but every
month a tiny sum found It's way into
the savings bank.
Reuben never smoked. While other
men used the fragrant weed to calm
their weary brains and bodies, Reuben
lite peanuts. 1t had been a curious
passion of his, from the time when as
a hoy he was first presented with a
81 l.;
his spare cash on this peculiar luxury
and the slow munching of this pie
beian delicacy had the same soothing
effect on him that good cigar or an
old clay pipe had upon his brother
man. But from the day of his mar
riage all this was changed; the dimes
and the nickelS bought no more pea
nuts, but went to swell the common
fund.
It is doubtful If even this heroic
economy would have accomplished the
desired end had not certain railroad
company cast envious eyes upon the
level valley and forthwith sent long
arms of steel bearing putting engine
up through the quiet village. A large
tract of waste land belonging to Reu-
ben Gray suddenly became SurpriS-
in@Iy valuable, and sum that trehled
twice over the Sranty savings of years
grew all IN a.m@ht.
one crisp October day Mr. and Mrs.
ie7iGrd Gray aWoEe to the fact that
they were a little under sixty years of
age, and i'll possession of more than
the big sum OF money necessary to
enable them to carry out the dreams
OF their youth, They began joyous
preparations at once.
The big brick house at the top of
the hill had changed hands twice dur
Ing the last forty years, and the pres
ent owner expressed himself as moth
ing loath to part, not only with the
house itself, but with many of its
furnishings; and before the winter
snow 1ell the little brown cottage was
SOFA TO tnrllty young couple from
the helGhborhg village, and the Grays
took up their abode in their new home.
wen, Nnl ~, tmS Is liVln, now,
- 49, i''
Ae' "'I''S'l uo"l INTO the depths OF a
NeINet covered chalr IN the great par
'or' Wy am [ tilis nice
JUST perfectly lovely quavered
lle Ililh voice OF MS wife, as she
tnIe" Il Surreptitlous glance at Reu-
pei SHOES TO see IL they were quite
'!e"l' 'eiloush lof SUCH sacreu pre-
. e'lc's'
1t was their hfst evening in theil
ne" aOoue' ana theV were little
weary lor 'heS hau spent the entire
way III capturing every room. peerlhs
i,'o every cloSel anu trying every
ti''''I 't"' 're eS'aoilshiheht con
'"I''eu' 1t was sun qulie early Whel
,"eS tu'seu "iiAlousiy ABOUT the
MUST lhtehl Oh fastening the nuiner
GUS d'oFS ana windows
Dear me- exclaimed the little
woman nerVously, I'm most afraid Il
go to bed, Reuben, for fear some one
VIII break IN an steal all these nice
thlhSs'
Nell' you can sit up If you wan