Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-05-11

great square house that set back
from the road just on the outskirts of
Fairtown. Their baby eyes had opened
upon a world of faded portraits and
somber haircloth furniture,
From babyhood to girlhood the
charm Of the old place grew upon
them, so much so that the thought of
leaving it for homes of their own be-
came diStaSteful to them, and they
looked with scant favor upon the oc-
casional village youths who sauntered
up the path presumably on courtship
bent.
Rev. John Hapgood-a man who
ruled himself and all about him with
rod of rigid old-schOol orthodoxy
died when the twins We're twenty; and
the frail little woman who, as his wife,
had for thirty years lived and moved
solely because he expected breath and
motion of her, followed soon in his
i footsteps. And then. the twins We're
! left alone in the great square house
on the hill. ..s ...
Miss Tabitha and Miss Rachel we're
not the only children of the family
There had been a son-the first born,
, and four years their senior The
headstrong boy and the iron rule had
>, ciashetl and the boy when sixteen
years old, had fled, leaving no trace
behind him.
II Rev. John Hapgood grieved for
mis- Maynard son the members of his
household knew it not, save as they
might. place their own constructions
on the added sternneSS to his eyes
and the deepening lines about his
mouth, Paul" when it designated
the graceless runaway, was forbid
den word in the family,
Years had since passed-years of
peaceful mornings and placid after
moons, and Paul had never appeared.
On the 10th of June, their thirty
fifth birthday, the place never had
looked 50 lovely. A small table laid
with spotlpss linen and cleaning sill
YER stood beneath the largest apple
tree,
Rachel came out of the house and
shifted the air jOyfully.
"Deliciors !" she murmured. Some
how, the 10th of June is specially fine
every year"
In careful. uplifted hands she bore
a round frosted cake, always the chief
treasure of the birthday feast The
cake was covered with the tiny col
cored candies so dear to the heart Of
IL
those candies at the village store, with
the apology:
81 want them for Tabitha's birthday
cake, you know. She thinks so much
of pretty things"
Tabitha invariably made the cake
and iced it, and as she dropped the
hits of colored sugar into place she
would explain to Hubby, who occasion
ally "helped" In the kitchen:
81 wouldn't miss the candy for the
world-my sister thinks so much of
it,"
So each deceived herself with this
pleasant bit of fiction, and vet had
what she herself most wanted.
Rachel carefully placed the cake in
the center of the table, Toasted her
eyes on its toothsome loneliness, then
turned and hurried back to the house.
The door had scarcely shut behind her
when a small, ragged urchin darted in
at the street gate, snatched the cake
and, at a sudden sound from the
mousse uaS"eu Guy .! SisHt: oehlhd
81 nj, hNr
ShFuo cloSe pE'
Inc souhd that had 1rEhtened the
boy was the tapping OF the heeis. OF
MISS IaDlthas shoes along the back
porch' Inc lady descended the steps,
crossed 'i'e lawn anu pIaFe!a saucer
"i plcNIeS ana pIate ol uai1lly sand
"lc'les oh the tapie:
ny, | thought Rachel brought the
cake she said aloud ut must be in
the house; there's other things to get
anyway. III 60 back. ..s"
Again the click of the door brought
the small boy close to the table. Fill
ing both hands with sandwiches he
slipped behind the shrub just as the