The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-08-28

BY cLARIssA MAckIE

rained, gray drlzzle had turned
the roads to mud and the fOotpaths
TO slippery ooze. The night had
settled down after short twilight In
which Jefferson finished his work
about his little house and then started
next door to call on Rosabel Moore.
OF course there was nothing I'M
lucky about being RosabeIs accepted
sultor, only somehow they had dis
agreed about a very trivial matter,
and Rosabel had returned his engage
ment ring, and Jefferson had accepted
1t In silence and gone off very glumly.
Instead Of going directly to his own
house next door he tramped through
the ooze to the river just to feel the
fresh cold wind on his. heated face.
The bank was steep and slippery
when they picked him up toward mid
night he wac suffering agones from
Wrenched knee and shoulder.
"In bed for youl" declared old Doc
tor Jones when they reached the I'M
tenanted house where the bachelor
lived alone. II viii send Sally Smith
to take care of you If she isn't down
with the Misty in her backl"
81 hope shan't be tied down here
very long" muttered Jefferson, his
white face staring Up at the kindly
doctor. "pve got lot of young
chickens coming along--and they
need attention. Lucky thing they are
fixed for the night and my poultry
houses are tight and dry"
Now you so to sleep, honey, and
don't you worry about little chicks
Sally has brung hundreds of little
chicks through wuss weather than
thls" Jefferson went to sleep,
listening TO her low grooming voice
for old Sally believed all folks were
children at heart and needed sooth-
ing at times-and she was right
Jefferson had been In bed a week,
and not once had he had a glimpse
OF Rosabel nor had he heard a word
about her.
Every morning at o'clock Sally
had numbered into the room bear
ing his breakfast on a huge tray.
This morning she came creeping in,
her shaking hands holding plate and
a cup and saucer. Here's yo' toas'
an coffee, Mister JEFF, honey but ole
Sally's got 'er go back home-dat
mIzry's come after mem
"Wait tfll the doctor comes, Sally,
and let him give you some medicine
and he will drive you home urged
Jefferson, and the old woman con-
scented.
81 can get along, doctor" said
Jefferson, III you'll just tell Maggie
Martin to bring me in three meals
a day and she can feed the chick
ems"
maggie Martin is the worst cook
In the world, but III send her down
don't take any chances, boy and
I'll come down tonight and rub you
myself
After their departure the time
dragged. He heard the clock ticking
its slow round Of the hours saw the
sun move across the window, heard
the birds singing outside and heard
an excited 1uttering among his
feathered flock.
II hope 1t isn't chicken hawks"
he muttered restlessly. mo chance
TO make money out of the poultry
business this year-but l guess I
won't need itw He fFowned and
dozed, with that frown on his anxious
young face. He dreamed that Rosa
bel kissed him, and awoke to find
the cat on the bed blinking curiously
at a tray beside the bed, where a smok-
ing hot dinner was arranged with
dainty care,
Jefferson dragged himself to a sit
ting posture and smiled wanly.
do you believe in ghosts. Peterf"
he asked the cat, 'for III wager that
Maggie Martin never cooked this
meal-no sir-e-e-e." He attacked the
dellclously broiled steak, the creamed
potatoes, the hot mullins, the pot of
coffee and the generous piece Of apple
pie. "0ld sally must have come
back" he mused for he had not
tasted such a meal since his mothers
death, excepting the times he had
dlned at Rosabe Moore's, NJ
Couldn't be Mrs. Moore. because
she's in Boston" he argued. He de-
clded TO watch and wait, but that
evening while he waited for the doc
tor he slept awhile and in that time
the tray vanished with its soiled dishes
and another took its place--a small
one, with toast and warm baked apples
and tea
There is a ghost In my house" he
declared. Awhile ago he had heard
Rosabel slnging-he heard the notes
OF her piano and her soft, tender
voice "She didn't have to sing Robin
Adalr'," he muttered, with a hot sting
ing behind his closed eyellds.
Presently faint light in the room
reused him. From his pillow he
could see the large mirror over the
bureau at the foot Of the bed. Re
flected in the mirror was the bedside
table and girlsh form lifting the
tray. "Good night, little sweetheart
he whispered sadly.
"Oh, Jefferson, darling, I'm so
sorry" sobbed Rosabel, kneeling be-