-- - -- —■ ■ ■ ---- - - — ~
pi — .. .. ■ ■ - ....—m
“You-’re very nice to me,
Webb, and I’m glad to have
made a friend so soon! I think
the trouble has been forgotten.
Anyway, I'm only going to stay
a little while.”
“And a good thing it’ll be fur
Miss Milly, too.”
“Miss Milly—” asked Nancy.
“It ain’t no easy life fur her
livin’ with Miss Sabriuy boldin’
the sword of wrath over her poor
head, and there’s lots of folks
think Miss Milly’d be a heap hap
pier in the old graveyard than in
Happy House, ’lowin’ as how
both feet ure in the grave any
way. But this ain’t no cheerful
talk to hand out to. you, Miss,
only I cal-late you’ll make Miss
Milly a heap happier—shut up
the way she is.”
“How far are we from Free
dom!” asked Nancy, abruptly,
thinking as she did so that, if
they were a very long way, she
Vould have an opportunity to
learn from her garrulous friend
ill she needed to know!
1 “Two mile from the turn yon
der by the oak,” the old man an
swered.
For a few moments both
maintained a deep silence.
Nancy, her thoughts in a tumult,
was wondering what question
she would ask first—there was
so much she wanted to know—
the “trouble,” “MisH Milly and
the gword of wrath” or what he
Tneant by “Happy House.” The
last'most stirred her curiosity;
then, too, it did not seem just
nice.to pry from this old man.
I' 1 ‘Iiv' do they call the Leavitt
place 'Happy House’!”
“Wal, I guess it ain’t because
it’s exactly happy, and some sez
niebbc as how it’s been a curse!
Folks comes here to Freedom
and looks at the old place and
there’s somethin’ printed about
it in a little book they sell up at
Tobiases iu Nor’ Hero, only I
ain’t much on readiu’. B’lindy
Hu eat-knows the story' by heart,
and she can tell you rnore’n I
can.”
“Oh, please, Webb, I can’t
make head or tail out of what
you are saying,” laughed Nancy
pleadingly. “Who called it
Happy House first t”
“B’liiidy oc.ii the buuk ot’Z UlJlt
it was the first Anne Leavitt as
come to Nor’ Hero called it Hap
py House and they hod or.e of
these here mantels made out o’
marble over in London ami
.fetched across with the letters
right iu it spellin’ Happy House!
And she helped fix it up with her
own hands she’d kitbl o’ set such
store by the idee, right tliar in
the settiu’ room and the very
next day she slipped off sudden
like and died like a poor little
flower. And there ain’t been
much happiness in Happy House
from them days since! B’lindy
knows the hul story; jes’ ’sits
written,1 ’
“Oh, how thrilling!” cried
Nancy, breathing very fast. She
had an uncontrollable desire to
halt Webb and the Freedui stage
right on the spot iu order to
write to Claire Wallace. But, at
that moment, around the turn by
the old oak galloped a horse and
rider. Because it was the first
living creature Nancy had seen
since leaving North Hero, she
whs siaruea.
‘‘Iley there, Webb,” the rider
cried, whirling out of the path
Of the old wagon.
And Webb called back in
cheery greeting: ‘‘Iley, Pete!”
Through the cloud of dust
Nancy had caught, a glimpse of a
pair of merry eyes set deep in a
face as brown as the dark shirt
the maxi wore. Turning impul
sively in her seat she noticed,
with an unexplainable sense of
pleasure, that the bare head of
tho rider was exceptionally well
shaped and covered with short
curly hau\ Then, to her sudden
discomfiture, the rider wheeled
directly in the road and pulled
his horse up short.
It was, of course, because he
was the first real person she had
seen on this big lonely Island that
prompted her to nod ever so
slightly in response to his friend
ly wave! Then she turned dis
creetly back to Webb.
‘‘Who is he!” she asked, in
what she tried to make an indif
ferent tone.
( ‘‘Peter Hyde an’ as nice a
youilg, fellar as ever come to
b'reedom! Ain’t been here much
.more 'n a week and knows every
body. ‘He’s old man Judson’s
’fared man and he’s goin’ to make
southin' of that 10-acre strip
pf Judson’s some day or my name
3
ain’t Cyrenus Webb!”
“Judson’s hired man!” cried
Nancy, chagrined. What would
Anne think of her—to have rec
ognized, even in the slightest de
gree, the impertinence of this fel
low! Her face burned at the
thought.
“Seems to have a lot of I earn
in’ but he’s awful simple like and
a hustler. Nobody knows where
about he come from—jes’
dropped by out of some adver
tisement old Judsou put in the
papers up Burlington way.”
“Tell me more about. Free
dom,” broke in Nancy with dig
uity. ‘ ‘ Is it a very old place t’ ’
“Wal, it’s jest as old as this
Island, though I ain't, much on
rcadin’ or dates. Folks on Nor’
Hero’s pretty proud of the hul
Island and B’lindy sez as how
it’s printed that folks settled
here long ’fore anyone, exceptin'
the Indians, ever heard of Man
hattan Island whar New' York is.
Used to be French first round
here but they didn’t stay long,
and then the English come down
'fore the revolution and the
Leavitts with them, 1 guess. This
here Island’s named fur Ethan
Allen, you know', and folks sez
old Jonathan, thet works up at
Happy House, is a connection of
his. All the folks round here’s
related some way or other to
them pi’neers and I guess if we
hed to put up a fight now wm’d
do it jest ns brave as them Green
Mountain boys! The old smithy’s
been standin’ on the four corners
for nigh onto 100 years and the
meetin‘ house facin’ the com
mons, B’lindy sez, is older than
the smithy. And up the Leavitt
road thar’s a tablet these here
Daughters of somethin’ or other
from Montpelier put up for some
pi’neers that died fightin’ the
Indians while their women folks
set off in boats for the mainland.
I htlml B’lindy tell that at the
last social down at the meetin’
house. 1 cal-latc some of them
pi’neers were Leavitts, at that,
fur it want long before that the
pretty lady came who hed the
name built in (he mantel. B’lindy
knows—she can tell jes’ what
day the pretty lady come and the
very room she died in. B’lindy
was born in the old house and she
and Miss.Sabriny growed up like
sisters (hough B’lindy’s a good
sight younger ahd spryer like
than Miss Sabriny!”
From the warmth of his tone
Nancy guessed that there was a
weak spot in Webb’s heart for
B’lindy.
“Tell me more about B’lindy,”
she asked, softly.
“Wal, if yon jus’ take a bit
of advice from an old man you
be purty nice to B’lindy! Folks
sez that Miss Sabriny’s high and
mightier than the worst Leavitt,
and they’re u mighty proud lot,
but 1 jus’ got a notion that the
only person who runs Miss Sab
riny is B’lindy and I sort o’
think she runs the hul of Happy
House! And now here I am a
gossipin’ so with a pretty pas
senger that I clean furgot to
leave off that chicken wire for
Jenkins. Whoa, there, whoa, I
say i
Nancy guessed that the cluster
of housetops she glimpsed ahead,
almost hidden by the great elms
and maples, was Freedom. .She
stared at them reflectively.
Through Webb she seemed sud
denly to feel that she had known
the little tragedies and joys of
Freedom all her life. She was
not a bit afraid now to meet Aunt
Sabrina or this Miss Milly or
B’liudy. And she was eager to
see the old, old house and the
spot where Leavitts had been
massacred as they protected their
women! After all, it was going
to be very pleasant—this playing
at being one of the old Leavitts I
She wished Webb would hurry.
When Farmer Jenkins followed
Webb to the wheel of the wagou,
Nancy knew that Webb had lin
gered to tell of her coming. She
met the farmer's open stare with
a pleasant little smile so that, an
hour later, he “opined” to the
thin, bent-shouldered woman who
shared his name and labors, that
“if that young gal wouldn’t set
things stirrin’ pretty lively up at
Happy House, he’d .miss his
guess! ’ ’
As they approached the outly
ing houses of the village Webb
assumed an important air. “This
here’s Freedom, Missy, and I’m
proud to do the honors for Misa
Sabriny’s niece! It’s not big as
places go but it's reeord can’t
be beat sence Ethan Allen’s day.
Webb knows, fer l marched awav
with the boys in blue back in ’61,
tholigh I was a barefooted
youngster, long ’bout 14, and
couldn’t do nothin’ more useful
than beat a drum. And thar’s
our service flag, Missy, and every
last one of the six of ’era’s come
through bill—thanks be to God!
And thar's the hotel by the post
office and cross here’s the school
house^which l helped build the
winter they wa'n’t no call fur
the stnge. This is the Common
and thet’s the meetin’ house, as
anyone could see, fur it ain’t
a line different from the meetin’
houses over al Bend anl Cliffs
dale and Nor’ Hero and all over’
Vermont, 1 guess. Funny how
they never wanted only one kind
o' meetin’ houses! And here’s
the old smithy lookin’ like it was
older than B’lindy ’lowed, and
here’s whar we turn to go up
the Leavitt road. Seein’ "how
you’re sort of a special passen
ger I’ll go right along up to
Happy House, though it ain’t ray
oustum 1”
Nancy was tremendously ex
cited. She stared to right and
left at, the little old frame and
stone houses set squarely in grass
grown yards flanked by flower
beds, all abloom,.and each wear
ing, because of tighly closed
blinds, an appearance of utter de
sertion. On the wooden “stoop”
of the place Webb had dignified
by calling a “hotel” were loung
ing a few men who had scarcely
stirred when Webb in salutation
had flourished his whip at them.
The Commons, hot in the June
sun, was deserted save for a few
chickens pocking around in the
long grass. The green shutters
of the meeting house were tight
ly closed, too. From t^e gaping
door of the smithy came not a
sound. Even the great branches
of the trees scarcely stirred.
Over everything brooded a peace
ful quiet.
“Oh, how delicious,” thought
Nancy. “How very, very old
everything is. How I shall love
it!” She leaned forward to catch
a first glimpse of Happy House.
“Back by the smithy thar’s
old Dan’l llopworth’s place.
Shame to have it on Miss Sa
briny’s road only l ’low most as
long as tho Leavitts been here
thar’s been some of the no-good
Hop worths! Poor old Dan’Is
’bout as shiftless as any o’ them,
B’lindy sez, and his grandchild
ren ain't any better. And that
tliar leads down to old man Jud
son’s. His 10-acre piece runs
right up to Miss Sabriny’s.
thar’s Happy IIou.#.”
Through the giant elms Nancy
caught her first glimpse of the
vine Covered old stone walls.
Her first feeling was of disap
pointment ; in the square lines of
the house there was little claim to
beauty. But its ugliness was
softened by the wonderful trees
that arched over its roof; the
gray of its walls and th“ tightly
blinded windows gave a stirring
hint of mystery.
The door, built squarely in the
middle of the house, opened al
most directly upon a stone
flagged path that led in a
straight line to the road. There
was something sternly formid
able about it; Nancy, staring at
it with a rapidly beating heart,
wondered, when it opened, what
might lie in store for her beyond
it!
weou, witu mucn auo, was
swinging her big bag over the
wheel.
“Wal, we’re makin’ history, I
guess, with another little Anne
Leavitt, coinin’ to Happy House!
Them horses'll stand and I’ll
jus’ carry this bag up fer you.
Come along, Missy, and remem
ber what Webb tells ye—ye
make up to B’lindy!”
Nancy followed him up the
path to the door. To herself she
was whispering, over the quak
ing of her heart:
“Well, good-by Nancy Leavitt.
—you’re Anne now and don’t
you forget it for one single min
uter’
CHAPTER III.
Happy House.
In the long, dim, high ceilingcd
hall of Happy House Nancy felt
very small and very much afraid.
Though Miss Sabrina was stand
ing very close to her it seemed
as though her voice came from a
long way off. It was a cold
voice, and although Miss Sabrina
was without doubt trying to be
gracious, there was no warmth
in her greeting. She was very
tall, with a long Roman nose that
gave her entire appearance a for
bidding look.
Following her, Nancy stumbled
up the long stairs and down an
upper hall to a door where Miss
Sabrina stopped.
“This is the guest room,’’ she
explained, as sho opened the
door.
Someone had opened one of the
blinds so here there was more
light. Nancy’ looking about,
thought that it was the most
dreadfully tidy room she had
ever seen. It had a starched look
—the heavy lace curtains at the
window were so stiff that they
could have stood quite alone
without pole or ring; the stiff
backed cushioned chairs were
covered with stiff linen “tidies”,
edged with stiff lace: the bureau
and washstand were likewise pro
; tected and a newly starched and
j ruffled strip, of a sister pattern,
i protected the .wall behind the
' bowl.
“I think you’ll find it com
fortable—here. There is a pleas
ant land breeze at night and it
is quiet.’’ Miss Sabrina was say
ing.
“Quiet"! thought Nancy. Was
there any noise anywhere on the
whole Island 1 She gave herself
a little mental shake. She must
say something to this very tall,
very stately woman—she was un
comfortably conscious that a pair
of cold gray eyes was closely
scrutinizing her.
“Oh, I shall love it,” she cried
with an enthusiasm she did not
feel. “And it is so nice in you—
to want me!”
ms eyes Kinuieu lor a
moment.
“1 wanted you to know us—
and to know Happy House. In
spite of all that has happened you
are a Leavitt and I felt that it
was wrong that you should have
grown up to womanhood out of
touch with the traditions of your
forefathers’! We are one of the
oldest families on this Island—
Leavitts have always been fore
most in making history of the
state from the days when they
fought side by side with Ethan
Allen. Any one of them would
have laid down his life for the
honor of his name and his coun
try. You will want to wash,
Anne—the roads are dusty. And
no family in all Vermont is held
in higher esteem than the Leav
itts since the first Leavitt came
down from Montreal and settled
here in the wilderness. Put on
a cooler dress, if you wish, and
then come down to the dining
room. We always eat dinner at
12:30, but B’lindy has kept some
thing warm, Yes, if you are a
true Leavitt, you will soon grow
to revere the family pride and
honor for which we Leavitts
live!” And with stately steps, '
as measured as her words, Miss ,
Sabrina withdrew from the room. I
‘‘Whe-w! Can you just beat
it!” Nancy flung at the closed
door. She turned a complete cir
cle, taking in with one sweeping
glance the heavy walnut furni
ture, dark and uninviting against
the ugly wallpaper and the equal
ly ugly though spotlessly clean
carpet; then threw out both
hands despairingly.
‘‘Well, Nancy, you are in for
it—forefathers and everything
—family pride and honor!” she
finished with a groan. ‘ ‘ So be a
sport!” And taking herself thus
sternly in hand she went to the
wash bowl and fell to scrubbing
off the dust as Miss Sabrina had
bidden her.
me clean, cool water ana a
change of dress restored her con
fidence. At least Aunt Sabrina
had accepted her without a ques
tion—that ordeal was over.
Everything would go easier now.
As she opened the door there
came up from below a tempting
smell of hot food—Nancy sud
denly remembered that she had
not eaten a crumb since her has
ty, early breakfast in Burlington.
The dining room was as dim
and cool as the rest of the house
and as quiet. Miss Sabrina her
self placed a steaming omelette
at Nancy s place. Then sat down
stiffly at the other end of the
table. The omelette was very
good; Nancy relished, too, eating
it from a plate of rare old blue
and white china; her quick eyes
took in wdth one appraising
glance the beautiful lines of the
old mahogany highboy and the
spindle legged chairs which one
of the “forefathers” must have
brought over from England,
years and years ago.
“The meat pie was cold so
B’lindy beat up an omelette,”
Miss Sabrina was saying. “I
guess you must be hungry,
Anne.”
And then, because there had
been the slightest tremble in the
older woman's voice Nancy real
ized, in a flash, that Miss Sabrina
was as nervous as she! Of course
site had dreaded the coming of
this strange grandniece whom
she had invited to Happy House
merely from her sense of duty to
Leavitt traditions. In her relief
Nancy wanted more than any
thing to laugh loudly—instead
she flashed a warm smile and said
coaxingly:
“I wish you’d call me Naney!
Everyone does and it sounds—
oh, jollier.”__
(Continued next week.)
OCEANS HARD TO IMAGINE
People of the Middle Ages Found It
Difficult to Conceive Extent
of Waters.
Eratosthenes was right'; the earth
has n' globe. Bur what philosopher
ever Imagined that It was so large:
Homer was right when he sang of the
“mighty flood," but lie was thinking
of the insignificant f Mediterranean.
What poet had Imagination enough to
picture tiie vnstness of the Pacific!
Many had surmised the truth, but none
had realized its extent. When the
caravels of Columbus had sailed and
returned the wise tjjes of the Renais
sance were ^astonished by the story
brought home. It seemed Impossible
that there could be so much water.
And still the girth of the seas was
uncompreliended. It was only when
Magellan’s Santa Vlttorla had circum
navigated the globe and dropped an
chor in the Bay of San Lucar that a
realization of the world of water be
gan to dawn. The Atlantic was as
tonishing enough In all conscience;
but the Pacific was overwhelming and
dumfoundlng.—John C. Vun Dyke.
MOTHER, QUICK! GIVE
CALIFORNIA FIG SYRUP
FOR CHILD’S BOWELS
Even a sick A?lid loves the “fruity”
'aste of .“California Fig Syrup.” If the
little tongue is coated, or If your child
Is listless, cross, feverish, full of cold,
or has colic, a teaspoonful will never
fall to open the bowels. In a few
hours you can see for yourself how
thoroughly It works all the constipa
tion poison, sour bile and waste from
the tender, little bowels and gives you
a well, playful child again.
Millions of mothers keep “California
Fig Syrup” handy. They know a tea
spoonful today saves a sick child to
morrow. Ask your druggist for genuine
“California Fig Syrup” which has di
rections for babies and children of all
ages printed on bottle. Mother! You
must say “California’’ or you may get
an Imitation flg syrup.—Advertisement.
Rich Autumn In Mannahata.
It was one of those rich autumnal
days . . . upon the beauteous
Island of Mannahata and its vicinity,
not n floating cloud obscured the azure
Armament, the sun rolling In glorious
splendor through this ethereal course,
seemed to expand his honest Dutch
countenance Into an unusual expres*
slon of benevolence, as he smiled his
evening salutation upon a city which
he delights to visit with his most
bounteous beams; the very winds
seemed to hold in their breaths In
mute attention, lest they should ruffle
the tranquillity of the hour; nnd the
waveless bosom of the bay presented
a polished mirror, Ld which nature be
held herself and smiled.—Washington
Irving.
Then Fur Flew.
"Were you nnd Daddy good boys
when I was gone?" asked the mother.
“Oh, yes, mother,” replied the child.
“And did you treat nurse respect
fully?”
■'I should say we did!”
“And did you kiss her good night
every day?”
“I should say we did!”—Washing
ton Dirge.
Two Tunes.
Ambrose, the plano.tuner, had tuned
the piano, nnd found It in good con
dition.
A few days later he received a letter
from the owner of the piano, stating
It had not been properly tuned.
Tlie tuner made another trip, nnd
tested every note, only to And no
fault with the Instrument.
He told the lady so.
“Well," she snld, “it does seem nil
right, doesn’t it, when you piny on It;
but as soon as I begin to sing it get8
all out of thnel”
There are always warning signs In
every life; when In doubt, heed them.
Lots of men who clnlm to be gentle
men don't work at It.
TAKE ASPIRIN ONLY
AS TOLD BY “BAYER’*
"Bayer” Introduced Aspirin to the
Physicians Over 21
Years Ago.
To get quick relief follow carefully
the safe and proper directions In each
unbroken package of “Bayer Tablets of
Aspirin.” This package Is plainly
stamped with the safety "Bayer Cross.”
The “Bayer Cross” means the gen
ulne, world-famous Aspirin prescribed
by physicians for over twenty-on*
years.—Advertisement.
HAVE NEW RINGWORM CURE
Roentgen Rays Are Being Used Sue- —
cessfully in Treatment of Most
Annoying Affliction.
Ringworm Is now successfully treat
ed by removing the hair with Roent
gen rays and then npplylng a lotion
which will penetrate the hair follicles
and kill the parasites that are the
cause of the trouble.
Drs. Howard Fox and T. B. H. An
derson, both of the United States
public health service, described In the
Journal of the American Medical Asso
ciation the latest technique and cite a
few of the strange results that have
followed when the new hair grew In
again. ..
They have observed that sometimes
a golden-haired child Is transformed
Into a brunette, a straight-haired Into
a curly-lieaded and the kinky wool of
negroes becomes straight. But they
express much doubt as to the perma
nency of these changes.
PROVERBS HELD IN COMMON
Remarkable Similarity of Ideas Noted
Among Nations, Both of the
Old and New World.
The similarity of ideas all over ths
world is found In the similarity of ex
pressions to convey the Ideas. Th6
old English proverb "A fool and his
money are soon parted," finds it#
counterpart In the phrase, “There 1#
no medicine for a fool.” But the
Tapanese also claim that by good
management they can do something
even with fools, when they say, “Fool#
and scissors move according to the
node of using them.” Some of us car
ry our Latin with us all our''lives,
lust because we had a good teacher,
ro these, ttie old Latin saying, “The
?ngle does not catch flies.” (Aqulia non
’apit museas) will recall old memories
>f the pride and sarcasm of the Ho
mans. So also will they be pleased to
■ead the Japanese aphorism, “The fal
■on does not peck at ears of corn.”
which is true, as falcons, especially
hose of the peregrine type, are much
more likely to seize and carry small
inlmals like lambs, rabbits,'chicken#.
—Philadelphia Ledger.
Mysterious Stove.
At a recent electrical exposition s
“mystic stove" attracted no little at- a
tention. This Idea Is by no means
new; In fact, in one of Its most spec
tacular forms It consists of a kettle
of water boiling on n cake of Ice. Ths
solution of such mysteries Is powerful
magnetic induction, which causes the
generation of powerful electric current
In the pot, pan or kettle. The layman
Is, of course, greatly mystified, since
water can be boiled, eggs fried, and so
on, witli no visible source of heat.
The hand can be passed over the tap
estry-covered table without feeling any
(race of beat.—Scientific American.
True.
My neighbor and I were discussing
mr husbands’ likes and dislikes In
’ood while Itobert was playing with
ils tops nearby.
Neighbor said; “My husband doesn’t
ike chicken at all.”
Up piped Hobert: "Why, that’s
funny. Isn’t It? Most men like ehlck
'Q.”—Exchange.
The microbe never bothers the man
who Is unawnre of its existence.
Overwork may wear a man to death
and underwork bore him to death.
*
« 4?
1
% ,
Never say “Aspirin” without saying “Bayer.”
WARNING! Unless you see name “Bayer” on tablets,
you are not getting genuine Aspirin prescribed by
physicians over 21 years and proved safe by millions for
Colds Headache Rheumatism
Toothache Neuralgia Neuritis
Earache Lumbago Pain, Pain
Accept only “Bayer” package which contains proper directions.
Handy tin boxaa of IS Ublvta—BotttM of 24 and 100—All dnigrUta.
Aaptrla If lk« trU* mrk at Bam Mamfactura of MonMcvttraoldaaMr of SalfetfleMW