Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-01-13

~ h'C tfA 1870 49,
by, to allow of repose. He counted the
hours as they were told by the clock, till it
had struck twelve. Mrs Wilder had then been
two hours asleep, still he had not heard Jo-
seph 90 out. After awhile the clock struck
one, and in a few minutes after that, he heard
the outer door rather softly opened and clo-
sed and then he heard Debby tripping light
ly to her chamber.
"Ah," thought Wilder TO himself, at is
as my wife says; these things will have their
own way. This staying till one o'clock looks
like serious business"
The next day Debby had long private in
terview with her mother and after dinner
Mrs Wilder wished to have some conversa-
ton with her husband in the parlor.
"Well my dear" said she, "Debby and
Joseph are bent upon being married. 1t
seems that they made up their minds TO it
some mouths ago; and now they have fixed
upon the time. They say they must be mar
ried week after next. Now | think we had
better fall in with it, with as good feeling as
we can, and make the best of it. Thee
knows | have always said these things will
have their own way, and when young folks
get their minds made up, | don't thiak it's a
good plan to interfere with EN-. As long as
Joseph is clever and respectable, and good
to work, | think we ought to feel contcnted
about it, although he is poor. 1t seems to
me there are as many folks that marry poor,
that make out well in the world, as there are
that marry rich"
After a little reflection upon the matter,
Wilder came TO the conclusion that his wife
had nearly the right of it, and told her he
would make no further opposition TO the
match they might be married as soon as
they chose.
"Well, my dear" said Mrs Wilder, deb
by needs a little change TO get some things
with this week, in order TO get ready to be
married"
GLOW much will she want this week -
said Mr. Wilder.
"If thee can let her have fifteen or twenty
dollars" said Mrs Wilder, II think i. would
do for the present"
"Well, now, I've no money by me" said
Mr. Wilder, Except a hundred dollar bill,
!, and it's impossible TO get that changed short
Of sending it TO the bank, a distance of ten
miles. / tried all over the neighborhood last
week to get it changed, but could not sue
coed. | shall be too busy to 90 myself to-
; hOIION Dut IL DCDDN Has Il iliIlu W Etl on
to the old horse in the morning, aud take
the bill to the bank and get it changed, she
, may have some of the money"
This proposition was soon reported to
, Debby, who SAID "she had just as leaves take
' the ride as not.'
The matter being thus amicably arranged
D with Mr. Wilder, there was nothing TO hinder
d going forward with comfort and dispatch in
( paking preparations for the wedding. Deb
ry was in excellent spirits, turned off the
n work about the house with remarkable facil.
a ity, and evinced unusual solicitude in her
attentions to her father, answering all his
- wants Utmost before he had time to name
it them. And on the other hand, Mr. Wilder
was in unusual good humor toward Debby,
o Having at last brought his mind TO assent tc
c the arrangement which he had so strongly
IS opposed, his feelings were now in n state Of
Y reaction, which caused him 10 regard Debb,
n with tenderness. His eyes fol
d lowed her about the house with looks of love
and a tone of kindness breathed in every
k word he uttered. The next morning his ole
d gray horse was standing at the door anc
d eating provender, full two hours before Deb
by was ready to start and MIR Wilder haC
Y been out half a dozen times to examine Tho
saddle and bride to see that every thing wa'
= right, and had lifted up the horses feet one
after another, all around, TO see if any of The
e shoes were loose. And when at last Debbl
l. was ready, he led old gray to the horse-block
l. and held him till she was well seated in thu
saddle, and then he handed her the bride
and shortened the stirrup-leather, and buck
" led the girth a little tighter, to prevent tn,
danger of the saddles turning, and when h,
had seen that all was right, he stepped int
J. the house and brought out his small ridin!
| whip and placed in her hand, and giving he
0t a hundred charges to tax care of herself
and be careful she did not get a fall, h,
at stepped upon the horseback, and stood an,
ID watched her as she turned into the road AM
assembled the hill, till she was entirely out o
sight.
Debby trotted on l%eisurely over the lon!
road she had TO travel, but she was too ful
r of pleasant thoughts and bright anticipation
to feel weary at the distance or lonely in til,
1T solitude. The road was but little travelled
r and she met but two persons in the who'll
lie distance, one as she was descending a hill
er about a mile from home, and the other in tn,
lie long valley of dark woods about midway il
Sc her Journey. Had she been of a timid dis
id position, she would have felt a good deal o
uneasiness when she saw this last person
ID approaching her. His appearance was darl
ID and rufianly, they were two miles from an
ID house, and in the midst of a deep silent vii
of derness. But Debby's nerves we're unmoy
err ed she returned his bow in passing, an,
= kept on her way with perfect composure.
nc She reached the end of her Journey in du
ne time, hltched her horse IN the shed at th