Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-12-15

SprlSeu IN the mOrnln, ana then u went into
a canter. Bimeby the cussed old dog come
up on the porch and begun to smell about the
bag, and then he barked like he tho't he
had freed somethin. Bow WOW, WOW p
SEES he. Then he'd smell agin, and try to
git up to the bag. "Git out" SEES | very
low, for fear they would hear me "Bow
WOW, wowl" SEES he. "Begone you bom-
nabe fool, ses 7, and felt all over in spots,
for spected every mint he'd nip me, and
what made it worse, | couldn't see whar
bouts he'd take hold. "Bow WOW, WOW p
! Then | tried coaxin-"come here, good
leller," ses |, and whstled little to him,
but it want no use. Thar he stood and KEEP
up his eternal whinin and barkin, all night.
| couldn't tell when daylight was brakin,
only by the chickens CROWN, and was mon
strous glad to hear 'eni, for if had to stay
there one hour more, don't believe I'd ev-
er got out O that bag alive.
Old Miss Stanley come out fust, and as
soon as she saw the bag, ses she,
What upon earth has Joseph put into
that long bag for Mary? I'll lay it's year.
lin or some live animal, or Bruin wouldn't
bark at it So"
She went in to call the gals, and ! sot
thar, shiverin all over SO | couldn't speak if
/ tried to-but | didn't say nothin. Bimeby
they all come runnin out.
"My Lord, what is it ses Miss Mary.
ooh. it's alive p says Cesiah, ~ seed it
move"
"Call Cato. and make him cut the rope"
SEES Miss Carline, "and let's see what it is
Come here, Cato, and let this bag down"
Don't hurt it for the world" ses Miss
Mary.
Cato united the rope that was round the
lice, and let the bag down easy on the floor
and | tumbled out all covered with corn
meal, from head to foot
Goodness gracious ~ ses Miss Mary,
eff it amt the Maier himselfp'
eyes," SEES l, land you know you prom
ised to keep my crismus present as long as
you lived"
The gals laughed themselves about to
deth, and went to brushin off the meal as
fast as they could, sayin they were gwne to
hang that bag up every Crismus till they got
husbands too. Miss Mary-bess her bright
eyes, she blushed as beautiful as a mornin.
glory, and sed she'd stick to her word. She
was rite out o. bed, and her hair wasn't
combed, and her hair wasn't fixed at all but
the way she looked pretty was rale distrac.
ton. | do believe if / was froze stiff, one
look at her charmin face, as she stood look.
in down to the floor with her rogish eyes
and her bright curls iallin all over her snowy
neck, would fetched me too. ] tell you
what, it was worth hangin in meal bag
from one crismus to another TO ieel so hap
ply as | have ever since.
| went home after we had the laugh out
and set by the fire till had thawed. II
the forenoon all the Stanleys come over tC
! our house, and we had one Of the creates
Crismus dinners that was ever seed in Geor
gia, and don't believe a happier company
ever sot to the same table. Old Miss Stan
ley and mother settled the match, and talke,
over every thing that ever happened in the
families, and laughed at me and Mary, ant
cried about their ded husbands, caus the,
wasn't alive TO see their children married.
1t is all settled now, cept we haint sot tn,
weddin day. I'd like to have it all over a
i, once, but young gals always like to be en-
gagged awhile, you know, so spose | mus
wait a month or so. Mary (she says mus
, call her Miss Mary now has been goo'
deal of trouble and botherashun to me, bu
if you could see her, you wouldn't think
ought to grudge little sufierin to get sucl
sweet little wife.
, You must come to the weddin if you pos
-, sibly kin, I'll let you know. No more from
; your friend till death. JOSEPH JONES