Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-12-13


tionable in the personal appearance of the young
lady, and as he had but little tine to spare from
his parish, he offered himself on the third day OF
their acquaintance, TO the young lndys unbonnhed
astonishment, and received n decided refusal for
she had too happy home to be eager to change it,
and was not so oil MS to think this her last chance
TO be married. Oar minister here lost good wife
by his prccipitancy, for this young lady had a dis
position and mind peculiarly adapted to make an
agreeable and iudcious companion, and would
probably on q longer acquaintance have apprecia-
ted his fine chNaoter.
A short time after, Mr. Fenton attended some
convocaon of ministers in distant town. and
stayed with Mr.. Byrne, the father of one of his
classmates. He had called there year before, and
had been struck with the sweet face and gentle
manners of the sister of his friend and now, as
he became more and more pleased with her. he re-
memborcd that he had often heard her brother speak
of her piey unl Omiablc e nper. Tho only Oblcc-
ton was her age she was but eighteen, but then
she appeared more grave and sedate than many
older girls, and it was not bad fault after all-she
would be tractable and easily guided, Learn
ing from experience to be more cautious in his adj
vances, he spoke first on the subject to her moter
who lent favorable an ear to his proposals us he
could desire. Mrs. Byrne charmed with the
idea of having her daughter marry minister of
such good character aud standing as Mr.. Fcnton,
and intended that she should accept him. Louisa
/
ways led her to give lmplicH obedience to her mo-
t'ler, and she would not have thought Of opposing
her wishes now, even had she been avcrse to the
connection, which was not the case. She had no
dislike to Mr.. Fenton was gfatiied and fattered
by his preference, and willingly consented TO be.
come his wife.
Thankful that the great matter was accomplished,
our minister returned home with light heart lie
was married in the spring. and Mrs. Byrne came
with them to B - to assist her daughter in
getting to housekeeping. All the town floc ked TO
see the bride, and no one could help being pleased
with so pretty n creature She had the most beau
ti'ul and abundant light brown hair ever saw, with
large .pensive hazel eyes, and her tall willowy fig
IRE and pearl like complexion betokened decacy
Of character and constitution. Her manners were
agreeable, and in the presence of her MOTHER who
was most voluble talker her reserve and want Of
conversation were unnoticed. Mrs. Byrne was
soon Obliged to return home, and then the young
wife's trials commenced. Naturally timd and de-
pendent, she had been rendered more so by the in
judicous over government of her mother, who had
never suffered her to act for herself, or to use her
own judgment in any thing, so that she was even
younger III cha acter than in years. Confused and
embarrassed by her new situation, she felt like
child who had never walked alone and was left
without hand to lean upon. She was not at all
gifted with that desirable quality, tact, which ena
bles some happy mortas to act just right under all
. circumstances and had a most unfortunate memory
for peoples names and connexions asked old Miss
Smith after her husband and inquired of the widow
Morrison how her children were when they had all
died of the scarlet fever in the winter.
: Poor Mrs. Fenton was fast becoming unpopular.
Her ignorance exaggerated, her timid reserve
was called pride and codness Of heart, and her lit
tie mistakes thought to proceed from contemptuous
thoughessness and disregard of the feelings of
Others Itbegan to be whispered about, too that
the minister's wife was nothing Of a housekeeper.
Her mother would have been astonshed at the
charge for had she not been in the kitchen every
week since she left school, learning all the mystic
: ries of cookery in which Mrs Byrne was proti'
cent? True, she had done great deal OF COOK
inc under her mothers direction but found 1t quite
!, different thing now when she had no one at he
: elbow whose advice to ask where the cook booi
{ says use your own Judgment and only one ineN
y pcrienced girl to assist her. She could manage
). very well when she had no company, for Mr.. Fen
" ton was easily suited, but country minister keep
II kind of unpaid hotel and when some unexpected
!. guests arrived she often bushed with modification
II over her heavy bread or i'll cooked dinner.
Y About This time the ladies' sewing society met il
Il turn at her house. This a large circle of la
~ dies who met once a week at the different members
y houses to sew for the missionaries, discuss thei
$ own and their neighbors' affIirs and take goot
Is cup OF tea together. Mrs Fenton had been dread
ng the infection for some Zine, and determined t
make her preparations the day before, that Their
10 would be time TO remedy any failure that might b
made. Unfortunately, two ministers and thei
= wives came to dinner on that day, and she was obi
~ ged to put every thing off till tie next morning..
Her ncghbor, Mrs. Bailey, thought she would ru
70 and see if Mrs Fenton would not like to borrow
~ some of her cups and saucers for tea, and found he
d in tears in the kitchen The biscuit would not rise
!, her loaf-caEc heavy, and the pound cakes wer
' burnt as black as a coal Mrs. b. did all she coul
l. TO assist her. made the refractory biscuit RISE and ST
I perintendel the baking, frosted over the burnt cak
Ian lyh 10
~ had in the house. The society was uncommon
lar re that day, and after tea, when they gatherc
' around the tables is often the case the chara(
- ter and domestic concerns of their hostess was FREE
" ly discussed.
a, as what awful coffee that was says one don
~ believe there any thing put in to settle it, al
= the tea was as weak as dsh-water.'
'''u Yes says another and know the pound cal
was burnt though it frosted, it tasted SO bite
,,ee,, well, says Mary Bailey, if you won't mentic
ny it, I'll tell you something. That good loaf cake
ours ma told me not to tell but 1t it had not bee
an for her, you wouldn't have had any supper a, ALL
ion She came over this morning and found things
ION such pickle, Mrs. Fenton was crying, and eve
IN thing was spoilt. Ma says our Jane, and she
ng only twelve years old, knows more about bakil
ar than Mrs. Fenton,'
- Did YOU everr exclaimed the first speaker 81
ere have you heard the reason that Mrs. Dale turn
so Baptist? She called on Mrs. Fenlon when 81
on first came, and Mrs Fenton never returned the ca
10 and did not bow to her once when they met III 4
not street and Mrs Dale saws she wont 90 to met
the ing where the minister's wife is proud that S
uld wont call to see her. because she has lost all Il
last prop rty, and isn't church member. She told De
he con Barnes so, and he told the minister, who f
en- bad enough about it.
lta' Sister Ann told me-, says third, that she ne
1or err takes part in the ladies' meeting; and the oil
to day she sat ont to read chapter, and frg
60 ened she could not finish it, and the next day NJ
Der Deacon Fuller called to tell her her Duty and Il
and she must not have the fear of before her ey
OF and Mrs Fenton cried ready to break her heart
her Il don't wonder she did, said knd-hearted g
for who had been listening; only think she is no .
use or than we are and so much Is expected of her
ma See her talking with that old Mrs Potts-ho Iii
In and weary she looks. mean to go and sit awh
The I,uiLl IlAn1r,