Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-01-20

nous watcher last, no sinecure in
q country village, where the well are Of
ten worn out in nightly attendance, in
cases of so little importance, that city
people would not think ofrequiring such
service. When Lois's ministrations in
this way were in demand, Frank always
came for her, and so saved her father the
necessity of going out in the evening
thing hated by all Woodworking farm
ers, who usually love to sit doing in the
chimney corner, when they do not go to
bed at nightfall.
Lois was good girl, and pretty girl,
and an only daughter so it is not won
derful that her hand was considered
quite speculation, and many wild fell
low from some miles distance had tried
to interest her; but her innocence and
delicacy were proof against such equiv
ocal courtship. She treated the two
neebor lads we have mentioned, with
a modest confidence, and avoided, with
native tact, giving preference to either
perhaps, because she really felt none
They had grown up together on friend
ly terms, and as there seemed no parti-
cular period at which the young men
became lovers, so the fair Lois chose to
ignore the fact ; though we shrewdly
suspect she was not blind to what every
body in the village saw and talked Of
the keen though subdued rivalry of Sam
Brayton and Frank Gillett.
II the two suitors had been Italians,
instead of ofshoots from the quiet and
abiding stock of Purtanism, there
were not wanting occasions, in the course
Of their pursuit of the prize, when still
ettos might have been drawn and blood
spilled. But a peaceful education led
them rather to seek to gain the point by
stratagem and many strawberry par
ty, many sleighing, many pic mic Cor
barbecue, as such things arc called at the
West,) did the young people of the
neighborhood enjoy, for which they might
have thanked Lois Arnold, whoever may
have claimed the honor; for our two en-
amored SWANS were at their wits end
for some means of interesting this OBJ
ject of their emulation, and overcoming
her formidable impartiality.
1t was chance, after all, that brought
matters to focus for Lois was riding
out with party of young people, when
her horse took it into his head to run a.
way, and Frank Gillet in rescuing her,
brought his own life into peril, and was
carried home much injured. We will
not assert that this brought Lois to de-
eide in his favor forwe have notion
, that no love worthy of having is based
} on merely accidental causes. But it GER
tainly made evident a preference and
before Frank was quite enough recover
ed to take his place on the farm again,
the story was afoat that Sam Brayton
, had decidedly got the mitten.'
He did not take this very amiably
that would have been quite out of char
acter for a country beau. Writing poe
/ try, or contemplating the stars, is not a.
mong the resources of the rejected in a
primitive state of society and the due
t that unanswerable mode of proving
, ones worth-is hardly known, even by
I name. To talk of ,hrashing-not the
+ lady, but the accepted swaln-is much
| more characteristic but Frank Gillet
was such good fellow, and bore hi:
) honors with so little ofa swell, that ever
] this was hardly feasible SO Brayton BIZ
, ded his time.
t When harvest was over, and all thu
] grain safely housed, spring wheat in, ane
J, corn ready for husking, Frank had tim,
e to be married and it was decided tina
! Lois Arnold ought to have "a real wed
e ding This implied regular frolic
turning the house out of window ant
: converting incredible quantities of fou
and sugar, milk and eggs, into delicacie
t for the delectation of wide sweep O
v country-not to mention dancing ad lib
e iilnl.
e What tolls were undergone wha
is anxieties experienced what finger
g burnt--in this grand preparation, til
e muse must not attempt to tell. Som
{, village Homer has yet to sing such feas,
o for the admiration of after ages. w
e must content ourselves with saying tina
~ lodiuutupdiuS SSttuihi) HSNCi oubHuCtS
e with half the zest that animated tn
't goodly company gathered together o
is this occasion and as for the dresses an
m decorations, they were such as LOU
r XIV. in all his splendor never saw. Nc
s. silk gown in the country but shone, c
10 did it best 10 shine not Sunday cot
at but had new buttons, at the very least
Of Every damse wore the greatest nrmbe
ID of curls and braids of which her cheve
lie lure was capable, and every matron
er head carried all the bows and border thi
I'd her cap would support. The tea cam
v first, with all its usual merrimeni-sul
or dued and expeclant with the thought
lie marriage yet to come; but the dancin
I'd was to wait until after the ceremon
10 that there might be no further interruI
G. ton, after at once the tables were cea
ne ed away.
A very usual mode--we may ventul
OF to say the usual mode-of binding one
lie self for better or for worse, in the We