Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-07-24

tune, if thee breaks thy bones in this
guise. Getup, Tommy. Hast thee snapt
off thy tother leg? for thy right one be
scarce mended since the miller's donkey
kicked it in twain. Art thee killed." she
cried, in louder voice, when Tommy
lay quiet. "Clean dead WI such a tum-
BILE as this"
The boy opened his eyes and said,
"By Potterkin, I thinks l be-
The woman gathered him up as if he
had been piece of broken crockery.-l
"Thee hast cracked thy two legs" she
said, "and three of thy ribs thou hast
had measles that crooked thy back, and
hopping cough that wore out thy chest
thou hast kings evil, and art in deep de-
cline, and canst eat nothing, and never
sleeps O nights. Thee can't live, Tom
my"
"Hold the tongue O. thee," replied the
invalid. "By Splutters of York 1 won't
die nowhere but in my little bed at home.
So get thee on, mother, for l thinks /
shall never survive the sundown."
Tommy, however, did survive, and
when twenty years were past, he had
grown to his full height, which was not
much, and was strong for so very delicate
looking a person; and as his mother be-
fore her decease had pointed out to him
the rafter between which and the thatch
she had hidden the ransom money of the
English crown, he considered himself
above the necessity of work, andindulged
in complete idleness and independence.
Being idle and Independent, he did many
foolish things among the rest he fell in
love. A girl was coming through the
churchyard with pail of water on her
head a beautiful, fair-haired, light fgur-
ed girl, the ornament of the village. This
was Tommy's sweetheart.
"Good evening, Susan Prodigy" he
said, "Fatherland how sweet thou look
est; give US kiss, Susan
"Odt O. my gate, Tommy the trifer,'
said Susan, but stepping stopping ct g: his address
l"What would such dying like apparitior
i
do VII kiss if I gi'ed ye one 2''
"'Twould maybe keep me alive" re
piled Tommy, "for I've such a pain il
t the chest
"Try poultice," replied the fair physi
f clan ga little brown paper and ia
would be O. more use to a ghost than eve
kiss O mine."
"Pfekins," said Tommy, "perhap
you're right. l really wish | could di
: once for good, for nobody ever thinks
can live year. Hark ye, Susan Prod
dy, like thee so that I wish to make the
J. rich. If thou'lt marry me, Ipromise
die within the twelve months, and the
!, shalt have all my coin"
g "That be a good and tempting offe
Tommy" replied the girl with laugl
n .'and I'll think ont. Clear the road, q
a I'll souse ye with the water-can." AM
d so saying, she brushed past the unfortr
/" nate wooer, and tripping gracefully owe
e the stile was lost to view.
e Dodderfops !" said Tommy, ''if
t. could only hope to live for few years
L but it's useless to hope it. I've had Il
iaundice, and the smallpox, and Il
y sweating sickness I've broke all N
bones I've had my head cracked; "
IN had my jaws out of joint I have coue
as loud as shepherds dog / have fa
; ing sickness have complaint in n
u liver l have a twist in the spine ha'
y ague every spring and autumn, and sea
T. let fever every summer; have enlarg
ment of the heart, and disease of the XII
= neys, and enlongated uvula ; and luI
III bago every winter, and sciatica all t
6 year. Joggles! it's marvel does
lu die"
But the marvel continued, and VIII
h' twenty years more were past Tomr
Oe was still a walking catalogue of hum
woes. Every part of him seemed to
N wrong except the heart. He was true
his only love, Susan Proddy but Sus
lot had left the village for long time. S
re had married one Dodger, miller fri
ais Wakefield, and had forgotten all abb
TX Tommy the trifer and his proposal
Ia marriage but Tommy had never f
nu gotten her.
ler In the midst of all his pains and dis
're ses, her image lay enshrined, the ol
bright thing that shone upon Tomm
on darkened life. He kept himself consta
er' ly informed of all her proceedings. WI
ief news came of her to the village, Tom
IVY listened with more earnestness and
10 terest than any one else; and once, wi
OF he was absent for five weeks, it began
Snt be whispered that he had been max
BON ,rloro IVaI~oEo1I - Z.