Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-10-20

er light fell on woman in o widows dress
who stood in the middle of the room, and mad
the deepest of curtsies as he entered. She wa
bnxom woman approaching forty, her eye
red with tears which had evidently been absorb
ed by the handkerchief gathered into dam
ball in her right hand.
"Now, Mrs. Hartopp, said Sir Christopher
taking out his gold snutf-box and tapping th'
lid, what have you to say to me2 MARKHAM
has delivered you notice to quit, suppose?'
80 yis, yer honour, an that's the reason
why I've come. hope your honour'll thinl
better on it, an not turn me an my poor chill
dren out O. the farm, where my husband ally
paid his rent as regar as the day come
Nonsense l should like to know wha
good it will do you and your children to stay
on farm and lose every farthing your HUSBAND
has left you, instead of selling your stock anc
going into some little place where you can keel
your money together 1t is very well known tt
every tenant of mine that never allow widow
to stay on their husbands FARMS
go, Sir Christerfer, if you pouH consider
when I've sold the hay, and corn, an all thu
live things, an paid the debts. an put the mon
ey out to use, shall have hardly anuff to keer
wer souls an bodies together. An how Car
rear my boys and put 'em prentice? They mus
goo for dey-labourers, an their father man WI
as good belongirs as any on your honour's cs
tate, an niver threshed his wheat afore it wal
well i the rick, nor sold the straw off his farm
nor nothin'. Ask all the farmers round if there
was n stiddier, soberer man than my husband al
attended Ripstone market An he says, Bes
sic, says he-them was his last words you i
mex shift to manage the farm, if Sir Christie
fer 'ull let you stay on"
Pooh, pooh " said Sir Christopher, Mrs
lIartopp's sobs having interrupted her pleading
I" now listen to me, and try to understand lit
tie common-sense You are about as able tt
manage the farm as your best milch cow. You'll
be obliged to have some managing man, wh
will either cheat you out of your money o
whecdle you into marrying him.
80 your honour, was never that sort owo
man, an nobody has known it on me"
Every likely not because you were never
widow before. A woman's always silly enough
but she's never quite as great fool as she Cal
be until she puts on a widows cap. Now, jus
ask yourself how much the better you will b
for staying on your farm at the end of fou
years, when you've got through your money
and let your farm run down, and are in arrear
for half your rent or perhaps, have got som
great hulky fellow for husband, who swears q
you and kicks your children"
"lndeed, Sir Christifer, | know a deal O
farming, an was brought up i the thick on it
as you may say. An there was my husband
great-aunt managed a farm for twenty year an
left legacies to all her nephys an nieces, an
even to my husband, as was then babe un
born"
"Psha a woman six feet high with squin
and sharp elbows, | darc say-a man in petit
coats Not rosy-cheeked widow like you
Mrs Hartopp."
Indeed, your honour, never heard on he
squintin an they slid as she might ha' bee
married o 'er an o'er again, to people as ha
no call to banker after her money"
Ay, ay, that's what you all think. Ever
man that looks at you wants to marry you, an
would like you the better the more children 20
have and the less money. But it is useless
talk and cry. have good reasons for my plans
and never alter them. What you have to do
to make the best of your stock, and to look OF
for some little place to go to, when you lea'
The IIellows. Now go back to Mrs. Bellamy
room, and ask her to give you dish of tea
Mrs Hartopp, understanding from Sir Chri
topher's tone that e was not to be shake
curtsied low and left the library, while the ba
onct, seating himself at his desk in the ori
window, wrote the following letter
MA. MARKHAM,-Take no steps about le
ting Crowsloot Cottage, as intend to put
the widow Hartopp when she leaves her farm
and if you will be here at eleven on Saturda
morning, l will ride round with you, and sett
about making some repairs, and see about b
of land to the take, as she will want to keep
COW and some pigs.-Yours faithfully,
g CHRISTOPHER CHEvEREL.'
fro BE CONTINUED.