Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-03-18

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and little giddy, and | s'pose she though
1t would be IA fine thing to marry Il strange
that dressed so smart, and talked so large
and walked so like a prince of the 'arth
and had SO much money as folks told abou
and that arter all, was the main thing,
imagine.
"They managed pcrty shrewd to kcel
Enos quiet, and at last he was sent off tc
Hartford on some pretence of business, but
for no 'arthly reason under the sun, only tc
| have him out of the way when the weddin
come of. The gentleman from Boston was
fierce enough for the match--and no won
der; for whoever got lyddy got pcrty wife
and fortin' with her.
"Your gran'ther Slade was courtin' ms
along bout that timc he was kind of hall
cousin of Lyddy her father was old gran
ny Sladcs Northumberland since we'd
been engaged, Lyddo and had got to be
tolerable. So one day, arter she was pub
lishcd-the minister used to read off in
meetin them that contemplated matrimony
always, in those days-Lyddy sent for me to
come over and see her took my knittin'
aud went ovcr-girls never thought of goin
visitin' then 'thout some kind o work.
remember went cross-lots, and picked some
ros berries by the way, and strung some on a
stalk of grass to take to Lyddy. She run
out by the well to meet me, and hugged me
in her arms, and but out cryn' right
there on my neck.
"My Lyddy !" saws l. "What on 'arth
is the matter?' says |. "Now don't cry -
says /. But all the time was Il cryin' my
self; for knowed what the trouble was
and many sad and lonesome time I'd had
thinkin' of her and poor Enos Footc, though
'twa mt no business of mine.
81 amt cryin'! or if be, its cause IN
so glad to sec ye says Lyddy. says she.
'Come in, do y So went in. and she began
to look little chirk, showin' me her we'd
din n'-dress and fixn's. But | couldn' feel
happy somehow; KEEP thinkin', and c'ena'-
most chokin', when | tried to talk; and at
last couldn't help speakin' right out
"'What 'u'd Enos say, Lyddy?'
"She turned white as sheet, and drop
ped her dress, and stood minute thn most
distressed object ever I set eyes on; then she
began to cry agin
"'Oh, don't mention Enos - says she
There never was any body 5, miserable as
| be-!
"She took on terrible for as much as ten
or fifteen minutes: and | let her, for
thought 'twould do her good to have her cry
out. But felt awful while | sot by and
looked on. | was in love a little myself
then, and could Jest enter into her fcelin's,
and feel Tor Enos, too, exactly as ift had
been my own case. At last she wiped up,
and tried to put on sober face on the mat
ter.
"'It's no use now says she let's talk
about somethin' else.'
''But | was determined to dive into the
matter a little deeper. So says |
"If you don't like him, what makes ye
marry him % says I.
I" 'It l don't like who 2? Lyddy spoke up,
real spunky for a second or two.
"Your gentleman from Boston :" says l.
"'Who says don't like him ? OF course
| like him, or | shouldn't marry him, says
she but her voice was bcginnin' to trem-
BILE.
but there's somebody you like BETTER
says !. mo use your denyin that. And
there's somebody likes you a good deal better
than ever you desarved he should. And
you're willfully and wickedly brcakin' his
heart, as if 'twa mt of no more vally than
a stun under cart wheel Excuse me for
bein' so PLAIN with ye, Lyddy; but that's
jest what think, and couldn t help sayin'
it,
"lnstid of ben' mad. as s'posed she'd be
what did she do but run up to me, and git
right down on her knees by my side and
look up IN my face, with her hands IA holdin'
both of mine tight, and the tears a running
out Of her eyes jest like two springs Of
water
'''Oh will it break his heart o says She
DO YOU think he loves Inc so-do you p
And she laughed and sobbed, both at the
same time, as if it made her happy, even
than 10 tb;pL how Ennc loya1 how
"Then she told me the hull story and it
did rally seem us though she want SO much
to blame, after ALL Twas all her iather's
and relations doin s-for they was bent on
havin' her marry the gentleman from Bos-
ton, and they'd fairly talked it into her, and
made her think she must. She owned right
up that she didn't like him bit, and never
could and declared she had never for min
ute thought Enos would feel half so bad
about it as she did.
"Tain't too late yit, says |.
"She frightened up at that but when
told her what she ought to do, her counte-
nance fell, and she gasped out that she never
could do it in the world
"Turn right about says I, and undo all
you've done wrong-thats the only way.
Tell your father you never understood your
feelin g till now that you never can love any
body but Enos; and that, as for marryin'
the gentleman from Boston, you can't and
WON'T That's what told her. and was
so worked up about it, guess laid it down
to her perty strong.
"'What'll every b,dy say?' says she.
/" Never mind what every body'll say
says |. Think of Enos. Think of bein
married to man you don't like, and the man
you do like breakin' his heart about ye
What'll you care for little property, more
or less, or 'pearin' smart, or what folks II
say or think, when there ain t no more love
for you in the world? Think ont, says |.
Then be brave as lion, and have your own
way for once. It's your ight and duty and
it's Enos' right, above all
"Wa'al, made her almost promise. But
'twan't much use talking to her about bein'
brave as a lion, for she was nothin' but II
lamb. If had only been in her place lit
tie while, guess there'd have been stir
She wanted to think ont one night she said.
So | went and left her. But it seemed as
though I'd took all her trouble with me.
was so distressed that didn't sleep wink
all night, thinking of her and Enos. Toward
mornin' an idee come into my head; I'd write
letter. I'd write to Enos, and tell him how
matters stood. Soon as the birds began to
twtter | was out of my bed; and fore noon
that letter was on its way to Hartford. If
Enos should come back. | felt perty sure he
and together could have influence enough
with Lyddy to break of the match. But
mals didn't go SO quick then as they do now;
twas only five days fore the weddn', and |
was drea ful 'fraid Enos wouldn't get the
letter and come on in season.
"Waal I'm maxim long story ont, as
It's, and if should begin to tell ye all that
was said and done in them five days. 'twould
keep ye here till this time tomorrow, sartin,
Lyddy was in a terrible state o. mind-dled-
in the weddin', wishin' to break of with the
gentleman from Boston, but afraid to do
anything. didn't let her know word
about my writin to Enos till the very last -
As he didn't come, thought ia tell her
and maybe that would put a little sperit int