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


house-the dairy-room, with its hundred
cheeses, like so many flattened spheres of
gold, ranged upon shelves-the wool-loft, in
which were stored the results of three sea-
sons shearng-the yellowwhte blocks of
feeces packed away, in regular rows, to the
ceiling, with little aisles and arches, all of
wool, and having explained to me, very in
nocently, that this crop, reaped from the
backs of sheep, was a commodity which in
creased in weight by being kept, and that it
would probably command better price per
pound another season than this, the young
ladies Of the farm conducted me to the pam
try, where they exhibited n trayful of extra
ordinary hens'-eggs; then to tho wash-room,
to show me the glossy water-tank, supplied
by spout from the hill; and, finally, asked
me if | would like to see their grandmother?
"By all means - | replied; and they ac-
cordingly led me to a sitting-room, where
the old lady sat, with large grey cat in
her lap, knitting sock which was precisely
the color of the cat.
"Gran ma ~ cried the younger of the
girls-the prettier of the two, if there was
any difference in their beauty, for they were
both handsome as cherries-"Gran ma ~
she repeated, raising her voice, for it ap-
peared that the old lady was rather deaf,
there's gentleman come to see you"
"a gentleman from Boston !" added her
sister, laughing.
From Boston ~ echoed the old lady,
putting on her her spectacles. 81 declare
Why didn't you tell me-I'd have sicked
up little. No matter now. though How
do ye do? So you re from Boston, be We ~
There was good-humored smile of curl
osity on her face as she examined me through
her glasses and at the same time observed
that both the girls were laughing.
you'll have to tell your story about the
gentleman from Boston !" said Della (that
was the younger). in the old lady's ear
"And Lyddy Lankfort's wedding ~ ex-
claimed the grandmother, quite merrily.-
"That's jest what come into my head!
never hear of gentleman from Boston. but
think ont, ! do believe. But couldn't
tell it my memory faili,' on me so. Here,
Susie you take up this stitch I've dropped.
when you was children. and larnin' to knit,
and that's all the good it ever done ye.
guess you'd 60 without stockings, if ye
didn't have me to knit 'em for ye, for all
knittin on 'em yourselves.
Having given Susie the sock, with this
severe comment, the old lady wiped her glass
es, and held them pensively in one hand,
while she gently stroked the cats neck with
tho other The cat purred Susie bent
blushingly over the sock Della played with
a string | looked with pretended interest at
the pathetic picture of the old lady and her
cat but was, in reality. thinking how
handsome the girls were, and how captivating
they would be had they possessed a little
shockingly practical
Gentleman from Boston ~ suddenly
burst forth the old lady with laugh. q
don't know as I've thought ont for the last
sixty years without laughin', no matter
where was-even if twas in meetin' -
" Sixty years :" observed. "That is q
long road to look back over"
g Wa'al, IN one sense, It's. There's been
changes that make it seem SO. Times WASH
then as they be now. You'd think twas
rather funny, wouldn't you. to go back to
where there wasn't any railroads. or steam
boats, or tallygrafts? don't remember as
we ever used to sec newspaper very often
them days. And as for chaises and buggys
and such things, don't believe there wa,
was over dozen or so in all Connecticut. A
Deacon Lankfort had kind of a one-hosi
wagin he used to drive to meetin', anC
thought drea ful smart
"The Deacon was one of the richest mer
there was in town he had noble farm, anC
kept store beside-sold sugar, calico, brooms
Boston crackers, and no end OF rum. 'Twan 7
considered any disgrace them days to sci
rum. temperance never heard of TEN
perance when was girl.
4" It's the deacon darter, Lyddy Iankf fort
was going to tell We about. She liked Emo
Foote. Enos was clerk in her father
store, and as likely young man as any il
there was in town. don't know t the'
was exactly engaged but twas understoo,
well enough by everybody that he was t,
marry Lyddy and go into business with he
father, who was to take him into partnership
and every ching went on smooth enough til
up comes that evcrlastin' gentleman from
Boston.
81 shall never forgt the fust time sc
him. Twas to meetIn' he had some busi
ness with the Deacon an sot in the Deacon
pew. He was dressed up mighty smart, wit
his hair all queued down behind, and poma
TUNED up straight before, and powdered a
over, as if it had jest come out of a hour-Dng
That was the fashion them days. But
couldn't help laughin to see him ookin' g
uncommon stiff and fierce lie staid in tow
three or four days, and the Deacon introdu
ced him around, and had so much to sa
about the gentleman from Boston that it 20
to be Dy-word Tor the Deacon though
there never was any body like him. "
used to joke Lvddy about him. and aske
Enos if he knew there was u sock knittir
for him? and it worked em both up 50.
began to mstrust how the land lay. I'll
Deacon had his weaknesses--he was human
and despert worldly-and he thought it a
over, how nice 'twould be to have the gentl
mao from Boston member Of his family.
"lyddy warn't girl to he sighted netl
er, by the best Of 'em. She was amaziI
perty-clear rel and ite-wth eyes brig q
as di'monds She want none too good +,
Enos' though. But while every girl in I'll
Del0 llQEl0Ad of L.