Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1860-08-09

never said nothin' for minute she flushed all
up as red as rose, and see her little fingers
was shakin', and her eye-winkers shiny and wet;
but she spoke presently, and said,-
"' | can't, Ebcn
~ was shot betwxt wind and water then.
tell you, Doctor 'Twa'n't much to be said,
but I've alters noticed aaoat that real danger
some squalls comes on still there's a dumb
kind of time in the air, the storm seems to be
waitin' and holdin' it's breath, and then little
low whisper of wind "a cats paw we caIl't-
and then you get it real arnest I'd rather
she'd have taken on. and cried and scolded, than
have said so still, I can't, Eben.
"'Why not, Hetty says I
"' ought not to leave grandmother, said
she.
81 declare, [ hadn't thought O. that Miss
Buel was a real infrm woman without kith nor
kin, exceptin' Hetty for Jason Buel he'd died
down to Jersey long before; and she hadn't
means. Hetty nigh about kept em both since
Miss Buel had grown too rheumatic to make
cheese and see to the hens and cows, as she used
to. They didn't keep any men,folks now, nor
but one COW Hetty milked her, and drove her
to pastur', and fed the chickens, and braided
hats, anddd chores. The farm was all sold off
twas poor land AMI didn't fetch much but
what there was went to keep 'em in vittles and
firm. guess Hettty 'arnt most of what they
lived on, arter all.
WE'LL says I, after spell of thinkin',
can't she 90 along too, Hetty?'
"' Oh no, Eben she's too old she never
could get there, and she never could live there
She says very often she wouldn't leave Simsbury
for gold untold; she was born here, and she's
bound to die here. know she wouldn't go
"' Ask her, Hetty
9" No, it wouldn't be any use; it would only
tfet her always to think staid at home for her,
and you know she can't do withoutme.'
"' No more cant l. says I. Do you love
her the BEST Hetty?'
81 was kinder sorry Id said that for she
grew real white, and could see by her throat
she was chokin' to keep down somothin'. Fl
nally she said
"' That isn't for me to say, Eben. If it was
right for me to go with you, should be glad
to- but you know can't leave grandmother.
Well, Doctor, couldn't say no more. I
got up to go. Hetty put down her work and
walked to the big ellum by the gate with me. |
was most too full to speak, but catched her up
and kissed her soft little trembln lips, and her
pretty eyes, and then I set off for home as if [
was goin to be hanged.
Young folks is obstreperous, Doctor I've
been long spell away from Hetty, and don't
know as should take on so now That night
| never slept | lay klckn' and tumbln' all
sight, and before mornin' I'd resolved to quit
Simsbury, and go seek my fortin' beyond seas,
hopin' to come back to Hety, arter all, with
riches to take clro on her right there in the old
place. You'd "a thought might have had
some kind of feelm' for my old father, after
seein' Hetty's faithful ways but was man
and she was a woman, and take it them is two
different kind o. craft. Men is alters for them
selves first, an Devil take the .hindmOst ; but
women lives in other folkss lives, and ache, and
work, and endure all sorts Of stress O weather
afore they'll quit the ship that's got crew and
passengers aboard.
81 never said nothin' to father,-l couldn't
"a stood no jawin' but made up my kit, an
next night slung it over my shoulder, and
trampcd off Icouldn't have gone without bid
din Hetty goodbye so stopped there, and told
her what was up to, and charged her to tell
father.
She tried her best to keep me to home, but
1 was sot in my way; so when she found that
out, she run up stairs an got little Bible, and
made me promise I'd read itsometimes, and then
she pulled that are little ring off her finger and
give it to me to keep.
o. Eben, says she, wish you well always,
and sha'n't never forget you
"And then she put up her face to me, as in
nocent as baby, to kiss me goodbye. see
she choked up when | said the word, though,
and said, kinder laughin',-
"'I hope you'll get better husband than
me, Iletty
81 swear she give me look like the iudg
ment-day, and stoopin down she pressed her
lips onto that ring and says she, That is my
ddln'-ring, Eben and goes into tho house
as still and white as ghost and never see
her again, nor never shall. Oh, Doctor give
me a drink "