Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-06-22
DEBBY WILDER;
OR THE HUNDRED DOLLAR NOTE,
By sEBA SMITH.

HStS 4''S~' . ~" yCotS dSOy III Tue
interior Of one of the middle States, a
sturdy farmer, well to-do in the world.
by the name of William Wilder. He
had wandered away from Yankee land
in his younger days, to seek his fortune;
and having been employed by respec-
table Quaker, to work on his farm, ne
had contrived by true Yankee adroitness,
to win the affections of the old mans
daughter, and married her. His wife,
having espoused one of the worlds peo-
pie, contrary to the rules of her order,
was, of course, read out of the society ;
If anything he felt little rejoiced at it,
for he thought it seemed TO bring her a
little nearer to him.
Mrs. Wilder, however, never over
came the habits which had grown Up
with her childhood and youth; she al
ways called her husband William, and
continued through life to speak the Qua
ker dialect. But this from her lips, was
never ungrateful or unwelcome to Will
liam's ears; for one of the sweetest
sounds that ever dwelt in his memory
was when he asked her certain ques-
ton, and her reply was William, thee
has my heart already, and my hand shall
be thine whenever thee may be pleased
to take it.
William Wilder was a thrifty and stir
ring man; and in few years he found
himself the owner of a good farm, and
was going ahead in the world as fast as
the best of his neighbors. Nor has the
whole sum of his fortune yet been stated
He was blest with a daughter; bright
rosy checked, healthy, romping girl, full
of life and spirits, and, in his eyes, ex.
ceedingly beautiful. The daughter, al
the period which is more particularly
described, had reached the age of eighteen
years and was an object of engrossine
love to her parents, ard of general at
tention TO the neighborhood.
There's that Joe Nelson alongside o.
Debby again. said Mr.. Wilder to hi:
wife rather pettishly, as they came out o
church one warm summer afternoon, anC
commenced their walk homeward. 8
wish he wouldn't make himself quite 81
thick
We'll now my dear, l think thee ha!
little too much feeling about it, re
turned Mrs, Wilder. Young folks Ike
to be together, and Joseph is clever ant
respectable young man; nobody evel
says word against him.
Yes, he's too clever to be worth any
thing sad Wilder; and he'll yet tax,
it into his head, if be hasn't already, t,
coax Debby to marry him. I've no idea
Of her marrying pauper; I've worket
too hard for what little property I've got
TO be willing to see it go to feed vaga
bond, who never earned anything, an,
never will. | don't believe Joe will eve
be worth hundred dollars as long as h
lives
MY dear, l think thee little too har,
upon Joseph; thee should remembe
that he is just out of his time. Hi
father has been sick several years, an
Joseph has almost entirely supported tn
whole family
'Oh, 1 don't deny but he's cleve
enough said Mr.. Wilder; 'all there i:
/ don't like to see him quite so thic
along with Debby. How should yo
feel to see him married to Debby, an
not worth decent suit of clothes
Il should feel,' said Mrs. Wilder, "a
though they were starting in life as W
did when we were first married. W
had decent clothes, and each of US goo
pair of hands, and that was all we ha
to start with. 1 don't think We shoul
have got along any better, or been an
happier, if thee had been worth a bur
dred thousand dollars when we wer
married
This argument came with such fore
to Wilder's own bosom that be made n
attempt to answer it, bur walked on i
silence till they reached their own dwell
ing. Debby and Joseph had arrive
there before them, and were alread
seated in the parlor. Seeing Joseph a
they passed the window, Wilder chos
not to 60 in, but continued his walk U
the road to the high ground that over
looked some of bis fields, where be stoo
ruminating for half an hour on the pros
poets of his crops and more particular
upon the unpleasant subject of Debb
and Joe Nelson. The young man ha
become so familiar and so much at hom
at his house, that he could hardly dout