Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-03-22

But perhaps the hardest lot Of all fell
Brother Herman, for he had been the grea
est aggressor while the bachelor habits {
his brothers had been negative, his had bee
positive-his traps, as he called them, wer
all over the house, and to clear the Gbrar
was like cleaning the Augean stables Da
after day he might be seen working Jealous
ly with John and his own little negro-bo
Sadi, half smothered in cloud of dust, re
moving guns, fshing-rods, great coats, maps
pictures of sporting-dogs, prize-pigs, an
race-horsas; models, seeds, and specimens o
geology. conchology, and ornithology, mos
OF them worthless rubbish, which the hant
of devoted wife, "cruel only to be kind, ,
would happily have relieved him OF, at STATED
periods of weekly or spring cleaning, bu
which had accumulated in this sanctum
year after year, undisturbed. Now, standing
tip-toe, like an ancient Mercury, on the toy
of the carpeted steps Strengthening the books
or arranging the busts on some top shelf
now bending Ike Atlas beneath the weight
of one of the globes now dispatching. Sad
with fenclng-follS, mask, aud ooxlng-gloves
now cheering Johns heart by an uncondi-
tional surrender of personal property in the
shape Of shoes, boots, and old hats. At last
the room was cleared-all the strange, heter-
geneous mass of extraneous matter was re-
moved. the globes were lifted to their pede:-
tails, the books were in their places, the
study-table and chairs disencumbered, and
the room was fairly abandoned to Mrs. Har-
ris and her underlings to sweep, and clean,
and dust at their pleasure.
But this was not all that Mr.. Herman
Rutherford had to do. All? Bless your
heart, no not the half of it. BE had the
garden to see to the pond had to be cleaned
out. and the fountain repaired {; the statues
and urns had to be washed, and the summer
house put in order. Oh, that summer
house that was days work in ITSELF
Herman and the gardener had between them
made seed, root, and tool-house of it /;
bags of peas and beans, punches Of seed
corn and grains, dried herbs and bags of
twine, hung against the pretty frescoed
walls dahlia roots, bulbs, seeds, sticks,
and tallies filed the tables Z; the statues were
crowded out of their inches with odds and
ends. hammer and nails, mating and list
ing the windows filled with cob-webs above
and flower seeds below and the floor Uttered
with small tools, garden trowels, saws, and
pruning knives. All this came under the
care and supervision of poor Herman, who
worked, and fretted, and laughed, and
scolded, and he'd up the expected Miss
Rutherford before the minds eye of the gar
dener, until he fairly caught the contagious
spirit Of Improvement, and rose early and
worked late, giving extra hours to clip the
lEe hedges and boxwood to long unknown
state of perfection. He did contemplate
clipping one tall bush into a goddess Diana,
in compliment to the young lady, but failed
in the attempt. and decided to turn it into
Washington but baf1ed again in this pat
riotic endeavor, he made very pretty sugar
loaf of it, and that was pretty well for a
man go hurried and haTassed, " in mind,
body, and estate as he was by Mr.. Her
man Rutherford.
At last the important day Of arrival came,
and all was in order The young lady was
expected in the afternoon, and late dinner
had been ordered. II cost Mr.. Oliver and
the housekeeper n worl1 of thought to ar
range that dinner-light and elegant enough
for the lady's delicate taste. yet solid enough
to meet the requirements of his brothers
but even this was settled at last-there is no
impossible to the persevering spirit.
The hour approached. The gentle
men were all in full dress for dinner
three elegant-looking men they were. The
housekeeper told the butler in confidence,
il really did her good "to see our three young
gentlemen dressed for dinner, and looking
like themselves again, and things as they
used to be before Mrs Rutherford died, and
Miss Kate was married.
As Mr. Roland left his chamber, he opened
the door of Miss Rutherford's room, to take
one more look at the beauty which he had
created, and which was henceforth to be
sacred even from his intrusion. How beau
tiful it was in its soft green light,
There seemed presence half divine
Floating unseen above,
The shadow Of calm thoughts, the sign
Of maiden faith and love;
As if some spotless heart had shed
A dew Of purenesS there,
Which brooded Ger the placid bed
And glorifed the air"
A vase Of white lilies stood on the centre
table, filling the air with fragrance little
of the golden pollen from one of the snow
white chalices had fallen on to the white
marble slab Mr. Roland bent down his
stately head and blew it aside. There was
nothing else he could fad to do.
He descended the stairs-the house seemed
under martial law. Flounce and Juno, ex-
PEELED from good society, were whining
mournfuliy in the stables not fallen leaf
Law on the steps or the smooth gravel ap-
prOach he looked into the dining room, the
plate upon the side-board had been rubbed
into an unnatural brilliancy The table was
laid for four in the plate at the head lay a
superb boquet of hot-house flowers. indicating
that Miss Rutherford would fill the place
once occupied by his mother, and then by
Kate.
John, in full company trim, but with his
white gloves in, not yet upon his hands, was
busy arranging something at the side-board /;
and Mrs. Harris, brisk and buoyant, dressed
in the brown cinnamon silk she had received
at Kate's wedding, and her best cap and
brave pink ribbons, passed him as he came
out, with pleasant satisfied smile, and
respectful courtesy.
lie entered Tho d.a"i.Ig-IVVuI l-i~ tr~
brothers were there before him. Each smiled
approval of his own and the others external
condition: and certainly, carefully dressed
as they then were, they made an imposing
appearance tall, dignifed, graceful, and
commanding, they were a credit to the old
name they bore.
They waited few moments.
"Miss Rutherford makes it late, said Mr..
Herman. Oliver compared his watch with
the drawing-room clock, and thought nerv-
ously of his iricassees and pates.
Another pause: than Mr.. Roland got up,
and changed the disposition of the window
curtain, and smelled of the roses in the vases
wheels were heard
''There she is :" exclaimed all three of the
gentlemen in breath and they all rose and
advanced to the drawing room door and
paused, for there seemed to be some delay.
John was parleying with some one in the
hall. a voice with foreign accent was
heard Possibly it was not Miss Rutherford,
then, after all. What was amiss John came
up.
"Who is it, Johu?'' asked Mr.. Oliver
Rutherford.
81 don't know, sir it is woman with a
child, sir, asking for you," replied John,
gravcly.
asking for US? woman and a child !!
1t must be some mistake. What can 1t
mean?" asked Mr.. Oliver, turning to his
brothers.
" don't know, my dear fellow said
Herman, drylv, Hadn't you better 60 and
sse about it2 Don't keep the lady wait