Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-11-23
The Doctors Matchmaking.
BY JOHN G. WHITTIER.


Doctor Singletary, as we drew near
neat farm house, during one of our
morning drives.
A tall healthy young woman, in
the bloom of matronly beauty, was
feeding chickens at the door. She
uttered an exclamation of delight, and
hurried towards US. Perceiving a
stranger in the wagon she paused, with
a look of embarrassment.
"Aly friend, who is spending a few
weeks with me" explained the Doc
tor.
She greeted me ciyilly, and pressed
the Doctors hand warmly.
ooh, it is SO long since you have
called on US that we have been talking
OF going up to see you, as soon as
Robert can get away from his corn
field. You don't know how little
Lucy has grown. You must stop, and
see her.
shes coming to see me herself"
replied the Doctor, beckoning to
sweet, blue eyed child in the door
way.
The delighted mother caught up her
darling, and held h er before the
Doctor.
doesn't she look like Robert ?"
She inquired. His very eyes, and
/ forehead, bless me here he is now >"
a stout, hale. young farmer, in
coarse checked frock and brown straw
nat, came up from the adjoining field.
"WelI, Robert, said the Doctor,
chow do matters tand with you ?
/ Well, hope.
"AII right, Doctor. We've paid
off the last cent Of the mortgage, and
The farm IS all free and clear. Julia
and | have worked hard, but we're
none the worse Ior it.
You look well and happy, l am
sure" answered the Doctor. Il don't
think you are sorry you took the ad-
vice OF an Old bachelor, after all.
The young wife head dropped until
her lips touched those finer child
sorry =. exclaimed her husband
not we. II there anybody happier
than We are within ten miles Of us. |
don't know them. Doctor, Ill tell
you what | said to Julia the night |
brought home that mortgage: well,
said /, that debts paid, but there's
one debt We can never pay as long as
we live. 1 know it, says she, but
DIR. Sin@ietary wants no better re-
ward lor his kindness than to see us
live happily together, and do for 9th
ers what he has done ior us.
"Pshaw :" said the Doctor, catching
up his reins and whip. You owe me
nothing. But l must not forget my
errand. Poor old widow Whiting
needs watcher tonight. and she in
sists upon having Julia Barnet, and
nobody else. What shall l tell her ?'
III go instantly, l can leave Lu-
cy now as well as not"
Good bye ncighbor5.
Good bye, Doctor"
As drove OIL | saw the Doctor
draw his hand hastily across his eyes,
and he said nothing for some min
utes.
"PubIic opinion" said he at length,
as ii pursuing his meditations aloud,
Public opinion is, nine cases out Of
ten, public folly and impertinence.-
We are slaves to one another-we
dare not take counsel Of our conscien-
ces and affections, but must needs sui-
fer popular prejudice and custom to
decide for rs, and at their bidding are
sacrificing love and friendship, all the
best hopes of our lives. We do not
ask what is right and best for Us, but
what will folks say OF it. How few
dare to seek their own happiness by
the lights which God has given them,
or have strength to defy the false pride
and the prejudice OF the world, and
stand fast in the liberty OF Christians.
. Can anything be more pitiable than
, the sight Of so many who should be
- chOOsers and creators under God Of
t their own spheres Of utility and hap
; piness, self degraded into mere slaves
of propriety and custom-their true
+ natures, undeyeloped, their hearts
e cramped AID shut up, each afraid OF
e his neighbor, and his neighbor OF him
e living a life Of unreality, deceiying anC
e being deceived, and forever walking
: N vain show? Here, now, we have
! Just left a married couple who are
happy because they have taken cOun
sci of their honest affections, rather
% than OF the opinions OF the multitude
% and have dared to be true to them
Y selves in defiance OF impertinen
s gossip"
70 "You aLlude to the young farme
r. Barnet and his wife, suppose" said
ct eyes. | will give you their case
d as an illustration. Julia Atkins wa
If the daughter Of Ensign Atkins, VIII
H. lived on the mill road, just above Def
20 con Warmers. When she was te
7. years old her mother died; and in
,e few months afterwards b e r tathe
IN married Polly Wiggins, the tailoreS
a. a selfish, shrewd, managing woman.-
,e Julia, poor girl, had a hard time o
he it; for the Ensign, although kin
to and afectionate man naturally, Wa
~ too weak and yielding to interpos
-aI between her and his strong minde
,te and sharp tongued wife. She ha
on one friend, however, who was alwa.
he ready to sympathize with her. Robe
,ev Barnet was the son of the next do
de- neighbor, about ten years older tn;
O9 herself. They had grown up toget
nst er as school companions, and pla
of mates; and often in my drives | US
lch to meet them, coming home hand
ari- hand from school, or from the WOO
md with berries and nuts, talking a