St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-05-03

ms 'houSH al lhO Stille tlllle L COulu
have wept to think of my darling's head
being filled with such nonsense-sI have
no intention of marrying any one, Ger
tainly not my kitchen girl so dismiss
such foolish idea"
AS | spoke l looked at the portrait of
my departed Elizabeth hanging over the
piano, and sighed. For two years that
woman had been "dust and daisies" but
had ever ceased to regret her ! Had |
ever thought of filling the vacant place
at my tireside by any other presence /?
Loo well l knew the matchless worth of
her | had lost.
Now commenced a vigorous search af-
ter domestic. was proudly informed
that no foreigners were to be found in
that virtuouS region, and l was sure of
good American help. To the detriment
OF my early vegetables L spent days in
riding about the country, like a distract
ed knight of chivalry, demanding of ev-
cry one | met where could find a fair
Dulclnia to be queen OF the rolling-pin.
Meanwhile my poor blundering best
The children were kept from absolute
rags, though every time looked at them
rent appeared or a button disappeared.
We had what were called breakfast, din
ner and supper, and tried to swallow the
will for the deed, but one can't digest
mistakes.
Matilda had been gone two weeks, and
still no successor, only conditional PROM
ises from three or four quarters. Pres
emily they began to drop in one by one
First, Arabella Jones, who had been
waiting, | believe, to finish head dress.
The most | can say Of her is, that she
curled her hair, and the multitudinous
ringlets were a daily triumph of mind
over matter. Of her other characters
tics | am not qualified to speak, as she
staid only one day. She was followed
by sad Mrs. Winkle, who had survived
two or three husbands, wore black
breast pin like small tomb stone, had
memorial snuff box, made low spirited
bread, and punctuated her remarks with
deep signs.
So tunereal was her appearance, so
depressing her influence, that We seemed
to be dwelling in a sarcophagus and
was not sorry to learn from the commu-
nicative neighbors that she couldn't
make up her mind to stay, didn't think
it looked well, Mr.. Pratt ''being wild
over so, and such sociable man
tried to recall what | ever said to
the bereaved Mrs. Wrinkle which would
stigmalize me as very socable man ;
but could remember nothing | might not
have uttered with propriety in grave
yard. SO | concluded her apprehensons
arose entirely from my ''being wild
over So
The next was lady who loved ro-
nance, and wrote many splendid things
But ''She wouldn't do for me" on ac-
count OF her propensity for giving tea
spoons to the pig. and dropping pins and
tish-bones into the gravy. would have
overlooked an occasional dish cloth in
the pudding, but when it came to chok-
inc my children, all the father arose
within me, and, at the risk of wounding
the feelings OF the poeteSs, | advised her
to seek some more congenial employ
mcnt.
"Alas :" thought !, "a foreigner would
not come amiss. Much as the village
pride themselves on good American help,
| would be thankful to set my two eyes
on capable Irish girl who is not above
her business"
One day the unhappy Caddy in
formed me that Miss Peters from
her observatory had seen the chick
ems entering the kitchen, the mop re-
posing on wheelharrow, and the two
youngest children rolling a sieve for a
hoop. Under such circumstances it
seemed to Miss Peters that "a head was
needed She wondered if in all my ex-
perience | had ever tried to engage the
daughter of Widow Wilcox?
"Widow Wilcox ~ The name sound
ed familiar, though during our short
stay in the village | had not TO my
knowledge met such person or any OF
her daughters.
1 called ON Miss Peters for more def
mite information, which | found her very
ready to give. She was lady of some
fifty single summers, with cold eye.
like thick, blue ice, and a face which
looked as IF it had been stepped in the
vinegar of crushed hopes.
The Widow Wilcox lived, she said, on
the Low Farm that was '.You turn
ed off by the academy, and kept on
about half a mile till you came to 4
leather-colored house with green blinds
and laylock bushes before the front win
dows. Mehitabel was as Jucuteei a girl
as there was in Piccadilly her folks
were good livers, and she could cook as
nice victuals as Queen Victory"
BY anxious inquiry l learned that she
did not wear curls, neither took snuff,
nor sighed between her sentences, and
was not so literary as to endanger either
teaspoons or Juvenile windpipes. There
was but one objection, Miss Peters as
sured me Mehitabel hadn't been used
to living out much, and might feel above
it. The family were as poor as jobs
turkey q have since consulted Kitto's
Commentaries, but find no mention of
Jobs keeping poultry, but in spite of
their poverty they were ''bg-feeling,
stuck-up and proud"
Isighed, and remarked with pathos
that l had already suffered deeply from
the arrogance of american help" and
If the character of the Incompatible Miss
Wilcox was such as was represented,
should despair of securing her services.
| Miss Peters soothed me by the assur-
ance that she didn't believe but Mehita-
bel would come for a while, anyhow,
just to accommodate and with this