Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-04-12
over and drop it back of my house

II VIII De a hard job, says old Bob
Without ! you tear down the steepl.
first
But Jedwort said, Whats a meet
house without a steeple? I've 90,
my heart kind o. set on that steeple
and.T bound to go the hull hog or
this concern, now I've begun
4 vow,' says Bob, examining the
timbers. 4 won't warrant but wha
the old thing II all tumble down.
I'll risk it. Gda
Yes; but who'll risk the lives of
me and my men?'
~, you'll see if its really going to
tumble and look out. I'll engage that
me and my boys will do the most
dangerous part of the work. Dumbed
if | wouldn't agree to ride in the
steeple and ring the bell if there was
one.'
1--we never heard that the promised
notices were read from the pulpits
but it wasn't many days before Bob
came over again, bringing with him
this time his screws and ropes and
rollers, his men and timbers, horse
and capstan; and at last the old
house might have been seen on It's
travels.
1T was an exciting time all around.
The societies found that Jedwort' 5
fence gave him the first claim to the
house and land, unless a regular siege
OF the law was gone through to beat
him of, and then it might tnrn out
that he would beat them. Some said
fight him; some said let him be-the
thing amt worth going to law for
and so, as the leading men couldn'
agree as to what should be done moth
ing was done. That was just what
Jedwort had expected, and he laughed
In his sleeve while Bob and his boys
screwed up the old meeting house, land
got their beams under it, and set it on
rollers, and slued it around and slid
it on the timbers laid for it across in
to Jedwort'S field, steeple foremost
like a locomotive on "a track.
1T was trying time for the women
folks at home. Maria had declared
that if her father did persist in steal
ing the meeting house, she would not
stay single day after it, but would
follow Dave.
That touched me pretty close, for
to tell the truth, it was rather more
Maria than her mother that kept M
at work for the old man. IF yon 90.
says |, then there is no object for M
to stay; shall 60 to.
That's what supposed, says she
) for there is no reason why you shoul,
) stay. But then Dan will go, and VIII
will be left to take sides with mother
That's what troubles me. O, if sh
could only go too! But she won't
and she couldp't if she would, wit
the other children depending on hel
Dear, dear what shall we do?'
The poor girl put her head on m
shoulder, and cried; and if [ shoul
J own up to the truth, suppose | erie
a little too. For where's the ma
that can hold a sweet woman's hea
on his shoulder, while she sobs out be
trouble. and be hasn't any power t
help her-who | say, can do any lie;
, than drop tear or two for compan
e Never mind; don't hurry, say
J Mrs. Jedwort. BE patient and wa
/ awhile, and it'll turn out right. L
sure.
s Yes, you always say, BE patieI
n and wait ! says Maria, brushing baC
= her hair. But for my part I'm tire
g of waiting, and my patience gave o
a. long ago. We can't always live
this way, anu we may as well make
% change now as ever.
Here the two younger girls Can
|, in, and seeing that crying was the {
der of the day, they began to cr
re and when they heard Maria talk
[ going, they declared they would g
and even little Willie, the four We
Sc old, began to howl.
~ There, there Maria Lottie
or siep said Mr. Jedwort, in her ca
way; Willie, hush up! | don't kn
go what we are to do, but | feel tt
ye something is going to happen that
to show US the right way, and we are
wait. Now go and wash the dis
no and set the cheese.
,ut THAT was just after breakfast.
his second day of moving; and sure
Ter ough, something did happen before
len other sun.
yht The old frame held together pre-
lck well till along toward night, when
the steeple showed signs of seeding
the There she goes She's falling no
md sung out the boys, who had been ha
on ing around all day in hopes of see
the thing tumble.
BILE The house was then within a
avs rods of where Jedworth wanted
top but Bob stopped right there, and
pri- it wasn't safe to haul it another i
can That steeple's bound to come d
- if we do said he.
wn; Not by a dumbed sight, it a
the says Jedwort. Them cracks AIM
thin; the jints is all firm yet
ar wanted Bob to go up and exam
such but Bob shook his head-the con
oina looked too shaky. Then he tolt
EN- to go up; but | said | hadn't
here quite long enough, and had littl
7hen ther be smoking my pipe on the
The earth. Then the boys began to ]
lse.) sDumbed if ye amt all a set of
Free ards says he. I'll go up myself
rcus, we waited outside while he g
wo- ed up inside. The boys jumpe'
the the ground to jar the steeple
it III make IL fall. s0 One of them blt