Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-08-05
TAKEN BY STORM.
An 1NponruNArE couRrsmr.

AN INPoRruNATE CouRTsmp.
Miss Comfort sat in the doorway knitting
q dish-cloth.
Her house was so low that lilac bush be-
side the door brushed the caves and so green
with moss that the lilacs aud od-E,shioned
red rose bushes seemed to be part of it.
Five times more across will finish It,"
said Miss Comfort, spreading out the square
of knitted cotton.
Put in the needle, over the thread, draw il
through, take off the stitch. Back and forth
back aud forth till the very last tune; when
the gate-latch clicked
Miss Comfort looked up, but saw nobody.
Thou She looked dorm, and saw what might
be stalk of clover walking out on its own
responsibility but as it came nearer up the
gravelod path, between the beds of ehammo-
mile, and sage, and balm, the round red bob
bin clover-head took on the face Of little
smiling girl
I've come for YOU, Aunt Christyana,'
she cried. Ma sent me, and she wants you
to come right up to her house and stay tc
to supper. Mrs. Dubant is there, and some
body else is coming Mrs Small is coming,
| guess"
"What is your Ma going to have for sup
perl asked Miss Comfort.
Oh, cake and honey " replied the mite
"Will you Gomez Ma said | must bring
you"
Miss Comfort looked up at the clear blue
sky"
Isn't going to rain2" she said, doubt
fully
"Oh no, ma'am Mas camphor foam
bit to-day" answered the child.
Well don't see how | can 20. Midas
hens will be right in scratching up my pea
sure as am not here to watch them. There
there comes old Speckle now! -
As she spoke Miss Comfort jumped up a
quickly as one lame knee would allow, an'
dropped her knitting, started in chase wit
an old broom which she kept behind the doc
on purpose. The hen ran, and huttered, an
flew. aud so did Miss Comfort, until, after
. deal Of rounding Of corners and healing 0
and screaming on the part of both, Miss Con
f fort caught the hen under gooseberry-busl
and giving her good shaking, in neighbol
ly way, to teach her better manners, thre'
, her over the fence that divided her garde
from Mr.. Midass and came back to he
doorway, vietorously, out of breath; Will
the hen shook out her crumpled feathers wit
, an Indignant eackle, and went to broodin
imaginary eggs on heap Of sand.
, "Well, there cried Miss Comfort. ."
guess now she won't venture over here agai
f to-day! But don't know as | can 20 hon
=. with you, Christy. Somebody might com
:, too. l think more than likely Mrs. Rigs
e will be here. She told me two weeks az
she meant to come down. and | have bake
!. and got already twice on purpose for her.
/. is good day to-day, and likely she wi
Il come"
: Ma sent me for you. She said mu
!. bring you with me sure" returned lit
/ Chrsty, true to first principles.
If "Well, | shall have to bring in some WOO
e first, for fear there may come up a shower
o and fix my windows and things to leave" I
l. piled Miss Comfort presently.
q Then she set to work picking up and pu
rt ting away as though she were preparing to 81
around the world, instead Of going two hous
ID off, over the brow of the hill, for an afternoc
in After an hours hard work sue was ready; i
,e starched white sun bonnet, with its crimp
e. border, on her head her great black 81
a. work pocket" on her arm, and her hookC
n. handled umbrella for staff in her hand.
locked her house door carefully, placing up
the threshold a shingle with the words Go
to Barnum's" chalked upon it; and th
% with parting look over her neighbor's trea'
u erous fence, set forth, with little Christy tr
"a ting triumphantly by her side.
! For fourteen years. ever since her mott
:, died, Miss Comfort had lived alone in t
brown birds nest, but no mother Of ten
80 wider sympathies or fuller call upon the
~ Nobody fell iii and nobody got well nobC
n1 married and nobody was widowed nobc
Nv " was lonely aud nobody had company, but Il
~ ~ thought of, and sent first to Miss Cont;
I, So she was far enough from being lonely
io selfish and though she had her ways, as
Le are all apt to have, she was as amiable {
~ -; kind soul as any under the bending sky.
x Now, with her other qualities Miss %
10 fort had eyes that served her as good purp
n as fiys; she could see with them before
~ behind and on all sides and she had not Il
n ly crossed Mrs. Barnums threshold bei
~ she perceived there was something in this
~ yitation besides Mrs. Dubant, Mrs. SIN
,n and cake and honey.
=" TO be sure there sat little Mrs. Dubani
80 as Autter Of blue ribbons, as empty az a
years birds nest and there was certainl
~ decided smell Of fresh-bakcd cake aud
No ~ bread coming from the open pantry that
On joined the family sitting-room. But Ii
~, was upon Mrs. Barnum's face, which
''as never more concealment than a mirror, 5
,oJ a studied look Of innocence that an owl co
her have seen, even at MONDAY something
M behind it.
,ne 81 am glad you have come, sister Chrl
.or. ana, !" began Mrs. Barnum (Fhe first \
a. Barnum was a sister of Miss Comfort, and
second Mrs. Barnum, with the husband, adj
cd all the relations Of the first.) :" Ipcrs.
ed Mrs. Dubant to stay and take a cup of
Pa with me, and | knew you would enjoy
Pile, with her of all things. Her brother Eben
ing had business above here and brought her o
has See, you knew he had lost his wife, .di
ing your"
the The blue ribbons gave plaintive shud
cen and Miss Comfort said to herself "Oh,
yht, is it, is it," But aloud she only said to
and Dubant, +" Your brothers wife left quit
six family, If remember"
"Sixm."
"Who has the.care Of them J" contiI
Tal- Miss Comfort, whose warm heart really ye
to ed over the iorlorn little orphans already
"IIcr mother" replied Mrs. Dubant, 6