Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-06-03

!
it was an uncommon thing for us to be sep
occasions but how could | help myself .?
Marian, our plump little maid-of-all work.
a misnomer in this instance, as Patty and
myself did all the work worth speaking of,
had been sent for-wanted at home. There
were various odds and ends to be attended
to, so, as [ was the youngest, [ got the re-
ticule, put in thimble, scissors, etc. [ al
ways attended to these small items-and
dispatched Patty to the field of action. If
had dreamed for moment what the re-
suit would be
Patty came home from the meeting
trif1e earlier than usual, and with her bon
net edged little bit to one side, as if it
had been put on in a fit of ofdesperation just
as man, under similar circumstances,
claps his hat close down over his eyes.
Elizabeth, I've done it ~ was her ex-
clamation, as she entered.
Done what, Patty ?"
d" | expect you'll be amazed"
Patty, you haven't gone and invited
that Dorcas Society to meet here? |
can't won't believe that,''
Elizabeth, that's exactly what | have
done and now, what is left to us is to
make the best of it
was simply confounded. For a space
silence reigned then [ opened a solemn
battery, as follows
Patty, have you considered that we
want a new star-carpet, that we haven't
chairs enough, or plates enough, or cups
enough? Have you considered that the
back-room up stairs hasn't any carpet at
all on it, good bad, or Indifferent ?"
I've been expecting all the time we
should have been able to buy one, interpo-
lated my victim
All very well. Patty but the time
hasn't come yet when We have any money
to spare, and | don't kno', when it will !.
Have you considered that We live in an
old barn of house, with fires that won't
warm it, that we've got no rugs IN the
parlors, and nothing as it ought to be -
The parlor carpets are very pretty,
though, Elizabeth" said my poor sister in
a voice that quivered-
But while you were about it, why did
YOU pick out the coolest weather and why
did YOU select our house after that of Mrs.
Rawlins, who is rich, who is splendid
who has every comfort and luxury?" end
ed |, jumbline every thing together, as
women viii when they wish to be especial
ly aggrayating.
| say ended thus. For the truth
was that as | regarded my sister, [ be-
held large, round tears, ,betokening extreme
distress, falling down her checks.
made rush then, threw my arms
around her neck. and exclaimed, Patty.
stop crying, and Ill not say a word more.
Just tell me how it came about ,"
There was no other place for i'll
mean the Soci,ty-to meet And land
[ thought they all looked at me, and in
a moment of desperation | said we'd have
it, and they all took it up at once"
OF course, curiosity" | muttered.
Then l grew desperate too, ana salu,
defantlv. Well let them come - as if
the members of the said meeting, one and
all, were a set of vampires, or ghouls, or
dreadful savages of one sort or another.
Then Patty and | sat down and talked
the matter over as to the hows and where
fores. so that we might not be disgraced
and put to open shame.
Should we set regular tea-table, or
should we pass the tea around? The latter
carried the day 1t was an innovation, to
/ be sure, for the time-honored custom was,
at given signal from the lady of the
house to proceed in solemn state down
stairs to a table set forth with frigid splen.
dor, in its =" company" silver, china, etc.
which we surrounded in sience-a temin-
Inc conclave, without one masculine pres
ent to stimulate conversation, or give zes
to the meal in my heart | always sympa
thise with a man when he declares that be
abhors " tea-parties."
This point settled, another difficult,
dawned upon us Elizabeth. we have n
silver"
| stared at Patty, then said, with SOM
degree of bitterness F." You're to blame fo
that, you know; you would sell the silver
our mothers silver-to pay our father
debts"
81 know it. had no choice. We ar
E poor enough, but then we are honest W
owe no human creature a farthing-alway
remember that, Elizabeth"
Patty, | never could find out VIII
bought that silver"
a grave look came into my sisters eyes
a very gentle flush into her cheek
knew what she was thinking of when sh
looked so or, rather, always had know
heretofore, but was puzzled now.
have sometimes thought said sh,
with a quiver in her voice, that perhap
somebody we knew had purchased it, an
that some time or another | should hav
money enough to buy it back
E :" Dear me, that's just like you :" sighe
Poor dear Patty, she was always hay
ing visions of this kind She had kee
aesthetic tastes, loved the beautiful so dea,
ly. She was all the time Illuminating ou
; poverty with the thought ofsome golden p,
, riod that should presently arrive, when a
her pet ideas could be carried out, and OF
home made the earthly paradise she woul
have it become. What beautiful flower
: she would have. what charming nicknack
= such as all women love. Oh, it was ;
6 good a novel to listen to her dream
ings. No child over fairy-book eve
. pictured such delights as Patty For I
us all these things seemed wildly beautiful
! because beyond our reach we could har,
q ly realize that to many people they wei
: everyday matters, nothing needed, nothir
! thought of, never worth a moment
thanksgiving to Him who had create
this love for the beautiful in the soul mac
% after His own image.
!, The next day was Sunday l watche
Patty in church, and could see that, no
o withstanding the time and place, the Dorc;
+ Meeting was the uppermost thought in h
4 mind. knew by the wrinkles in her for
6 head the exact calculation she was maxim