The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-03-03

advantages
The widow did not open the keg til
the next day. Tten, instead OF m ,asscs,
she fi,und the contents to he petr lcu,n
oil IT might have been supposed that
The substitution would have proved vcxa.
tinns. but the widow took il very cooly.
She managed to get the key down the
cellar stairs. where she lurktd d il up in n
cl,ret. First, however, she filed conn
mon water,pail Niih the Irecinu. liqui &,
aud going to the well deliberate p ured
il down. After this rather singular pro.
ceeding, she looked carefully up The road
uniI she saw II horse and buggy APP
pronchng, which she well knew belonged
10 Squire l'ogram. who a!wavs come over
the road about that time, to visit SNAIL
house which hc was builJing for tenants
mile beyond.
The squire was just abreast of the cot.
tage, when the widow ran out and hailed
| hm.
30. Squire pogram,' she sail, won't
YOU just drive into the yard a minute .
The water in my well tastes 30 strangely.
! do heleve it's petroleum.
Petroleum The squire pricked up
his ears, and made all taste to do as re
queticd.
You don't say so, wilder' he exS
claimed; when did you notice it fustr
4 didn't really notice it much TIL to.
day said Mrs Brown. 'it might have
tasted a little queer maybe, but to day its
very strong
let rae TASTE said the squire. Ican
tell if It's that. or something else 1t mny
be some desd cri'or that's got drowned
in the well and poisoned The water
%, hope not sail the widow in q
tInc Of alarm. Il would mt have my well
spilled for good deal
Except ty petroleum. suggested the
squire. Il spOse you'd be reconcied to
that
'Well, yes owned the widow, y
wouldn't mnd that
By this time they lad reached the
well. and the SPARE had already commen-
ccd lowering the bucket.
The widow was gate confident of the
result, the oil having been so re emily
poured In. Still she felt II momoniary
alarm lest il had become so difrused that
the portion of wafer srawn ~ would
show srant traces of admixiure. But
when the bucket came again to the top,
she was reas; ured On the surface of the
water was coating of oil That was
clear enough.
The .qune locked at it eagerly. His
recent experiments qualified him 10 Judge
Ia the matter. lie was silent moment.
well, Squire Pogram, what do you
think ?
Il do believe you're right. wid,lcr,'
said The svuire. I'm inclined TO tho
opinion that it's genuine petroleum
'lon don't say so, 81 irel Well, I'm
in luck for once in way
4 nint certain. Suppose you give me
dippcr and Ill taste ont
The dippcr was brought, and Squire
Pogram did tnse. The tate produced
some contortions VI the face, 10, petro-
lrum oil as II beverage can scarcely be
regarded us plcasan, even when largely
/ illN''i W ttll lItSu we'll WdteT.
well. squire
Mrs B'oNn, there amt doubt of II
There's petroleum Npring on your f,rm,
and II has broken out in your we'll
IL nj SAKE. sqIrr, who would have
thought it And there abu't another
p"ir,lrun veil in town T.
NO, that j. none has appeared yet,
though have reason u think som, may
he found on my taru
It's % unexpected. squire said the
widow, m-d;ruivrly. Il really don't
know what tn do nbJnt it, what would
ym advise Z You've ALWAYS been u
trent AN en- dcp'nd un your advice
well, sad The squire, clearing his
throat. nni sp 'akIns IN cautious tone,
Il IEink 1T sell tn frm.'
sell the farm ! ej'cnlatcd The widow
Yes, continued her adviser, more
CO Il iently. Being lone woman, you
cant sink wells, aud work the lrJleum
yours.if
'but, Squire Pogram, Id ought to get
the benrtil y it
Certainty. the farm ia worth more
than it was. | shouldn't mind givin
TWO, well, three thous mi dollars FIR il.
an thai is morr'n Iltee times what il
wnul have fetched brfn~e.'
4 don't hardly think I want t, sell it
for that, squire. get my living off it.
Yes, wilder. hut consider what would
be the interest Of three ihonsand dollars
invested in govment bonls-seven thirties
Tor instance. Why, it wnnld be more'r 4
two hundred dollars n ar
YES, squire, but that wOalin't hardly
support me.
i II tell you whnt, wilder. II! give
zen three Ihou-and dollars, and you shall
live in the house, rent free ns long ns you
chonse. Cu.ir, Tint sayin fmr isn't il :
'On the whole squire said tho willy
widow, Il don't think III decide just yea.
Seems To me the larm ought To bring
m rem three thousand dollars I'm Oh
ligrd TO ven for your lren lily offer. but
guess Id beiter take time 10 consider, and
pcrh ,ns consult some other frirnls.'
'Wii,lrr, sail Squire logrnm, feeling
that ,he rich pr'z, was in danger of slip
ping from his grasp, Il Il tell ye what,
know its foolish, but as you're an oc
friend, won't mind sayin' four thousand
dollar. 1t may he my loss, but i'll bt
your gin
I'm sure you're very KIND. Squire po.