Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1868-07-24

tnen. NOBODY icll Ill ana NOBODY got well +;
nobody married and nobody was widowed T;
nobody was lonely and nobody had compa-
ny, but they thought of, and sent first to
Miss Comfort. So she was far enough from
being lonely or selfish; and though she had
her ways, as we are all apt TO have, she was
as amiablo and kind soul as any under
the bending sky.
Now, with her other qualities, Miss Com
fort had eyes that served her rs good pur-
pose as n ly's; she could see with them be-
fore and behind and on all sides and she
had dnot fairly crossed Mrs. Barnum's thresh-
old before she perceived there was some
thing i'm this invitation besides Mrs. Du-
bant, Mrs. Small, and cake and honey.
To be sure there sat little Mrs. Dubant
in flutter of blue ribons, as empty as last
years birds nest and there was certainly
n decided smell of freshly-baked cake and
new bread coming from the open pantry
that adjoined the family stting-room. But
there was upon Mrs Barnums face, which
had never moro concealment than mirror.
such n studisd IooIS or inntconce that an
owl could have seen, even at monday,
something was behind it.
81 am glad you have come, sister Chris
| tyana," began Mrs. Barnum. (The first
Mrs. Barnum was sister of Miss Comfort,
and the second Mrs. Barnum, with the hus-
band, adopted all the relations of the first.)
81 persuaded Mrs. Dubant to stay and take
n cup Of tea with me, and I knew you
would enjoy visit with her of all things.
| Her brother Ebonezer had business above
here and brought her over. See, you knew
he had lost his wife, didn't your"
The blue ribons gave plantive shuddcr,
and Miss Comfort said to herself, "Oh, that
is it, is it? But aloud she only said to Mrs.
Dubant, "Your brothers wife left quite
family, if remember"
"Six m"
"Who has the care of thom?" continued
Miss Comfort, whose warm heart really
yearned over the forlorn little orphans al
ready.
"Her mother" replied Mrs. Dubant
"Ebenezer lives there too for the sake of
the children, but the old lady don't make
it pleasant for him. 1 do wish he could
find somebody who would be kind to the
children. He is a good provider, Ebenezer
is; and always had the name of making
kind husband. The neighbors will all tell
you So" continued the little woman, who
was outdoing herselfin her sisterly anxiety.
"Well; now I wonder if Sally Bcanvillo
wouldn't make him good wife. I mis-
trust she would be willing to marry if she
had the right kind of an offer. You know
she hasn't any home to speak of, and it
would be an excellent opportunity for her,
sure enough"
Evidently this suggestion was not accept
ably received by her hearers, though Mrs.
Dubant only rustled a little while Mrs.
Barnum looked more innocent than ever;
and just then the unhappy, bereaved Mr..
Ebenezer Stainsby drove past the window
into the side-yard in his great lonesome
wagon.
"Oh, why! If you are not back already!
How time flies! Well, l must hurry up
my tea. These men always want to be
going first, you KNOW" cried out Mrs.
Barnum, when he entered. l will trouble
you to take seats in the front-room till sup
per is ready. Sister Christyana, will you
be kind enough to show the way? Oh,
therel Mrs. Dubant, if you'll wait just
iify will go out and cut that rhubarb for
you before forget it, she continued, with
a sudden burst, as though she had not ar
ranged her plan and even her words long
before.
So Mrs. Dubant dropped out Of the little
procession, and consequently, when Miss
Comfort turned about after opening the
door at the other end of the hall, she saw
only Mr.. Stainsby with button off his
a;,. l.; - L.
all over him. She disdained the cowardce
of turning back herself under any pretext,
so she went in like the fated six hundred
at the battle of Balallava. Then she drew
up the Venitian blind with deal Of noise
and incident, and then sitting by the farth-
er indow, she began to talk. And she talk
cd and talked and talked with flow of
words steady as the flow ofwater at Niagara.
But it was of no use. When man has
anything to say he will say it in the face of
twenty Niagaras. So of a sudden out il
came.
Ebenezer Stainsby was wiser than a sor-
pent, and he understood very well which
was the unfenced corner of Miss Comforts
heart. So he said little about his own lone
illness and need-a hundred creases aud
wrinkles eloquently proclaiming that for
him-but told, with tears in his eyes, the
forlorn state of his motherless little ones.
every body in Ashland knows what
their grandmother Belcher is, Miss Conn
fort. She means well, perhaps, too; but
she is elderly and not in firm health, and
has always been woman of high temper,
besides being so set in her own way and in
clined to be fretful. l don't say these
things to speak against the old lady; but
really, Miss Christyana, when know what
an uncomfortable home my little children
have my heart aches, l do assure you and
so would yours"
Miss Comforts heart did ache Just in
sympathy as she listened; but sympathy
is quite another thing from really going
upon hot six-barrel gridiron ones self
~ am truly sorry for you and your iami-
ly, Mr.. Stainsby, and l wish I could do
something for you. But / don't wish to
change my situation. 1 am too old to think
of such a thing, though thank you for the
honor" she said, with the formal propriety
of an old-school lady.
She tilted her chin as she spoke, with an
air of decision that her neighbor AIidas's
hens were very well acquainted with, but
that Mr.. Stainsby tried not to understand.
81 have always heard a great DEAL" he
began again, "of your kindness to chill
dren, and mine need mother so much.
am sure you would love them if you knew
them" Then he went on pleading with
fatherly rather than lover-like earnestness;
but Miss Comfort would not be moved.
She drew up her mouth like her silk "work-
pocket" and was very sorry.
So at last the poor man went away cloth
ed, as to his spirit, in sackcloth and ashes;
and as to his body, in garments rent like
an old Israelite's; and Miss Comfort came
to Mrs. Barnum, flushed and panied. 81
will box the ears of the very next child /
meet. good name gives one trouble
sometimes as well as a bad one. There
can't mother die in the country but her