Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-08-05

is good providcr, Ebcnezer is and always
had the name of making a good husband
The ncighbors will all tell you 80" continued
the little woman, who was outdoing herself in |
sisterly anxiety.
"Wel; now | wonder if Sally Beanvillc |
wouldn't make him good wife. | mistrust
she would be willing TO marry If she had the
right kind of offer You know she hasn't any
home to speak Of, and it would be an excel
lent opportunity for her, sure enough"
Evidently this suggestion was not accept
ably received by her hearers, though Mrs.
Dubant only rustlcd a little while Mrs. Bar
mum looked more innocent than ever and
just then the unhappy, bereayed Mr.. Ebenezcr
Stainsby drove past the window into the side
yard in his great lonesome Wagon
oh, why IL you are not back already
! How times flies Well, | must hurry up my
tea. These men always want to be going
FIRST YOU know" cried out Mrs. Barnum,
when he entered will trouble you to take
seats in the front-room till supper is ready
Sister Christyana, will you he kind enough
/ to show the way Oh, there Mrs. Du-
bant, If you'll wait just jify | will 60 out
and cut that rhubarb for you before | forget
it, she continued, with o sudden burst, as
though shc bad not arranged her plan and
even nef words long before.
So Mrs. Dubant dropped out Of the little
procession, and consequently, when Miss Com
fort turned about after opening the door at
the other end of the hall, she saw only Mr..
Stainsby with a button of his coat, rips in his
gloves, and widowed look all over him.
She disdained the cowardice Of turning back
L H., n,
like the iated six hundred at the battle
Of Balaklava. Then she drew up the Veni-
tan blind with deal of noise and incident,
and then sitting by the farther window she
began to talk. And she talked and talked
and talked with flow of words steady as the
/, flow Of water 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 sudden out il came.
Ebonezer Stainsby was wiser than SER
pent, and he understood very well which was
the unienced corner of Miss Comforts heart
/ So he said little about his own loneliness aud
, need-a hundred creases and wrinkles elo-
e quently proclaimiug that for him-but told
= with tears in his eyes, Of the forlorn state OF
= his motherless little ones.
e Everybody in Ashland knows what then
grandmother Becher is, Miss Comfort. She
- means WE'LL perhaps, too; but she is elderly
Il and not in firm health, and has always been
q woman of high temper, besides being so set il
: her own way and inclined to be tretful.
?, don't say these things to speak against th
old lady; but really Miss Christyana when
j. know what an uncomfortable home my little
children have my heart aches, | do assure
3. you, and so would yours"
q Miss Comforts heart did ache Just in sym
& pathy as she listened but sympathy is quit
.e another thing from really going upon ho
six-barrel gridiron ones self
T. 81 am truly sorry for you and your family
Mr.. Stainsby, and | wish | could do some
rs thing for you But don't wish to chang
m my situation | am too old to think of sue
thing, though | thank you for the honor,
Is she said, with the formal propriety of an oil
As school lady.
/, She tilted her chin as she spoke, with a
air of decision that her neighbor Midas's hen
as were very well acquainted with, but that Nj
nj Stainsby tried not to understand.
n "I have always heard great deal, he b.
or gan again, "of your kindness to children, an
,d mine need mother so much, | am sure 20
would love them if you knew them" The
on nc went or thsadmg With fatherly rati.er tina
NJ lover-like earDestness but Miss Comic
III would not be moved She drew up h
n. mouth like her silk "work-pocket," and WI
NV very sorry.
en- So at last the poor man went away clothe
er as to his spirit, in sackcloth and ashes and
lie to his body, in garments rent like an old |
IN raeite's and Miss Comfort came to Mi
no Barnum, flushed aud panied. 81 will b.
the ears of the very next child meet.
. 7 good name gives one trouble sometimes as W,
i'm as bad one There can't a mother die
me the country but her husband comes for me
40 take care of the children" said she, with
-os sense of having been very disobliging.
t5o II always understood Mr., Stainsby was We
ed indulgent to his wife, replied Mrs. Bamu
1t pcnsiyely.
iii Some time during the next week, as NJ
Comfort was hoeing among her beans, with
nst mans straw hat upon her head for compar
tie her gate clicked again. and again little Chr
ty Barnum appeared bobbing up the wal
,od but this time leading white-headed child
,r larger than herself, pretty-taced girl, wi
re. gentle manners, but with forlorn look
neglect about her.
Mt. " This isSelma Stainsby, Aunt Christyant
sail said Christy.
ses "Oh we'll you may pick a stalk of ca
on way for her and one for yourself" repl
ber Miss Comfort, ;hrusting her hoe with vioei
bed into the heart of thrifty pig-weed. "B
Ink NUNS wife's work but she viii lose her tro
cd. le this time as well as the last thought NJ
She Comfort.
non 1t was useless, however, for her to try
ono take no interest in the child. The sun, &
hen orally considered so impartial, allied il
,ch. against her, making the garden too hot dire
rot. ly. Then the curiosity that was in the he
Of woman even before the fall, and of VIII
.her Miss Comfort inherited u share like Bei
this minis portion, allied itself against her attei
had at making herself indifferent to her visi
or, She did wish to see what Stainsby's child
odv like. And, unfortunately for her ndiliereI
ody Stainsby's child seemed like very sweet
bev attractive one Oh, yes, Mrs Barnum kI
lort what she was about
y or In half an hour the little girls were sitt
!. we together eating earaway cookies on the d.
and step, not to scatter crumbs on the house-h
and Miss Comfort was telling them stol
om- and singing them od-fashioned songs. T
Nose strung over the quaint, bright bead neck
and that She kept for just such entertaining
fair. they looked at her box of children's books
fore old almanacs; played with her pigand kit
! IN. and went away at last each with a piece
nall plum-pie as big as her own face,
Miss Comfort could not help asking Ii
!, in Selma to come again; and sure enough
l,s, did, in little more than week, bringing '
ia, = them a younger sister, who was more vim
,o,, and loving than herself even, and who loo
nj. even more motherless and neglected. ID
hero little, dimpled Constance with a mouth
had ways ready to be kissed, patient eyes,
sucb hair that had as much longing to curl a
ould grapevine, but that had to be braided in
was long queues and tied with piece of Fl
green braid.
istv- Miss Comfort felt sorry all over iorthe
Mrs mothered baby, and took her right into
the tendercst spot in her tender heart. She
lopt. cd her hair, made her u rag-baby with a 80
4. N..aafN N.la l..