Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-06-24
y temperance.
Jerome Fenwiek's Cure.
BY LUCY A. RANDALL.


chestnut logs in the fireplace were singing aud
simmering and bursting into scarlet sheets Of
fame, with capricious alterations. There
were no costly iresco on the walls--merely a
cheap paper where gigantic pink roses burst
into unaccountable bloom among the green
tendrils of stiff pea vine but the wooden
clock was framed in the coral berries of The
bittersweet aud little Christmas cross ol
hemlock sprigs and black ivy, yet hung be.
tween the two windows, while Rosa Fenwick'
monthly roses aud scented geraniums tossed
their delicate blossoms amoug the rcd pepper,
and bunches of pennyroyal and catnip ON the
smoke-browned mantel above the chimney.
For Rosa, our heroine was nothing moro
dignihcd than farmers wife Ay, but d
farmers wife in this, our Empire State, is il
must be remembered, queen consort to mem.
Der of the popular soyereiguty--and Rosa
was as fit TO wear the royal robes as anyprin.
cess Of the blood. She was quite tall, with
pale brown hair, aud eyes Of the clear vivid
blue that puts you in mind of sunshine after
rain, while the delicate color Of her check
fairly riyaled the monthly roses above. Her
dress was very plain aud simpe--a dark
brown calico, ruiiled at the wrists, and re
lieyed by a narrow linen collar, with tiny
black silk apron tied trinity around her grace
tul waist
jerome Fenwick, a tall stalwart young fel-
low of some seven or eight and twenty, bit
his lips as Rosa still kept urging.
"Stay with me this evening-only thi.
once 2"
Nonsense, Rosa how ridiculous YOU are
A man can't stay at home forever
But you were ont last night and the night
before"
well what then? Now, my love, don't
You see how very absurd it is to expect me tc
be always dangling at your apron strings?
tell you I'm only going down to the CoIum.
bian, to look at the papers and talk over the
nows.n
10 the Columbian I" echoed Aunt Try
phosa Fenwiek, suddenly appearing ont ofthe
subterranean depths of trap door, very much
a Ia ghost upon the stage, only that she bore
a pan of glossy red apples in one hand, aud
brandished formidable knife in the other
Ah-h-h you're going to the Columbian be
ye, Jerome Fenwick ?"
Yes, am-and what then ?" returned
the young man, spice Of sullen defiance be-
ginning to miugle with the playful tone be
had assumed towards his wife.
And | s'pose your comm back stupider
nor a fool, as you came last night--or per.
haps your comm with Peter Stryker at your
head aud Sam Carney at your heels, as you
come last week pretty doings, these for a
feller that hain't been married a year yet
Dear Jerome" pleaded Rosa, looking up
through sparkling tears, "please do not &C
out tonight"
What dye s'pose you're comm to, went
on Aunt Tryphosa, digging away at the ap'
pies as spitefully as if every one had been d
modern Marsyas, and she a spectacled Appel
10; "p'raps you've forgotten how Pardon
Pilkingham froze to death year ago CONF
February down by the hemlock holer, witl
the snow two feet deep on the ground. He'C
| been to the Columbian. too He'd read tn,
papers and talked over the news And meb
be you don't remember how Josiah Hopkins
went off in the deirous tremens last June, al
along O. that same Columbian He hadn't NJ
pretty young wife at home to cry her eye
out arter his good-i0r-nothin bones, though
Josiah Hopkins hadn't Oh" ejaculateC
Aunt Tryphosa emphatcally, wish ther'
was Maine law, just do Better stay a
home, Jerome Fenwick, afore bad comes Il
worse"
jerome Fenwicks brow flushed and his fac,
became crimson.
81 shall do precisely as please, Aun
Tryphosa. Where's my hat2"
"'Taint for myself I'm speaking" went OIL
the wrathful old lady, suspending her knit,
in mid air, though you be my brothers son
" It's for Rosa Do you s'pose she haint go
no feelin's when you come home night after
night, as intoxicated as a fool? Good Lane
O. Goshen if was Rosa, I'd 60 down to th'
Columbian too, and drink along with you
She's got Just as good right to be fool A
you have How'd you like that, jerome
Fenwick ~
He went out, giving the unconscious door
bang that made the eat start in her cozy cor
ner of the red brick hearth, and brought
fresh torrent of tears to Rosa's blue eyes
"Oh, Aunt Tryphosa," she sobbed, hidinl
her flushed face among the apples in the goo'
spinster's lap, What shall we do 2 He's be
ing ruined--and II have no power to hol'
him back"
Sarve him right an obstinate fool ~ NUT
tered the irate old lady. Yet even while th,
words were on her lips, the bony fingers ca
ressed Rosa's hear with strangely living touch
"For your sake, Rosa I'm vexed for you
sake, my pretty one !"
If had but known-yet he was so dii
ferent in the days when We used to take thos
twilight walks, the days before we were mar
red Ny husband drunkard Oh, Aun
Tryphosa, | would sooner We were both il
our graves"
Don't talk so, pet" murmured Aunt Try
phosa, taking off her dim spectacles 9Th
Lord knows what's best for us all, but"
Hush !" calculated Rosa, springing to he
feet" hear the gate click Aunt Try
phosa, he has thought better of it he ha
come back !"
No; the slight, fair, almost girlish looking
young fellow in the lieutenant's uniform, wa
not Jerome Fenwick-and there was a toucl
of bitterness even in the welcoming tears tina
Rosa poured out on the breast Of the soldie
brother she had not seen for three long years
Hallo" exclaimed Charley Warner
why, thought you were so happy, hosa
And where's my new brother-in-lawl"
"He-he isn't at home" sobbed out Rosa
" Oh, Charley, am very, very miserable"
"Wel, this is queer welcomes" quot
the lieutenant, sitting down in front of tn
blazing chestnut logs aud drawing Rosa uPol
his knee, snow puss, tell me all about it-an'
somebody hold my hands tight, for feel yer,
much like giving my unknown brother-in-lav
thrashing before | know anything of th'
merits Of the case"
"Well-I reckon it's about time for me Il
be moving" said jerome.
Now Jerome Fenwick was none the wors'
for the frequent ltations in which he indulg
ed at least not in his opinion. For he ha'
firmly resolved, on enterng the green baiz'
doors of the f" Columbian Hotel, not odrinI
too much, and he fanced he had kept the res
olution. Only--to be sure, the sanded foo
did surge to and fro little-and the grea
logs in the chimney changed places with th'