Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-12-29
our IN THE RAIN.

Through sqnering garner We the grain
Through DEATH become Immortal.
our IN THE RAIN.
Sprinke rain shower right down on
Mile Warmers tasteful little hat and grace
ful shoulders, unprotected save by thin
shawl, Notwithstanding the bcseeching glance
of the prettiest pair Of hazel eyes that ever
looked up to a cloud in that way.
When Millie came to large white farm
house, she very gladly and rather hastily
for just then there was heavy peal of thun-
der-opened the gate, aud went up the flower
bordered path to the house, and as another
peal of thunder was heard, accompanied by a
vivid flash Of lightning, MilIie entered with.
out ceremony. She took in at a glance the
contents Of the room she came to--a large,
square room, plainly, but neatly furnished
the cane-seated chairs, the pretty chintz COW
cred lounge, the bookcase filled with books
and sheet music, the violin with its case in
the corner, the vase of faded flowers, and the
ornaments on the mantel. There was no one
there, but she heard childish voice in the
next room, and again knocked. A dark eyed
girl Of ten or eleven years opened the door
Millie explained why she was there. With
the ease and good manners Of one much
older, the child bade her welcome, placed a
chair near the stove and took Miles drip
ping hat and shawl
" was just beginning to get dinner, that
was the reason did not hear you knock. Ii
will be long time before the shower is over,
aud you must stay with US to dinner 1t will
be ready by the time Ben comes but that
will not be for an hour.
Is, dinniell be weddy when Ben tums, "
lisped and laughed little girl of three years.
The older child, whose name was Hetty,
resumed
" cant get very good dinner | amt
quite old enough, but Ben says do nicely.
lie puts it on for me and | see to it. But
he does not allow me to take off kettles, for
fear will burn or scald myself but think
| am large enough to do that. like to have
everything ready for him when he comes in
tired and hungry. can't make BISCUIT
wish could, ior Ben iikes tl,om over 20
much but Martha, whV comes ia 10 make
bread for US, says she will teach me-"
Where is your mother ?" asked Mllie of
the little Eva, when Hettie was out of the
room.
We is got no mudder but Ben" the lit
tie one isped
When Hettie came back, Mile said
" Now have got nicely warmed, and my
dress will dry just as well at work as sitting
still so | will help you get dinner. If you
like, | will make some biscuit and will have
dinner ready in very short time
Hetty was delighted. Ben would be glad.
Might she look on and learn how
Millie was young, and frank, and gay, and
she and the children soon became very well
acquainted over the biscuit She said pres
emily, trying potato with a fork
" The potatoes are done | will pour the
water off SO, apd put them on again to dry.
That will make them mealy. In few min
utes We will peel them, and then dinner will
be all ready except taking it up
The dinner seemed very meagre to little
Hetty, as she ran over the items in her mind,
potatoes, pork, peas biscuit, butter, cucum-
bers milk and water. She had wanted to
make tea for her visitor, but she declined de-
cidedy. The poor child said, apologetically
"When father and mother were alive we
used to have a good many things for dinner,
and Martha, our hired girl, used to get them
all but when they died, and Squire Johns
said he bought a mortgage on our farm, aud
that we had got to pay every cent the day it
was due or lose everything, we had to do with.
out good many things, and we are very
poor now, and Ben is afraid we can't have
enough to pay it, and they all say that we
may look for no mercy from Squire Johns
for he is very hard to the poor, and he has
always wanted our farm because it joins some
of his own land where he wants to build.
heard all about it when one Of the neighbors
was talking with our Ben, though he didn't
want me 10 know about 1t"
Mllie had listened to this with curious
mixture of feelings, for Squire Johns was a
declared lover of hers, and though she had
not yet accepted him, she had been pleased
with his attentions, and had certainly given
him encouragement. Moreover he was to re-
ceive his final answer in three days from that
time, and she was not sure the answer reserv.
ed and laid away for that time was no. -
True, Mile was not in love with him, but
she had waited so long in vain for that &C.
static state Of feeling she had read and heard
so much about she thought she was not capable
Of love, and that to like any one was as much
as she could expect. But she certainly liked
Squire Johns as well if not better than any
one, and his love must certainly be disinter-
ested, for he could not know that-butnow Mil
lie stopped. Could he not2 Might he not
have found out some way? If this story
was true would such man be likely to mar
ry a poor girl For Millie Warner was
really an heiress in a small way. She was
sole inheritor of small, unencumbered farm
from her father, and five thousand dollars in
bank stock. But the farm was two hundred
miles south of this town, where she was visit
ing cousin, and nobody knew Of it and
during her visit she had helped her cousin
with her work as she had always helped her
mother when al home-capable, industrious
little girl that she was
This story agreed with things that she had
heard, but only hinted at, and even they the
next morning we're smoothed over, for Squire
Johns was rich and influential man, and
people could not afford, without some reason
to lose his favor. She remembered il all how,
Could he in reality be such scoundrel7
She could judge better about the truth Of
the story when she had seen Ben. Who was
Benz Two or three inquiries had amounted
to nothing. The children spoke just as IL
everybody must know who Ben was. Was
he an uncle, cousin, hired man or what ?
Evidently somebody very old, by the way
Hetty spoke Of him. But she shrugged her
shoulders Us she looked out at the still pour
ing rain.