St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-07-16
VOLUME 80 NUMBER 1868

as bread-maker 81 feel confident. vii
| liam, that | shall soOm be resurgamed,
and what will these dear children do
then ~
And now that the second loaf was be-
lore her eyes, marked even more awfulIy
than the first, Mrs. Hubbard grew really
pale and thin, and lost all her cheerful
| ness.
81 have presentiment," she said over
and over again. ''that the third baking
will decide who the warning belongs TO-.
| believe it is meant for me, and time will
show. Don't you see how thin I am
growing p
And though Mr.. Hubbard laughed, he
also began 10 be troubled. The third
bakln%-day was one of gloom. Soemnly
as at funeral, the family assembled to
assist in the drawing.
Five loavcs came out markless but
one remained.
Mrs Hubbards hand trembed but
she drew it forth she laid it oil the tray ::
she turned softly about. At last she ex-
posed the lower surface. On it were let
tiers printed backward, plain enough to
read this time, and arranged thus
''Dird April %,
limentcd by
her large family"
at is me - cried Mrs. Hubbard. 81
am to 90 Tomorrow This is the lst.
do ieel faint. Yes, do. 1t is awful.
and so sudden -
And Mrs. Hubbard tainted away in the
arms of the most terrified of men and
husbands
The children screamed, the cat new
ed, the dog barkek The oldest boy ran
for the doctor. People tiocked to the
llubbards. The loaf was examined. Yes
there wa, Mrs. Hubbards warning-her
call to quit this world.
She lay i'll bed, bidding goodbye to her
family and friends, her strength going
fast. She read her Bible and tried not
To gricve too much. The doctor shook
his head. The clergyman prayed with
her. Nobody doubted tina: her end was
at hand, for people were very supersti-
tious in those days.
They had been up all night with good
Mrs. Hubbard, and dawn was breaking
and with ii She was sure that she must
90 when, Gathering over the road and
up 10 the door came Il horse. and on the
horse came a man. who alighted He
ratified the knocker and rushed in. There
was no stopping him. Up the stairs he
went 10 Mrs. lIubbard's room, and bolt
ed into it.
Every one stared at him As he took
Oft his hat
''Parding - said he. brcathle-sly, y
heard Mrs. Hubbard was a-dying-and
she'd warnings on her baking. came
over to explain. You see | was sexton
of the church here Il few years ago. and
| know all about it. You needn't die for
tear just yet, Mrs. Hubbard. tor 1t l.
neither spirits nor devils about, nor vet
warnins. What marks the loaveS is old
Mrs. Finkle'S tombstone | took it for
an ovcn-bottom, seeing there were no
survivors and bricks were dear The last
folks before you didn't Get them printed
off on their luavcs because they used tins
and we got used To the marks ourselves. |
Cross-bones and skulls, We put up with,
and never thought OF caring for the res
urgam. 50 you see how il is, and | am
sorry you've been scared"
Nobody said word. Tie minister
shut his book. The doctor walked to
the window There was a deadly 81 !
lence. Mrs. Hubbard sat up in bed
"William, said she to her husband. !
''thc first thing you do. get Il new bottom
10 that oven"
And the tone assured the asSemblagc !
Of anxious friends that Mrs. Hubbard was
not going to die Just yet.
Indeed she came down the very next
day. And when the oven had been re- |
the first thing she did was
to give invitations for Il largr tea-drink- |
lng. On which occasion the lUaycS came |
our right.-IryOsy.