Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1870-11-17
PROFESSOR HALSTEAD'S GIRL.

or, as muIiSll as i've uOuhey III IlIS phI
He had made his way in the world by
the doggedest obstioacy-selzlng hold OF
whatever came in his way, and retain
ing his hold IS though life depended up
on it-Jocrs mul shncsS had literally
been the making Of him, though you
mightn't have iconsidered the little pot
bcllied, thick skuIled old man as much
of make after all.
Joel mad one soma handsome clear
headed young mau--straight as a young
larch, tall and as set in his way, when
he choose to have one, as old Joel him
self. This son, as he grew up, had
) proved great assistance to his father
in working the farm, and his services
had been made the most Of The old
man managed to keep him at home with
him sometime after he ought to have
been doing for himself. Not an acre of
his fathers possessions was ever called
his sons he owned nothing in the world
save horse, which some neighbor had
given him when it was a sickly colt, and
some sheep, obtained in much the same
manner and the old man grndged him
the keeping OF these.
Joe Shelsnbarger and his sou diff.
cred often but there were two points in
which the difference amounted to some
thing serious. The first point concern
ed education, for which the old man had
the most profound contempt and the son
had not. There was II college some
dozen miles from the Shelenbarger
farm, and ,hither-having thoroughly
prepared himself in spite of tatherly
thwarting and opposition--Anson betooS
himself, iu spite Of the same opposition,
aud by one contrivance and another
and helped by his mothers small marx
citing, kept himself there till he gradu-
ated. Joel Shellcnharger contested tho
ground inch by inch, but was afraid il
bis salfshness to do anything more than
be obst mate, lest his sou should leave
him. That was how Arson set
- tied it. The second was not likely tc
be of so easy an arrangement. AT col
lege Arson had found something beside
graduating honors. He had chance up
, on lovely combination OF GIRLS and az
=, urc cyes--a red Tipped dimplcd checked
, fairy, daughter Of one Of the professors
who, instead of carving her dainty Iii
at the homespun suit which his povert,
e and his fathers niggarduess compelled
him to wear. never seemed to be con
scious of anything or anybody else whe'
he was by.
In short, Arson had found some one
to love, some Que that he wanted tc
marry, as he gravcly informed his father
You should have seen the old man
, eyes it was mercy they were fast il
their sockets. Here was gratitude
This Anson, having detrauded his oI
father of so much OF his time, was goin!
now to set the seal upon his absurdlt.
- and disobedience by marrying tow
girl Bad enough to marry any one, sec
ING his father wasn't through with hir
yet-but town girl He should nevc
consent, and every Shclenbarger acr
should 90 to strangers before Ausol
should have one, if he persisted in Il
n idea so ridiculous
"And pray what harm is there i'll be
ing a town girl?" questioned Barbi
Halslead, when Anson told her, hal
= laughing, half vexed, and altogethe
ruelul for without assistance from hi
father, he could not marry Barbie for
long time yet.
II. Arson laughed again with some em
s. barasment, saying, " My father is afrai
&c that a daughter of Professor Halstea
would not make a very good farmer
- wife,"
'sDoes he think-?" Barbie hes
tated, looking with smiling perpIexit,
at her little white hands. ..
y "That those pretty hands don't kno
- much about brewing, baking, etc.!-
Exactly l believe he thinks just that.
"Then he thinks wrong" said Barbi
. reddening and looking up at her love
= with a comical little pout. "Didu't
hear you say you needed a servant I
II home ? I've mind to go down and o
fer for the place" Il. sa..
- Arson laughed enjoyingly.
"We need one bad enough, but m
, father will not suffer one inside I'll
house"
"Why, how do youlive, then? WI
cooks for you, now that your mother
. i'll" ....-...
We do our own cooking" Arson sa
n. with a return of the half smiling, ha
embarrassed expression. "We cook f
ourselves or do without"
The very next day succeeding the OIL
which witnessed this conversation. A
son was at home, busying himself ov
some culinary operations, when the ou
side door, which stood ajar, was nos
b" essly pushed wide open, and a sing
v, larly attifed form presented itself on Il