Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-04-13

old creature | could remember her from
the time l was that Highland she was al
ways at our house when | was a child. a
least once year. She was very fond Of m,
aud meant for the best, I'm sure, but perhap,
she wasn't quite judicious. | don't think my
self o whole cocoanut is a wholesome trea
for child though it does keep it quiet, an,
| remember having one--aud something lik,
the cholera after t--scveral times.
| When | was married at sixteen she Away
promised TO visit me, and when | went TO tn,
cottage she came we hadn't had room fo
her before, for to tell the truth we slept our
selves on a sola-bed-stead, and hid the pot
and kettles in an ottoman when we had com
pany, because we hadn't any kitchen.
Somehow, though, Tom never liked nurse
So he provoked me by going out good dea
more Of evenings than he ever had before
after she came and by sitting by himself on
the back stoop smoking till after midnight
Nurse Glover was afraid Of what she called
rheumatis, and considered the night air poison
so you know couldn't Join him without leav.
ing her, and that ] was too polite to do
Maybe looked little low spirited one even.
ing, for nursey said to me in such mean.
ing way
Hetty, is your life a happy one, or do
you lind that marriage is all vanity like most
does ?"
She was not particular about her grammar,
dear old soul, and always said W for ""
She took me by surprise, for was think.
ing Of Toms smoking by himself on the back
porch. But answered
Happy oh, yes, Tom is the best Of hus-
bands"
" Easy to be the best" said nurse, for
they're VERY bad lot now, tell you. One
thing I'll say of Mr.. Maltby, he's a good pro-
wider But is he dewoted2"
" Devoted Oh, I'm sure he is said |.
" All, said nurse Glover, many young
thing thinks so and is deceived. Husbands
is peridiousby nature. Himas was down up
on his knees a suin' and a courtin', and talk.
i1' like as it he'd commit self-suicide if twas
sot she wouldn't hev him when his wiles a
gal, is just the very one to 20 agallawantin'
by the time she's had her first. Lor, I've
nursed great many ladies, aud never know
ed one as had had her second could put her
finger right on her husband and say there [
hev him evening" They're worse than 1eas
husbands is !"
3" Not all" pleaded
"All! !" said nurse Glover. 81 like to
soothe your feelings and say some isn't, but
truths truth, and it's my opinion they're all
alike. Glover was that know, and that
stick to, and alters will !"
| knew Mr. Glover had not been what you
might call a domestic man, aud hoped nurse
might have been prejudiced by his conduct.
Still my heart sank in my bosom like lump
Of lead and though | tried to talk pleasantly,
and made her the warm sangaree she always
took before she went to bed, felt dreadiully,
and if | smiled it was only to mask my feel
ings.
When your spirits begin to 90 down, it's
very hard to make them rise aga n, and when
nurse Glover was fairly gone to bed, instead
Of running down stairs to sit on the porch
with Tom as | had intended, | took my seat
on the broad sill of the stairhead window, and
began to wonder what should do if were
to discover anything dreadful about Tom.
When had perched myself could see his
dear curly head with wreaths of blue smoke
all about it, and the more | looked, the more
cheered up, until at last / said
I'll 60 down and sit with him. If there
is only one good husband in the world, Tom
is the man."
If only had done what Intended at that
very moment, | should have been spared
great deal of trouble. But my evil star made
me stop to let my eyes get dry so that he
shouldn't see | had been crying, and Just in
that little while some one came up to the gar
den fence, stopped, took off his hat and
called
Mr.. Maltby--I say, sir
Tom went down to the gate, only few
steps, and not only could hear but see him
perfectly in the moonlight, and there was
something mysterious and secret in his very
back.
"Ive come from Turner's, sir" said the
man. My way being this, the lady axt me
would | step in and tell Mr. Maltby if he
cares about seeing Martha he must come up
in few days; she won't be there long"
lie spoke in a coarse, high-pitched voice,
and saw my husband put his hand upon his
arm and point warningly towards the house
Hush This is little secret, you know,
he said 81 don't want any one to hear"
Keeping it from the missus, reckon, .
said the man, with a gruG laugh
My husband nodded.
"Tell the lady I'd not miss seeing Martha
for the world he said; that III be there
tomorrow if possible; and there is some-
thing for your trouble"
The man muttered thank you and added,
with a laugh:
She's splendid creature, sir"
don't know her equal said my hus-
band.
Him, my dear, who had promised to cher
ish and protect me at the altar-only think
Of that! And he had often told me that |
hadn't any equal in the world. OF course it
isn't so, you know; but ones own husband
out to think so, whether any one else does
or not.
And that horrible man went away, and
Tom came slowly sauntering up the path as
though nothing had occurred worth thinking
of, and |, poor creature, felt sorry for my
self, as though had been some one else. |
slipped down from the winiow-sil and sat
upon the floor. Oh, how | cried Softly,
though, for had made a vow that he should
never have the least suspicion that | had
found him out.
What a dosolate life mine seemed when
vas forced to confess that nurse Clover was
right and that men were all villains.
The next day, my dear-Iye read how
men who were to be executed passed the night;
I'm sure not one of them suffered as did,
md never until then did guess myself how
much | thought of Tom. do wonder that |
lived through it-when at the breakfast table
le said
/" Why, puss, you look pale You are not
Il, | hope ?"
could have burst into tears, and nurse
Clover saw il, and said she
" P'raps Mrs. Maltby sat up late last
light. Late hours amt healthy, you know,
iir."
Well, he gave her such look he might
ust as well have said Mind your own bust
less y outright, and she shook her head
Dear old SOUL if she could have known what