Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-03-23

made Of dry-corn and hay.
Miss Persis Tame turned about abruptly.
" The land alive" she calculated with such
sudden emphasis that the dishes shook on
their shelves, and Captain Ben in his chair
" II makes me mad as a March hare TO hear
men 20 on as though all they'd got TO do was
10 throw down their handk kerchers to a woman,
aud, no matter who, she'd spring and run to
pick it up ltis always Who will marryp
and not Who will marry me2"
Why, there is twice the number Of Wild
dors that there is Of widderers here at the
Pint That was what was in my mind"
said Captain Ben, in a tone Of meek apology.
I" There is the Widow Keens, she that was
Azubah Muchmore. don't know but what
she would do; Lyddy used to think every
thing Of her, aud She Is q frst.rate of house.
keeper"
" Perhaps so," assonted Mrs. Davids, du-
biously. But she is troubled sight with
the head complaint suppose you know she
is. That is against her"
Yes" assented Miss Tame. " The Much
mores all have weak heads. And, too, the
Widow Kcens, she's had fall lately She
was up in chair cleaning her top buttery
shelf and somehow one of the chair legs give
way,--it was loose or something | expect
and down she went her whole heft She keeps
about but she goes with two staves.'
" I want to know if that is 50" said Cap
tain Ben, his honest soul warming with sud-
den sympathy. The widder has seen a
sight Of trouble
' Yes, she has lived through good deal,
that woman has. | couldn't live through so
much, pears to me but we don't know what
we can live through" rejoined Miss Tame.
Captain Ben did not reply, but his ready
feet began to move to and fro restlessly for
/ bis heart, more ready yet, had already gone
out toward the unfortunate widow.
/ 1t is bad for q woman to be alone" said
he to himself shambling along the shingly
beach a moment after. Nobody to mend
her chairs or split up her kindlings or do a
choro for her and she lame into the bar
gain! 1t is too bad
He has steered straight for the Widow
Keen's, as sure as A is apple-dumpling re-
marked Miss Persis, peering after him from
the window.
Well, | must admit 1 wouldn't have
thought Of Captain Ben's being en-a-mored
after such a sickly piece ofbusiness. But men
never know what they want. Won't you just
hand me that gum-camphyer bottle, now you
are up2 1t is on that chest Of drawers be-
hind you"
No more they don't" returned Miss
Tame, with plaintiye cadence, taking sniff
from the camphor-botte on the way. How
ever don't begrutch him to her,-I don't
know as do. It will make her good hum,
though, If she concludes to make arrange
ments"
Meantime Captain Ben Lundy's head was
well nigh at Mrs. keen's door, for it was
situated only around the first sand-hil. She
lived in a little bit of house that looked as
though it had been knocked together for
crockerycrate in the first place, with two win
dows and a rude door thrown in as after
thoughts. In the rear Of this house was
another tiny building, something like grown
up hen-coop; and this was where Mrs. keens
carried on the business bequeathed to her by
} her deceased husband, along with five small
b children, and one not so small. But, worse
: than that, one was not altogether there, as
the English say
She was about this business now, dressed in
7 a primitive sort of boomer with wash.tub
and clothcs-wrnger before her, and an army
of bathiug-suits Of every kind and color flap
ping wildly in the fresh sea air at one side.
From little farther on, mingling with the
b sound of the beating surf, came the merry
voices Of bathers, ,--boarders at the great ho-
D tells on the hill
9 Here you be! Hard at it 1" said Cap
tain Ben putting around the corner like a
, portable west-wind. " I've understood you've
: had a hurt Is that so
80 mo- Nothing to MENTION" returned
Mrs. keens, turning about face bright and
d cheerful as the full moon and throwing, as
= by accident, red bathing-suit over the two
broomsticks that leaned against her tub.
I Unlike Mrs Davids, Mrs, Keens neither
d pitied herself nor would allow anybody else
T to do So
Sho " remarked Captain Ben, feeling
, defrauded. lie had counted on sacrificing
, himself to his sympathies, but he didn't give
! up yet. You must see some pretty tough
/ times pears to me with such parcel of lit.
n tie ones, and only yourself to look to- said
he, proceeding awkwardly enough to hang the
pile Of wrung-out clothes upon an amply
t line
u 81 don't complain" returned the widow
bravely. My children are not teusome ,
u u and Jack, why you would be surprised to see
a how many things Jack can do, for all he ism,
y quite right"
As she spoke thus with affectionate pride
, Jack came up wheeling roughly made cart
= filed with wet bathing clothes from the beach
. lie looked up at the sound OF his mothers
II voice with something of the dumb tenderness!
II Of an intelligent dog. Jack helps, Jack
II II good boy said he, nodding with happy
le smile
~ 4" Yes, Jack helps. We don't complain,
# repeated the mother.
" 1t would come handy, though, to have
D., man around to see to things and kind 0
provide, wouldn't it, though? persisted Cap
20 tain Ben.
re- " Some might think so," replied Mrs
er Keens stopping her wringer to reflect little
to " But haven't any wish to change my situa
in ton" she added decidedly going on agail
es with her work.
Sure ont " persisted the Captain. O.
| Certain, replied the widow.
Nc Captain Ben sighed. " | thought ma b
ID you was having a hard row to hoe, and
ii thoughts like enough"
ls What he never said, excepting by beseech
en- ing glance at the cheerful widow for JUS
then an interruption came from some peopl'
st after bathng-suits.
o. So Captain Ben moved off with a disma
h. countenance. But before he had gone far j
an suddenly Frightened. 1t might not be 70
rs the best ;" quoth he tohimself. Likeenoug
id not. was very careful not to commit my
No self, and lam very glad didn't Hesmile
he as he reflected on his judicious wariness.-
re '' But, however" he continued, /" might a
well finish up this business now. There
Rachel Dooittle Who knows but she'
K make likely wife2 Lyddy sot good dea
as by her. She never had quilting or a sew
as ing bee but what nothing would do bat sh'
II must give Rachel Doolittle an invite. Yes
or | wonder never decided on her before. Sh
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