Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-11-30

Idunan WIS ner prime 1aYorlte and ate
the manner of substantial matrons, she de
sired her boy to marry a practical wife
who knew how to cook his dinner anC
make him comfortable. The sight of Mar,
Lang white, nerveless hands, with thei
pretty rings, caused the old lady to shak,
her head, and mutter something abou
dolls and poppets'
Andy had come home from school, anC
had let the low spirited dog out into thu
/ back lot to bark at the hens little while
by way of recreation. He was preparing
to 90 down to his squirrel trap in the
woods A.; and as he sat fussing away and
whlstling on the porch step, suddenly he
pulled. paper out of his jacket pocket
aud scampered off with it to the window.
Here's something Deacon Ashley told
me to give you, sis. He called it billy"
You mean q William" put in Mary,
chucking him under the chin
" Why, its nothing but that advertise
ment of Pufer's Pills the Deacon promised
father ! thought Haunah would be sure
70 invite ssseto tesaiTlting," said Jane in
tone. &" Say, AIeck, have
you and Han been quarreling? ?" and she
gave him provoking little thrust, such
as sisters are wont to administer.
Aleck turned round, and set his elbows
s4uarely against the window sill, and he
began to whistle low to himself.
Lets take that ride over Saddleback
Hill promised to give you tomorrow af-
ternoon, Mary" said he, veering back again
and chewing an end Of grass.
Miss Lang expressed herself delighted
to take the ride; and everybody appeared
satisfied but Jane, who now would have
no opportunity to display the new twist to
the girls before Sunday.
Hannah's quilt had been put in the
frames the day before, up in the spare
chamber large apartment with a car
pet IN Venetian stripe, high post bed
stead draped in the whitest dimity, heavy
mahogany bureau with respectable brass
knobs, and an old fashioned glass adorned
with festoons of pink and white paper.
There were faded footstools, worked by
Mrs. Ashley when girl, in chain-stiteh
embroidery and framed samplers and sill
houette portraits upon the wall of cappy
old lady and a spare old gentleman the
punches Of demonstrating and
crystalized grasses filling the plethoric
vases upon the mantIepiece Everything
was in apple-pie order, from kitchen to
parlor. 4 pleasant, moist odor of Han
nah's sponge cake hung to the walls; and
II you don't know what Hannah's sponge
cake was like, it is useless for me to de-
scribe it.
Hannah had put on her prettiest lawn
iress-a pale green that became her blonde
beauty and tucked it up here and there
with bit Of pink ribbon. Mrs Ashley
vas pinning on her false cuffs before the
glass, and fastening her collar with a
)roach adorned with daguerreotE.s like
lcss of the Deacon, which looked as if it
lad been taken in a particularly bad fit Of
dyspepsia. She dearly loved company
md there was a bright twinkle in her eye,
nd n 4 quicker about her mouth provocative ,
When the girls had assembled, and the .
,issing and taking off Of things was well
through with, the grand business of the
afternoon began. Everybody praised Ham
lah's pretty quilt-pink stars dropped on
he white ground. Miss Trcadwel was
champion quilter, She understood all the
mysteries of herrin' bone and feather pat
crns and with chalk-line in her hand
IS the Deacon's wife expressed it, ruled
he roost' Miss Treadwell was a thin
aced, precise old maid, with a kind Of
bloom on her check bones, and a
audable desire to make the most of her
few skinny locks.
Beats all how young Salina Treadwell
appears, whispered the Deacon's wife to
her next neighbor She as old as | be
if she's a day, aud here She goes diddling
round with the girls
Hannah, you ought to give this quilt
to the one that gets married first put III
Susan Drake, threading her needle
i know who that will be, said Mrs
Ashley, winking hard toward Hetty
Sprague, a pretty, soft-headed little maid
en-, with checks Of the damask rose and
dewy dark eyes.
On Mrs. Ashley = cried Hetty. sim
pering swectly, how can you talk so
Y GU know | never mean to get married all
my born days Men are such deceitful
creatures :!
Miss Treadwcl heaved a deep sigh, and
snapped a chalk line sentimentally, as if
she too could tale unfold that would tell
of the perfdy Of the male sex.
don't for my part, see why every
thing should be given to the married folks,
returned Hannah, tapping lightly on the
frame with her thimblc, and feeling annoy
Ell because Jane Freeman and her friend
had not yet put in an appearance.
When | get to lie an old maid, I'll
stuff everything soft with feathers and
wool, and keep sixteen cats, like Aunt
Biceps.'
You an old maid = cried merry little
Nancy Duffy. That's n likely story. |
guess Aleck will have a word or two to
say about it..
1t looks as though Aleck had got a
new string to his bow remarked Miss
Treadwell, who knew how to give a sharp
little thrust of her own. He appears to
be mighty thick with that girl at Hills
dale"
Why, there goes Aleck now " cried
Hetty Sprague and the girls ran to the
window, upsetting one end of the quilt,
just in time to see Alexis sleek chestnut
mare trot past, with Aleck himself Sc
absorbed in the companion by his side that
he did not appear to observe the battery
of bright eyes under which he was passing
Hannah colored and bit her lips, but
she recovered herself with light laugh
Never mind, girls said she, there
are as good fish in the sea as have beer
caught. I'll show you DR.. Bingham to-
night, and you'll all say he's perfect,
splendid
Then began a little mild gossip over tn,
Doctor, as to who he was, and what haC
brought him to the out-of-the-way Drasti
for the young man was only visitor il
that eighborhood- in the clatter o
tongues, before the second rolling, Hannal