Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-08-10

hard q don't put any more nonsense il
mothers head, if you please :"
Gracious powers how you frightened
me, Lily almost jumped out of my skin y
And she went into the sittiDg-room with
rather crestfallen air.
But mother always had her way and
2 think we should have fallen into the groove
Patience Clark had suggested but for a
| timely codicil that was found to father Is
will. 1t left the place to Dolph, with only
life interest to mother, and five hundred
} dollars to me. The money was left with
Lawyer Williams, at Wimbledon: and he
rode down the week after father died, and
! gave it into my hands. 81 do not think
you will spend it in furbelows," he said !;
and there was something about him that in
splred confidence. / was forlornly destitute
Of friends and completely governed by i'm
pulse. | told him all my projects about the
farm and he listened to me with as much
gravity as if were consulting him upon a
matter of law. When | had finished, he
looked kindly upon my flushed and tear
stained face, and bade me be of good cheer,
and not 10 mind about the mOrtgage-he
would take care was not troubled about
that-and advised me to use my ready money
In improving the place, suggesting the i'm
provements in a way that led me to think
agriculture was part of law. Father died
in midwinter and when the spring came
the place was busy with the hum of labor.
The barn-yard was drained, great muck
heap made from the refuse of the stalls, six
poor cows sold for two good oncs-and on the
fifteenth of June, when was twenty years
oid, the place was blooming like rose. Had
1t not been for John Bates, my nearest
neighbor, should not have got along SO
we'll
We went shares with the fve-acre lot,
] ,JObn Rates nd nd
OF June the plants were brought down, and
every hand about the place busted in setting
them out. When We were putting in the
last row Dolph came running out to the
field, and said that was to come in directly,
for Lawyer Williams was there, and Mrs
Gibbons, and they were to stay to tea, as it
was my birthday | started to my feet, and
pushed back my sun-bonnet, and there,
within a rod or two of US, was the prettiest
creature that ever the eye rested upon. |
thought, as l always did, when | saw her.
that her name-Grace-was as suited to her
as mine was unsuited to me, and did not
blame John for staring at her, open-mouthed,
as she walked back with me to the house
" You ii stay too, John 20 / said to nv
fellow-workman. He nodded cheerfully
What an honest, bright, winsome face he
had
But never before had felt that sudden
pang OF discomfort and envy 1t was because
| was tired as girl could be, and felt be-
grImed with heat and dirt, and | did not
blame mother for looking upon me with
sort Of disgust, and bidding me 20 to my room
and dress Immediately.
The perfume of clean linen mingled with /
that OF the June roses in my room. There /
was my pretty muslin dress. But fdgeted /
before the glass, and tugged at my hair,
pulling il out in huge tangles but, tug as
L might, could not change its sombre brown /
to ruddy gold-and frown between the /
eyes is no beautifer. / declared inwardly | I
never would linger SO long again over my /
dirty fields, nor toll so fercely for what /
seemed to me then wretched reward.
This discomfort was, however, of short
duration. Honest toll sbriDgs an even tenn
per, and adds hugely to the cheerfulness of
ones nature by promoting a good digestion.
Then, when | had put ribbon about nv
neck, and smOothed the ugly wrinkle from
my brow, | saw in the glass a rather cumesy
.-so' essot OH, with nice brown eyes like my
lather's.
| looked out of the window at my field,
and John was putting in the very last plant.
Tears OF remorse sprang to my eyes. How
could have called it dirty field, and un-
profitable labor? Could anything be prettier
than the rich dark mould. and the rows Of
tender green? No, not even eyes of heav-
enly blue, and hair of ruddiest gold There
was something positively beautiful to me
about that cabbage-f field, ard gazed upon it
lovingly from my window, going over again
in my mind the profit we hoped to gain from
it, John Bates and |. So many thousand
cabeages at SO much a head. / think there
is nothing nicer in the way of building cas-
ties than an agricultural one, one takes such
a tangible delight in watching the structure
grow day by day; then, even if it tumbles
down ingloriOusly, are the delights of antic-
ipation TO be reckOned as nothing?
will not say that my step was light when
/ went down stairs but my heart was at
ease, and | made some of the lightest and
hakiest of French biscuits for tea Then
went into mothers room to get down the
china. Lawyer Williams and Miss Gibbons
were sauntering about the garden, and moth
er looked upon them with frown.
' You don't think it possible, Lily she
said, 90 that old fool is caught by her pretty
face ;"
- | shouldn't wonder, mother" replied
% it is such pretty face
90 And to think of your coming into the
parlor with that old sun-bonnet hanging
from your head, and your face in a blaze
with heat Why didn't you slip up stairs
quietly?"
Its the fault of the house, mother. I'm
too substantial figure to slip through stones
and mortar You know one has to pass
through that way"
Yes, yes,'' sighed my poor mother
- it's such a miserably built old barn-not a
about it. But who, in the name
Of goodness, is coming this way? Why,
truly it IS John Bates, with bis hair all wet
and curled, his face shining with soap -suds,
and one of those queer linen coats on. What
does he want, Lily"
~ He wants his supper, l suppose" said,
boldly, although quaked inwardly.
" and is he to get it here?" she cried,
raising her voice, and flame of anger dart
ing into her eyes. 81 Because if he is, please
20 send in my tea by Martha. l can not, in
ny state of health, eat with a man fresh
rom the fields. / endured it long enough /
with your poor father"
| whispered kind of prayer in her ear,
Dut she turned such an indignant look upon
ne that retreated to the kitchen, and the /
,urrant jam WASH redder than my face when
found John Bates standing in the doorway
ghistliny. | knew he must have heard every
word that mother said And why did she
,bject to him so bitterly? He was surely as
rood as any of US, with honesty OF purpose
md manly worth written upon every line of
his counteDance. There was flush upon
MS check, and latent fire in bis eye. L
thought he was offended, and l could not say
. word but presently be turned to me with
his CHEEKY smile, and said, " Have you any
message ior Wimbledon, Miss Lily? I'm go
ing down to see about those oxen"
:. N-now }" ] stammered. Then, as ne
stepped off the sill, added, you'll have
supper first, John -,
!. / think not, Miss Lily" he replied;
.. it 8 nice ride by daylight, and don t re,
member ever seeing things look so fresh and
rreen. I've often thought, Miss Lily, Rose
would have been prettier and better name
or you-there's such bloom and sweetness
bout a rose and never did care for lines
nyseIf." he added, with an involuntary
lance at the loiterers in the garden:
A cabbage rose. John y L said' laugn-
ngly-