Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-05-05
"DO.1-T TELL BBTSBI' 1--WE"


"And for your life, don't tell Betsey
Jancr
Mr.. Nicodemus Harding, having uttered
this caution in low, earnest tone of voice,
alighted from Concord wagon in front of
his own farm house door, and stood there
few moments in a brown study, watching
the figure of his brother-in-law and tho
lawyer, as ho drove back toward the viii
lage of W, whence the two men had
come.
"Don't tell Betsey Jano!'
Now Betsey Jane was Mr.. Nicodemus
Hardings wife, stirring notable soul,
who made more butter and cheese, and
took more eggs and fowl to the market in
the course of the season than any other
woman for miles around. Strong, healthy
and hearty, she "made the house work
hy," to use her own energetic expression /;
and if Nicodcmus Harding owned his farm
that day, and was a wellto-do, in fact
rich man to boot, it was owing in no small
measure to the skill and energy and gem
eral go o-aheadativeness OF this Betsoy Jane.
What was it, then, that the ungrateful man
was not about to tell her?
at would never do, neverw thought
Nicodemus to himself, shaking his head.
"She'd be wanting new carpet, or new
silk gown, or the house all painted over,
or some such nonsense. No. the woman is
the weaker vessel, it won't do to trust one
too far. Their heads won't bear it,"
So Mr.. Nicodemus passed through the
ho use, and out toward the barn with the
pre- occupied air of hen who has an egg
to ay, and don't know where she can hide
il from the eyes of mankind to the best ad-
vantage. Tho kitchen was empty and 81
len as he went through it. But oh! if he
could have seen the buxom, good looking
female who stole silently out of the pantry
and as silently followed him on his way to-
ward the barn.
Mrs. Harding came back in about twen-
ty minutes or so, with fIce red with sup
pressed laughter.
"Don't tell Betsey Jane" she said, gig
Cling into her gingham apron. "You are
very smart man, Ncodemus, and my
brother. Tim Noyes, is another, and law
yer in the bargain. Don't tell Betsey Jane,
indeed Two wrotches, you deserve all
you'll get pretty soon."
Betsey Jane said no more but bided her
time. A week passed away, and then
brother Tins wagon drove up again to the
door, and Nicodemus stepped into it, and
was Off to the village once more. Betsey
Jane had begged in vain to go. Nicodem-
us was bound on Observation-Disclosures
which woman could not understand" he
loftily exclaimed. He, lord and master,
well out of sight, Betsey Jane went about
that business which woman could not un-
dcrstand, with a merry twinkle in her
bright black eye.
At four p. M, Nicodemus returned home
again looking quite as important as before.
He tip-tond along through the kitchen,
Betsey Jane watching him from the corner
of her eye the while. lie passed out into
the shed. A fragrant smell of smoke came
forward to greet him-an odor of burning
corn cobs gradually curing ham.
Ncodemus turned deadly pale, and ran
frantically forward to large fire smoul-
doring in the ash house, and a large ham
or two covered over by blankets hanging
placidly there. The yell he gave brought
|
find Nicodemus groveling before the ash
house door, weeping and waiing and tear,
ing his hair, and uttering yoll after yell o
despair.
"Why, bless mo what's tho matter? arr
you in n fit? Let me run for the camphor =
shrieked Betsey Jane.
"Camphor! Bring arsenic! Bring poison
of some kind, poison-poisonr yollo,
Nicodemus frantically.
"Woman, you've ruined mo! Twelve
thousand dollars in government bonds die
l put in that ash hole for safety just a weel
ago, and you've gone and burned them I,
cook that cussed bacon. Poison Poison
Poison And let me get out of this drear,
world"
"Oh-so that was what you were not go
ing to tell Betsey Jane! Aren't yor
ashamed of yourself Nicodomus Hard
ing9"
Nicodemus could not answer. lie lai
PROSTATE in the ashes and howled.
"Get up and don't be fool |" said Bet
soy Jano amably. al heard you an
brother Tim consplring at tho door that day
and l watched you go to the ash-hole, an
soon found out what you had hid ava
there. Woman is the weaker vessel n
) doubt, but she don't put twelve thousan
, dollars whore the first match that come
: handy can burn it upi Here are the bond
Nicodomus-for ten thousand. Iyo keI
, two for my honesty"
Poor Nicodemusi lie gathered himso