Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-07-26
aMisctltamu.
Widow Hawkins Trials, or Choosing
Deacon.

could find in all New England A West
rru man wouldn't have taken a singl
chance there against starvation, and ye
the Hawkins had held it for many gene
rations There was a tradition that th,
old man Of all had been put on that plac,
and compelled to earn living What
ever may have been the truth of that il
was certain his descendants had alway,
shown great attachment to the old home
-tead, and would answer any disparagine
remarks concerning the land by quoting
Granther Hawkins who used to say
There's a master lot of rock, which gives
the farm a dreadful uneven look. but there
Is spots where the sile is as good as can be
found in this ere section
The present owners and occupants were
the Widow Hawkins and her two sons
Ephraim, a man of nearly forty years, and
Solomon, who was just turned twenty
Ana these two boys were the source Of
% the poor wOman's trials.
Not that they were bad or even ill-dis-
posed, but simply trying
Tle husband and father had died when
solomon was a babe in arms, and the boys
bad been brought up without any head,
-+ -l1 widow expressed it,
Erlraim inherited the family name and
most of the honors which had fallen sue
..s-.uIy to their share. Such as being
-cman and a member of the school
mmittee. But his father, grandfather,
aaI great grandfather had been deacons,
aud a- yet he had not been chosen, though
several vacancies had occurred since his
ra.r. and experience had rendered him
iyb'e TO that office
lt was great trial to the widow for
with \ mothers partiality. she deemed it
fitting that the fathers mantle should fall
upon tle son, who was every way worthy
@. follow in the footsteps Of his sire And
smother thing troubled the widow. Eph-
r.im had never shown any matrimonial
inclination, although his duty had been
faithfully held before him line upon line,
rroaapt upon precept, but with the strange
Ieryer-ity common to human nature. land
/ should ike to add for the sake of truth.
that it reaches its highest development in
t1 masculine pcrsuasion,) he seemed deaf
. her fond cntreaties and blind to his own
interests.
Wise and deep were the arguments used
The widow, but Ephraim would coolly
-t on his hat aud make his exit in the
middle Of her longest sentence. Many
4ll curious were the traps she set for her
a1. butt he never for moment became
4ug.ed in any Of them.
D.d she invite some Of the farmers
iaIghtars TO pass the afternoon and stay
-1 tea' Ephraim was sure to be absent
valn supper time came, and Solomon
would have the gir.s to entertain and see
home And solomon, instead of blaming
bis brother and sympathizing with the
poor mother in her trials seemed to con-
-.ier it good fun, and would persist in re-
de-r-ing what the girls said about Eph
rains running away from them. And
many evenings when he should have been
a home with his books, or in mooting with
a.- mother ne would be off idling away
BIS time In some farmers kitchen, IN dan
.erous proximity to rosy cheeks, and fash
ing eyes, or away on the ice where some
pretty girl would cling closely to him,
moving instinctively that the more help
and dependent she seemed, the greater
would be the care and attention shown her.
so wonder poor Mrs. Hawkins used to
gh and say, IF ever Ephraim does get
e wife and Solomon don't get more than
5nc. | shall be thankful
She had borne with commondable spirit
and silence the remarks which were made
n her hearing; but there is q limit to hU-
man patience, and it IS 2 fact that women
.uu saw most cutting and irritating things
10 cach other under tho garb Of sympathy
10 was at the sewing society, the first
which had met since Deacon Ellsbee had
been gathered to his fathers.
Mrs Smith, with an elongated face, and
90 voice toned down to the proper key,
-lid J felt so bad for you, sister llaw-
iu-. VIXEN | heard that they were Going
G, pass your Ephraim by again, and take
a man So much younger and with such
4ort cxperienc. II seems kinder ike
.Gr upon you both and slight upon your
r-lIud that's now dead and gone, it really
!.r-. And she made a desperate effort to
ltiuc the rising triumph in her voice.
Who have they picked out? asked
the widow, aud he Booked ready to sinF
tor -ac hal thought surely they viii take
EphIaim now
ID 81 not settled yet, but they are a.L-
iu about Carline's husband, ! s'pose on
account Of his family and our'n,' and then
She added, after a moments pause, ! wish
th'ug had been little different with
Ephrau.
N,- Hawkins tried TO brace herself to
h..tr tha rest She was soon accosted with,
F Glad to see you out to-day, sister Haw-
klus shows yog amt no feeling about
Ephrlim'- being sighted we all 'spected
you'd lot on his bcin chosen, but you see
t wouldn't TO- no how
The pale face flushed, aud then she
aokcI ~ to find every eye upon her and
every one waiting to see what She would
FAY.
She -pobe quite unlike herself. " No,
{ don't See why it wouldn't do; my Eph-
rllm Is as likely q man as there is in this
town. and there amt person with the
right to speak ugin him, aud that's MORN
can be said Of some folks that pear to
stand better chance than HIM
/, Sa- pretty still there for a minute or
go. and then Deacon SIocum's wife, who
was hostess on the occasion, said Don't
you bc ironted, sister Hawkins, nobody
r.ameS you
And who do they blame hasn't my
-on walked cordin' to his profession?
Yeas, but you know what the Scrip
lures say
know "a good deal that would be a
rebuke to folks | could mention but she
tried to smile as She asked, What pertic-
uIer scrjptor do vou refer to. sister Slo-
cum
don't know as L can give you the
words straight. ! heard my husband
talkIn' It over twas sUthin bout deacon
havln wife and children; guess they
have to. don't thew