Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-10-04
The Angel Mt Mandy's Elbow.

of together. Look at that clean floor all
morked with his dirty feet I'd be ashamed
to think so much Of dog just because he
belonged to a man who Tilted me hundred
years ago. Get out Bonesw
1t was a pleasant little house enough, with
shaded porch and yine-girdled lattices over
the kitchen doorway whence in hot haste ran
a queer shambIing hound bearing the marks
of great age. He ran as quickly as stiff
limbs would carry him, looking fearfully
back at Mandy Brett maiden OF fifty win
ters who stood in the doorway brsndishing
that womans weapon-a broom Mandy
was built on the principles Of strength rather
than beauty Her face was not comely at
its best, but grim and fearful now with wrath
and yexaton.
She looked askance at her sister Ruth who
held a thin, blue-vened hand tight over her
mouth, to keep back an angry reply as she
followed the beaten hound around the house
and down by the great hop-vine which cover.
ed an old plum-tree with its luxuriant leaves.
Ruth, or Rutbie, as Mandy was wont to
call her in her gentle moods was slender
pale, with hazel eyes that had once been mer.
ry and heavy twist Of brown hair threaded |
with gray on the temples. She had been a
pretty girl and was fair and sweet STILL being
the junior sister by fifteen years
For years the two sisters had lived on in |
the same cottage, with certain measure Of
happiness. At least, while strong-willed
Mandy was uncrossed, or uncontradicted, she
held the reins Of government peaceably Ruth
bore the domestic oppression very patiently
for the most part but during the last week
she had been crossed in half dozen little
things and was in a mood to resent the blow
on poor old Bones rusty back
She had wanted jam made from the cur
rants, and Mandy had carried the day with
"jell." She wanted celery put in where the
early potatoes were dug and Mandy had tur-
nips instead. She wanted to have the minis.
ter and his wife to tea, and it was vetoed un-
til after hop -picking-said hop-picking being
solemn ceremony performed every year with
most rigorous regard to the maxim that the
September sun must never shine on the hop
So the very last day of August Mandy attired
herselfin a wonderful suit of regimentals de-
voted to berry picking, and slab calico sun
bonnet like the Hoosac tunnel provided
Rutbie with like wonderful uniform, and
gathered in the crop to be dried, papered,
aud never used But it always had been
done and so it must
Whether Mandy ever found man brave
enough to court her love, no legend saith, but
there was lover once for Ruth There were
loiterings by the hawthorn hedge, and long
walks home from the evening church there
we're happy hours on the doorstep when Man
dy had gone to the sewing society whence she
would return with stiff glazed calico aprons
for Ruthie to hem as best she might
Ruthie did not care much for the sewing
society, but she did not rebel against the
work imposed on her, and thought on the
whole, that Mandy's weekly absence and Ed
win Cartons presence made the trial light
to bear. bones was little puppy then
F and came to her inside Eds pocket and ever
since has served as memorial of him.
There was a quarrel about some trivia
thing, hasty words which each one was too
proud to recall widening gulf of months
that flooded over waste Of years and carried
grlhood with their rapid rush away.
There were times when the poor loving wo
mans heart would have laid itself at Edwin
feet, but Mandys taunts reminded her tina
D "a woman ought 10 be ashamed to let maj
see she was such soft-hearted thing" An,
Ed. was proud, and tried to forget in the Chi
ma trade and its excitement the schoolgirl h.
had loved
Ruthie found the old dog in the garden
path. Calling him to her, she sat down OIL
the little wooden bench, while he, full of pity
that seemed human, laid his rough old heaC
against her arm. 1t was some comfort to he
to cry over him. and talk softly words tha
Mandy would have called nonsense. Lf
looked so dark to her only this ploddn
! ronnd of little cares, ougheued more an
> more By unkiudly and hasty words-no pa
4 tent mother love to know her best, no Low
e of husband or child to light the down-goln
oil 4, ner weary ieet'
e ohe went 10 Tue 1901 Oh tue saruen' anu .
c the ii'tie iootpath over the NH toward ne
mothers grave whlie bones trot'eo patent
It beside her through the DUSK mat was Steaiin
|, on, ana SO sne passed OUT oil s'ght'
o Mandy hnlsnea Washing the teacups, gVin
K each one vicious tweaS as she wiped II, g
Y ing often to the doorway to look for kut
!. who was nowhere IN sight Then she caile'
:, " Meetin-time are you going y but ther
Q was no answer.
"Sulky, s'pose-can't say word to th'
girl, but what she's afirOnted-well, let HI
: pout it out"
a She united her apron strings with Jer
and hung the apron up beside the broom, the
i, putting on the night-meetin' bonnet" whiC
. had q no nonsense about it," she pulled Il
/, kitchen door shut with bang, changed II
- gate loudly, and walked briskly off to Il
4 schoolhouse.
a Once seated there she did not fnd h
= thoughts in harmony with the occasion, az
= = some qualms of self reproach began to di