Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-01-25

poor boy, and had no other friend in all the
wide world and now that he is sick and bed
| ridden"
lain't he no money to leave asked
Hugh. Seems to me I've heard folks say
that old Philemon Smith was pretty middling
well off,"
Agatha shook her head.
Dear me, no You forget how long he
has been sick aud helpless under the doctors
hands, Hugh. And--I wouldn't tell any one
but you, dear--but | think mother hasn't
been nearly so kind and forbcaring with him
since she made up her mind that his little
store Of money was all spent"
Hugh aud Agatha talked together long and
earnestly, and then they stroled across the
quiet field, arm-in-arm, aud took Moses JEFF.
erson into their confidence, as he wrestled
with huge log Of wood on the wood pile, at
the west end Of the house.
Father, Hugh has thought Of something !'
chirped Agatha, as exultanty as if a thought
were quite a novelty to Hugh Darwin
I've got a plan, sir" said Hugh and
straightway proceeded to unfold it.
Wen 10 itw roared Moses, shifting his
thigh, with prodigious laugh, which echoed
through the frosty twilight like a war-whoop.
I " Yes, Hugh, we'll do it, sures the world :"
/ Mrs. Moses Jefferson was busy skimming
her cream the next day, in the clear cool lit
| tie milk.room, whose windows were netted
with wirework, and shaded with the yellow
vine leaves, which yet hung tc their stems,
when there was a shrill ingie-jang Of dis
cordaut bells in the road beyond. Mrs. JEFF.
erson dropped her skinner into the golden
depths Of the jar Of cream, and dartcd, bon
netless, aud with her sleeves rolled up above
the elbow across the dooryard.
It's ragman, or my name amt Clarssa
jefferson ~ she thought cxultanty.
And, sure enough, there was a portly per-
souage, with a hugh fir cap tipped over bis
eyes, coarse red ocket-handkerchief tied
ruund the lower part Of his chin, snd further
more attired in a long rusty overcoat, whose
ragged skirts extended nearly to his feet. lle
was propeling by means of his vigorous
arms, little hand-wagon, surmountcd with
bells, and partially filed with rags bottles,
cast-og clothing, and crumrled papers, and
checked his noisy career at once, as Mrs. JEFF
ferson breathlessly hailed him from her little
gate.
Dye buy old newspapers ?" shrieked
our housewife in the shrillest of trebles.
=" Wa'al, yes, onst in while" was the de-
3 liberate answer. "Got any tn sell
: How much dye give for them "
-Four cents pound, ma'am.'
We'll, you just wait half miuit I've
; got pretty good mess Of em here I'd like to
sell ye."
An right, ma a'am said the travelling
merchant, balancing the shafts of his wagor
c against the fence and burying his hands il
r his pockets Bring EN- on"
= And the next. minute Agatha was sum
= moned from her sewing to help pile Uncl,
t Phemon's dearly beloved file of ancient
i newspapers into the wicker clothes baske ct
t Agatha demonstrated no further -pcrhap,
e she had learned the folly of entering into ar
n gument with her mother, she only obeyec
Mrs Jefferson's behest in silence. Their,
were several packages of the time-yelowet
old papers aud more than one journey back
aud forth was necessary before the whole hear
lay on the turf by the roadside Mrs JefIer
son looked on with streaming cap trills and
| hawk-eyed eagerness, to make sure that NJ
delrauding sleights of hand performanc
a were practiccd during the momentous opera
d tion of weighing.
e Now mind you )" said she to the ra,
$ man, won't be cheated -
Thirty-nine pounds " calculated tn
G hero of the elongated coat skirts, as he swun
| the burden high in the air.
Call it forty " squeaked Mrs Jefferson
l greedily cycling the pile. " Forty pound
you didn't hitch 'em on true"
IS Waal we won't quarrel over an Cd
l. pound, naum, you and l. any way quot
e the accommodating merchant " Lcmme see,
d closing one eye in calculating fashion
II " forty pounds at four cents comes ts-fou
times ort is ort, four times four---one doa
= and forty cents. Here's your money ma'an
aud hopin you'll gin me your custom agin."
r Agatha, what are you laughing at ?" Dc
d manded her mother, as the bells jangle
noidly away down the quiet road, over whic
J the November mist brooded like haze
l. gold. Didn't | see that mpudeut ragma
o a-staring at you and you ggging like an
Z school girl? What do you s'pose Hugh Dli
$ win would think if he was to hear ont? G
o back to your work this very mint +"
d And Agatha. went, leaving her mother t
n count up her gains, like feminine style {
miser, in calico and capborders.
l. 1t was drawing towards sunset the next
m teruoon Mr.. Jefferson and Agatha had gor
on some errand to the village, mile and
1t half distant aud Mrs. Jefferson was alone
n the kitchen, chopping apples for mince pie
" when Uncle Philemon's weak piping vote
J. made itself heard from the chamber above.
IS "Clarissy, Carissy "
lie Mrs Jefferson, with a smothered exclam
IS ton Of impatience, threw down the chopin
knife, set aside the wooden tray and ran Il
|, stairs.
IN Well" said she, with more energy thu
i mildness, what's wantin' now ?"
of 4" feel very poorly, Clarissy,' groanod Il
old man who lay among the white bed cloth
ar like dried yellow effigy. {" | think L
nd drawing near my end"
up Oh, no, you amt Uncle Philemon
if Mrs. Jefferson, secretly believing that
he such good luck was ia store for her. "lIsr
e's drink this"
NJ She held some stimulating cordial to /
n withered lips, but he feebIy shook his @
I'D white head,
m, " am a-dyiu' Clarissy, "medcne amt
use to me any longer and, want to see I
". old newspapers once again
X .iiof ctus b'Ah Ri'laiNA lpl SUI
ses such demand. She stole down stairs a
MS brought up neat pile of Hlrpers Wee
ne lies that she had borrowed some time since o
,us neighbor to read in the evenings and stu
az the pictures when she was tired Of kn
Ier ting.
,er Here they be, Uuce Philemon she sa
vi, soothingly.
eli The purblind old man put out his shaki
nv hand and felt the folds Mrs JefFer.
,or thought guitily of poor old blind Isaac a
to Rebecca, who delivered him for Jacobs sal
am She had no such excuse to plead Could ;
too, hope for blessing?
on Yes" muttered Uncle Philemon, Z"
ere take good care Of them, niece Carissy, I
for there's bill of paper like will somewh
ing under my pillow, aud I've left 'em all to lit
the Agatha. She's been kind thoughtful ch
wn to the old man, and it will help her aud llu
ful towards housekeeping %
II. . l.. Il