Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-07-26


p Ephraim's been slow maxim up hi.
mind, It's his way and then with quick
glance at Miss Shambley, it amt as if he
couldn't get anybody to have, you know
1t was well that supper was announced
and the attention OF the company turned
{ to the strength of the tea and the quality
of the cake
Poor old lady, she was quite bewildered
with her own thoughts and she wanted to
get away from those pitiIess eyes and
tongues, so she managed to slip out unper-
ceived, and arrived at home Just as the
boys were going to milking, and to their
anxious inquiries as to what was the mat
ter, only said she was tired
Solomon hurried of to the society, firm
; in the belief that his services could not
be dispensed with when the members should
start for home.
Ephraim and his mother had a long
evening together, and her trials were so
effectually shown to her son that the inter
view closed with the widow triumphant
and happy, and Ephraim had subdued
look which boded well for his mother S
wishes
On the following morning Solomon
asked, where are you going to pick up
stones to-day, Eph? and was told, [
have other work on my hands to-day, less
to my mind, but have promised mother
not to try her any longer by sinking
Solomon's eyes opened wide, and he did
not hesitate to say, Hannah there'll be
fun now, | guess He was instantly
stopped by a reprimand from his mother
Now Ephraim was one of those down
right, upright kind Of men, to whom the
battle is more than half over when once
they have resolved, so his mother felt no
misgivings about him as she watched him
crossing the meadows in the direction Of
Squire Whipple's.
| do not think the good woman ever
thought of the possibility Of Martha's say
ing no TO such an offer, but as the day
wore on and he did not came home, she
smiled to think what ardent lovers these
quiet, kind Of backward men make, when
! they come to know their own minds.
Solomon declared that Eph was max
\ ing fool Of himself going the rounds of
the whole town. and asked his mother,
wat she'd bet Eph wouldn't ask that ar
Shambley woman to add her forty years to
I his'n before he was through with it.
BY nine O'Clock Ephraim arrived, but
nothing could be gathered from his face,
and he refused to answer Il single question
until he had supper They waited with
what patience they could Mrs. Hawkins
said he always was very trying, and Sol
omon thought Eph's symptoms good,
Judging from his appetite
At last he seated himself by the broad
/ open fire place, and placing his feet upon
the fender commenced, 81 | went over to the
Squire's and found Martha churnine so |
took hold and helped her She said some
thing about my running away from her
generally, but l didn't take any notice of
it. We talked over about the work and
one thing and another. She laughed at
most everything. but gave me some kind
of answer, until [ asked her, Martha.
says 1, what your opinion about raising
a large family don't you think, if it the
Lords will, it is better to have 4 good
many children to grow up together than to
have just two or three like your family
and mine ? "
She jumped so that we almost upset the
churn, and then she snapped out, " Eph.
Hawkins, what do you mean By talking
like that to me Don't you ever dare to
speak to NE again as long as you live l
! tried to explain, but she wouldn't listen to
a word so [ had to leave, and | felt glad
twas 50, for a woman with such temper
would make an uncomfortable wife.
The widow groaned but Ephraim told
! her not to be discouraged, for he did not
/ give ii up so. - | went from there to Mr..
/ Wheeler and | thought | wouldn't waste
time n compliments so when Sarah Jane
came to the door | asked her at once if
she'd be kid enough to answer a few
questions, and | told her a good deal de-
pended on her answers, so / hoped she'd
\ tell the truth. At first she got mad and
called to her mother, 4" here ia Eph. Haw-
/ kins come to take the census, and he IS
afraid [ shall tell him lies you had better
come and answer him, and what should
she DO but leave. Sister Wheeler came,
and I said think / will call when brother
/ Wheeler is at home, and then | left.
Again the widow groaned and accused
her son Of being more trying than ever
before Solomon kept quiet, for fear Of
being excluded from the confidence Of the
family Mother, said Ephraim, . Don t
fnd fault with me, for | never worked 20
hard to please You in my life as | have
to the light had"
q know, my son but you'll never
marry now On, dear, am so tired.
+" Yes | shall | did not lose courage
bit, but went from there to Eben Howes =
Don't you tell me Betsey Howe is
coming here to live, on
No, she wasn't at home, and when [
asked her mother as to Betsey' views she
owned that Betsey hadn't any so that was
settled of course and I left word with
her about some town business for Eben,
4 and came away"
At John Reeds found quite COM
pany. You know by the time L got there
4 twas afternoon. Well, ! felt so thankful
for there was Ann Simpson, Alb
by Cole and Nancy Fisher, besides the
Reed girls. Somehow | didn't feel quite
so clear in my mind as to the questions
when they were all laughing around me-"
Oh, interrupted Solomon, d" if I'd
only been there"
was bound to be serious with them,
so ] asked them at once if they didn't
think a woman ought to be willing to do
the milking if her husband was farmer
and was called away on town business"
of course" said two or three Of them
g Do you want to hire hand, Eph.? Take
me, o! take me, and they huddled up
! around me until [ was almost crazy. L
don't know how L ever should got away
from them but | was tipping back in my
chair, and somehow it went over and l
went my full length on the floor. They
all commenced screaming and suppose
I 49,, .hourbt 7 -EaS hurt for thew called