Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-10-25

/ Ou " wi udNh dIAs dn4 nOllC Vi Tue ACuOS
was there besides the currant bushes, and
Rob and me yelled, you'd better believe y
lueidly explained the astonished Teddy.
q 1t Is mercy you were not killed,
began Aunt Jem's trembling lips; but Rob
interrupted her with another vociferous
Oh, look" and pointed to brisk bon
fire that was springing up in front of them
Jemlma's bleaching apparatus had been
overturned, and the Goals emptied out oil
the pan had set the barrel in blaze. A
bucket or two of water soon extinguished
the FIRE; but alas for the bonnet it was
wofully blackened instead of whitened
and burnt beyond all possibility of making
over.
The group gathered about the ruins in
dismay, for the children were quick to de-
tect the look of trouble in Aunt Jems
face, and even they understood the case
well enough to know that articles destroyed
were not always easily replaced.
" No one hurt, | hope ?" said voice
just behind them-a manly voice, though
a trife hurried and anxious.
Jsmima looked up, met the kindly ques-
tioning glance of a pair of blue eyes, aud
recognized Mr.. Barclay. She started a
little, not having noticed his approach,
but she answered, promptly, mo, sir;
no one hurt in the least"
Really, don't know how such an ac-
cident could nave happened he remarked,
as if even yet bewiIdered by the affair.
" There must have been some carelessness
in loading the stone, | suppose for when
we were part way up the hill the wagon
tilted little, aud the stone slipped off
and came crashing down, Its force
was mostly spent before it reached your
place, but | see it has done damage
enough as it is = and swift, comprehen-
sive glance swept fower-beds and broken
bushes.
Nothing very serious--nothing but
what a little labor will make right again, ="
courageously and politely, responded Miss
Jemima, noticing the direction his eyes
had taken.
No it wont, interposed Master Ted
dy; cause Aunt Jem's bonnet, what she
had . bleaching in the barrel Is all burnt
up. 1t was going to be her Sundayest
one, too an now she can't 70 to meetin'
nor nothin' only I'll lend you my hat,
Aunt Jem."
Hush, hush, Teddy whispered Aunt
Jem, pressing the little fat hand that slid
into hers, in appreciation of the offered
sympathy, though her face grew suddenly
rosy, aud 1t required some effort to beJray
no discompo,ure. No, sir, there's ~
harm done. l am thankful 1t Is no worse.
e 81 am |. Some one might have been
kilIel by 1t, he answered gravely stealing
a curious gance at the charred barrel,
meanwhile, anI pondering Dedlys remark.
Not very well versed in millinery matters
was CAde Barclay \ sister he had never
had uul his mother mad been dead now
nearly a year. Where the neat, Quaker
ike oouue;s she had worn during her life
time came from. it never had occurred to
him 10 inquire; but he felt toleraby GER
t4In that they had not been conjured out
of barrel in the back yard. He knew
that there were places where such articles
We're sold, and taucied that most ladies
bought them. Brewing them at home, IN
barrels over tire. struck him rather an
original plan. ana he strongly suspected,
IeIdy's lament taken into account that 1t
indicated a shortuess Of funds, He was
very sorry tor the mischief his rolling
stone had caused, and this particular part
of 1t seemed the most difficult TO remedy.
- You must let me compensate Us far a.
possible for the trouble l have caused,
YOU. he began; but Miss Jemima 50
quickly y aud decidedly declared the injury
of no consequence that there was nothing
more to be said His honest heart was
still perplexing itself over the problem
when a small specimen of the canine race
presented Itself to view, and Teddy caught
1t ".
" This is my dog lie came to live with
Us withou. nobody askin' him. Aunt Jem
don't like him much cause ne amt a New
touudlander; he's rat terror"
/" Ah is he ?" said Barclay, becoming
suddenly interested. " Such an animal Is
very useful about mill sometimes. where
there are great many rats aud mice. l
wouldn't mind giving five dollars for him
if you were willing to let him 60. Would
you sell him for that p
" Yes Sir" answered Teddy, promptly :;
and and bill was pressed into the little
palm, and the dog transferred to its new
owner.
Miss Jemjma viewed this proceeding
sr doubttuIly'; still, as she was not con-
suited in the matter, and the gentleman
appeared as much interested in the bargain
as Teddy himself, she did not see how to
interfere. The dog might be valuable; she
really did not know Mr.. Barclay seemed
wonderfully we'll satisfied himself, and
held fast TO his purchase as if it were
a rare prize while he discussed with Miss
Jemima the removal of the ponderous or
nament from the front yard.
" You will, at least, let me come and
help put this garden into order" he said.
as he turned away proposition she
could not readily have declined even if he
had given her chance to do so, which he
did not
Now, Aunt Jem, now you can have a
bonnet and not an old smoked one, either,
said Teddy.
And Aunt Jem did have a new bonnet
"a pretty, white chip, with fresh, spring
like green ribbons, that it seemed posi-
tive luxury to her to put on. You would
think respectable bonnet could scarcely |
be purchased for so small sum. Mr.. |
Barclay had entertained some fears on
that subject too, though he had offered as
high as he had dared for the dog but he
was perfectly satisfied when he saw her
come into church the next Sunday, leading
Rob and Teddy. Was she to blame for
enjoying the whole service better because
of those soft, becoming ribbons that
framed her pretty brown hair and quiet
face? No; she did not think about the
bonnet she only felt it; but when she
was at home again slowly untying the
strings before her little mirror, she whis-
pered softly to herself, 3" do believe the
Great Love that blesses all our lives cares
for our happiness even in such little things
as these, else all tlis wouldn't have hap