Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-07-21
Tie Leisure Hour.
WHOM HA Iy'HE.rS' THRILLS. or
CHOOSI.vG - DR.fCO.v.

"Thc old Hawkins estate" was about as
bare rocky and unpromising farm as you
could find in all New England. 4 West
ern man wouldn't have taken single
chance there against starvation, and vet
the Hawkiis's had held it for many gener-
ations. There was n tradition that "the old
man of all had been put on that place and
compelled to earn living" Whatever
may have been the truth of that, it was GER
tain his descendants had always shown
great attachment to the old homestead, and
would answer any dsparagng remarks
concerning the land by quoting "Granther
Hawkins who used to say, "Therc's a
master lot of rock, which gives the farm a
dreadful uneven look, hut there's spots
where the silc is as good as can be found
in this ere section.
The present owner and occupants were
the Widow Hawkins and her two SONS
Ephraim, man of nearly forty years. and
Solomon, who was "just turned twenty"
And these 1.-TWO boys were the source of
of all the poor womau's trials.
Not that they were bad or even ill-dis-
posed, but simply "trying.'
The husband and father had died when
Solomon was a babe in. arms. and 1.-The
boys had been brought up without any
head" as the widow had expressed it.
Ephraim inherited the family name and
most of the honors which had fallen sue
cessiully to their share. Such as being
"Sclt ctman" and a member of the "School
Committee But his father, grandfather,
and great grand- father had been deacons,
and as yet he had not been "choseu," al
though several vacancies had occurred
since his years and experience had render
ed him eligible to that Office
1t was a great trial to the widow; for
with n mothers Partially, she deemed it
fitting that the fathers mantle should fall
upon the son, who was every way worthy
TO follow in the footsteps of his sire And
another thing troubled the widow. Eph-
rain had never shown any matrimonial
inclination, although his duty had been
faithfully held before him cline upon line
precept upon procopt," but with the strange
peryersity common to human nature, land
/ should like to add for the sake of truth,
that it reaches its highest development in
the masculine persuasion), he seemed deaf
to her fond entreatics and blind to his own
interests.
Wise and deep were the arguments used
by the widow, but Ephraim would coolly
put on his hat and make his exit in the
middle Of her longest sentence. Many and
curious We're the traps she set for her son,
but he never for a moment became en-
entangled in any of them.
Did she invite some of the farmers
daughters "to pass the afternoon and stay
to tea,' Ephraim was sure to he absent
when supper time came and Solomon
would have the girls TO entertain and "see
hOme.' And Solomon, Instead of blam-
ing his brother and sympathizine with the
poor mother in cher trials, seemed to con
slider it good fun, and would persist in re-
hearSiug what the girls said about Eph-
rains running away from them. And
many evenings when he should have been
at home with his books, or in meeting with
his mother. he would Inc Off idling away
his time in some farmers kitchen, in dan
gerous proximity to rosy checks and flash
ing eyes, or away on he ice where some
III.
knowing inStinctively that the more help
less aud dependent she seemed, the great
er would be the care aud attention given
her.
No wonder poor Mrs. Hawkins used to
sigh and say, "If ever Ephraim does get a
wife and solomon don't get more than one.
I shall be thankful
She had borne with commendable spirit
and silence the remarks which were made
in her hearing; but there is limit to hu-
man patience, and it Is "a fact that women
can say most cutting and irritating things
TO each other under the garb of sympathy
and coincidence.
1t was the the sewing society, the first
which had "met" since Deacon Ellsbee had
been gathered To- his fathers.
Mrs. Smith. with an elongated face, and
voice toned down to the proper key said /:
IL felt So bad for you sister Hawkins,
when heard that they were going to pass
your Ephraim by again, and take man
so much younger and with such short ex-
perencc. II seems kinder Ike put upon
you both and slight upon your husband
that's now dead and gone, il really does. "
And she made a desperate effort to suhdue
the rising triumph In her voice.
"Whu have they picked out p asked tho
widow, aud she 'looked ready to sink
for she had thought surely they viii take
Ephraim now.
at is not settled yet, hut they are takin'
about Car'line's husband, s'pose on ac-
count of his family and our'n," and then
she added, AFTER moments pause, 81 wish
things had been little different with Eph-
raim."
Mrs. Hawkins tried to brace herself to