Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-04-26

as she came out from the bedroom, and
stopped to brush fly from under the mus
quito net over the baby, ii would have
made your back ache TO look at her. But
the cheery heart in the weary body assert
ed itself, and she smiled with the thought
of all she would do before the Deacon came
back.
"I must slick my hair over little, so IT
any one should come I wouldn't spoil the
Deacon's reputation," she said TO herself,
going up to the little glass that hung be-
tween the kitchen windows.
Just then a gem of a sunbeam flashed in
at the window, and seemed to tange itself
all up in the wavy brown hair.
ooh, how pretty" she said, with blush
and laugh like a child's. "Guess if some
body'd been at home I'd had kiss, then y
and off she flew to her work.
How like magic the white curtains went
up and the cobwebs came down; how the
best room looking-glass shono after hex
polishing, and the old daguerrootyps Of
samuel in his best days. never sbone
through so clean a surface as 1t did on that
day. So the time flew, bringing the Doa-
cons return nearer.
One morning she wakened early, entire
| ly free from wretched headache she had
the day before. Snow for the washing"
she said to herself. 81 want to have it all
done, the kitchen cleaned up and my dress
changed before Samuel comes at noon"
Quietly dressing so as not to awaken the
children, she slipped out into the kitchen,
built a fire, and commenced operations.
How she did work every step told of
something done, and at half past ten, spite
of all her hindrances from baby, who was
cross, she was hanging out the clothes so
snowy white they dazzed her eyes as the
sun shone on them. One end of the clothes
| line ran nearly out to the front fence
through the side yard, and the whitest,
incest clothes were hung there of course.
GLOW many people are passing" she
thought to herself "and how they all stare
at me; guess it must be the clothes though
| instead of me-" and she tenderly pinned
| the rear of one of the Deacons shirts TO the
| line. clark who was that at the front
gate P" Before she had time 10 turn around
the Deacons energetic strides had brought
him close to her; but what was the mat
ter!
-Pendleton-Flint! he ex-
claimed "what in the world are you do
ing? Come straight into the houseW
With a look that defies description, the
little body Strengthened itself up as high as
it would go, as she said, "Not till you speak
| to me different from that, Samuel and tell
me Why" her lips quivering.
Don't you see the people all going
to meeting, and you hanging out shirts?
It's Sunday morning"
Such laugh as rang out then on the
| Sunday air, I'm sure the good people of c.
never heard before. 80, Samuel she said
holding her sides, "Its 50 funny no Won
der the folks stared at me and my clothes.
| oh, oh, oh - and she sank down on the
| grass in convusion of laughter.
The poor Deacon was scandalizcd! "Mar-
tina ~ he said, in such sadly anxious tone
she only laughed the more, and it was not
till she looked up in bis face that she real
lied how he was touched; then she stood
up, sobery, and walked into the house with
him.
The door closed behind them, she went
up to him with little caress, and said:
"Samuel, kiss me and forgive me, and I'll
go to work and ravel it all out. l truly
willw and she laughed again with the
thought of what she had been guilty of, till
the Deacon kissed her, and laughed too, in
spite of himself. Then he walked to the
window and looked out.
you're not going to let them clothes
hang out there all day, are you, Martha
Flint?"
"Of course l am; you don't suppose,
now I've got them out, Gods going to be-
grudge me the sunshine to dry them with,
because it's Sunday, do you? Why it
would be wicked to bring them in before
sundown. But see here, Mr.. Deacon, it's
about time called you to account think.
How came you to be travelling to-day?
| Guess there's little Sunday breaking on
both sides, isn't there?"
The Deacon turned slowly around, and
sat down. Then perching herself on his
knee, she took his honest brown face in her
hands, and said: "Be good boy now, and
tell all the truth remember George Wash
ington, dear"
The Deacon smiled, just trace o! trouble
in his smile, and taking the hands that held
woman, l had everything finished up last
night ready to start for home on the five
o'clock train. Somehow, must have been
uncommon tired, or else it was the heat,
leastways, dropped TO sleep in the depot
and missed the train. Then l thought I'd
take the nine o'clock train and get home at
midnight, SOS you wouldn't be so lone
so me Sunday, but we broke down, and just
got here half hour ago. Then to think,
aft er walking through town, from the cars,
and folks a looking at me on their way to
| church i"
"To think, Samuel" she broke in, "after
that dreadful trial, you should walk into
your front gate and find your wife hanging
out clothes in your front yard, and you Il
Deacon of good standing in the church I!
Dear dearl what do you think the Lord
will do to me for thinking 1t was washing
day / don't think" she added, she'll be
very hard with me, because yesterday was
my Sunday, though had such a sick head
ache, it seems / didn't know much about
tho day. I'll tell you what, Samuel, I'll
stay at home with the babies tonight and
you can go to meeting, and then piece out
your Sunday tomorrow, won't that ?"
But the Deacon couldt get over it ; his
heart was heavy and while his wife was
busy in the kitchen he put on his hat and
with his hands clasped reverently behind
him (his Sunday way) slowly and solemn
ly he walked out to the clothes line.
Most of the clothes We're dry, for the sun
was very hot, and one by one he dropped
the snowy things into the basket, uncon-