Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-10-18
The Leisure Hour.
SMITHS .s.v.D BYOyv.V'S.

"I'll tell you what it is, wife," said Peter
Smith, and he emphasized the remark by
wise shake of the foreiinger, "things
have got in very bad way. The farm is
mortgaged TO the last cent it is worth, and
owe heap of money besides-more bya
long shot than 1 know how TO pay. What
is to be done?"
"Im sure don't know, Peter" replied
the bothered wife, "but it seems too awful
bad to be turned out of house and home at
our time of life. Now, If our son John
would only marry Jonas Browns daugh-
ter, Sally, it would help US amazingly. The
Browns, you see, are well off, and the con-
nection would be perfect gold mine tous.
OF course they'd give Sally the hundred
acres of land and things that they have al
ways said they would"
"That's good idea, wife," and Peter
frightened up amazingly. "You always
were cute woman, and the notion does
you credit. Bat do you think the young
folks would take to it?'
"I don't know, but it seems TO me that
they have always taken a great notion to
each other ever since they were children
but moro like brother and sister than any
thing else"
"But suppose the Browns should object,
as most likely they would? You know we
amt on good terms, thick as the young
folks have BEEN"
an tell you what, Peter, is just the thing
for us TO do--put up John to elope with
Sally"
agreed will leave it all to you to
manage"
Thus the matter was settled, and the
scheming couple went to bed to dream ofa
speedy release from their financial embar-
rassments.
Condolences are sometimes of the most
serious character-almost surpassing belief
in some instances. About the time of the
above conversation between Mr.. and Mrs.
Smith, their neghbors, Mr.. and Mrs. Jonas
Brown held an important conference.
"Do you remember that note for six hun
dred dollars gave for stock last spring ?",
asked Jonas.
"Yes," replied his wife.
"Well, it's coming due in about one
month, and how under the sun we're going
to pay it, don't know"
mortgage the farm"
"We've done that until il can't Ne mo, T.
gagged any more. I'm clean discouraged,
and there's Sally wanting piano. Where
the money is coming from is moie than /
know. We're on the verge of bankrupt
cy."
az wish Sally would marry John Smith
gracious knows they're together enough
TO take a notion that way"
ayes; but l don't see how that would
help us any"
"You don't, eh2 Well, do. Amt his
folks rich and wouldn't they set him up
handsomely? Then we would stand some
chances of getting help through Sally"
"That's good PLAN" was Jonas's con-
clusion, after profound meditation, "but
the difficulty is that the Smiths are not on
good terms with us, and would be likely to
oppose the match"
"rhen the best plan is to set tho young
folks up to an elopcment."
So it Glanced that the Smiths and Browns
planned to dispose of their children to theil
own pecunary advantage. The next step
in each case was to mould the young ones
w ehO lloItl
John Smith was handsome, brawny,
country fellow, with plenty of good sense
and an ocean of love for Sally Brown.
When his parents proposed his marrying
her, he informed them that he would do so,
but he feared that her parents would OBJ
ject. Then his father slyly suggested an
elopement, and offered to aid him in carry
ing out such an exploit. John said he
| would think about it.
Sally Brown was a rustic maiden with
much redness OF cheeks, and rejoicing in
the possession of a lasting comeliness which
is derived from bright smile, sweet tenn
per, and a pair of clear, earnest eyes, made
none the less expressive by the near neigh
| borhood of saucy little retrorsse nose.
| Her wavy brown hair had not a ripple out
of place, and her plump little fgure was
encased in well fitting dress which was
neatness itself When her parents spoke
to her about John, she blushod blooming
ly, and after close questioning, admitted