Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-04-26
The Leisure Hour.
NOU' THE DE.ECO.VrS WIFE ~
TRODUCRD TIKI DE.1CO.r.
nY NEIL MACGREGOR.

Deacon Flint had decided to move; had
decided TO move to c.. had decided to com
mence moving at precisely five o'clock,
Monday morning, July 18th and so on
that identical Monday morning you might,
had you been an carly riser, have seen the
Deacon divested of his coat and his Sunday
dignity, shaking the best room clrpet in
the back yard.
There is no need of saying what he did
next, or what Mrs. Flint was doing.
They went through the tearing up pro-
cess, very much as other people do and not
being endowed with an over-abundance of
this worlds goods, the last load of furn-
ture consisting of the Deacon's wife and
baby, the twins and the best room looking
glass, was on its way to the depot at five
o'clock p. NJ.
"Blossed be nothing" said the tired lit
tie woman, as the Deacon helped her out of
the wagon. "If we had been Squire Ran
SONS folks, Samuel, we wouldn't have
been more than a quarter through now,
would we? My! how my poor bones
would have ached though this time to-mor-
row night. Pm glad the Lord knows what's
from the Deacon, looking around for the
twins.
1t was but a few hours ride TO c., and
Just in the coolest dusk of July twilight
they walked up the street TO their new
home, very tired and thankful; thankful
they were not esquire Ransom's folks"
but Just themselves, if they did have to
work late that night putting up the kitch-
en- stove and unpacking dishes and bed
ding.
Tuesday was a day Of many troubles.
The babies were tired and fretful; day
light revealed coating of dirt on doors
and windows, the depth of which they
knew not before; and the heat was intense.
But the Deacon, possessing untiring en-
ergy, and his little wife the sunniest OF
tempers, they succeeded so well that, by
Thursday night, as he came into the kitch-
en- with an armful of wood, where his wife
was washing dishes, she commenced sing
ing:
''The Deacon thinks his work is most done,
But feel as If mine had just begun"
"Did you hear that, Samnel9" she said,
laughing, and turning around TO look at
| him.
II was prayer-meeting night, and the
Deacon went to prayer-meeting for the lrst
time in c., took an active part, and after
meeting waited to shake hands with the
minister, and some of the brothers, an
swer inquiries, and present their letters.
He had the satisfaction of feeling on his
way home that he had madea good impress
sion; II pleased him II would have pleased
us and he told his little wife that night,
in his grave way, that he chopped, coming
as he did, in the midst of a strange people,
there might never be any occasion for re-
mark against him while he remained a.
mong them"
"Fm sure hope not Samuel" she said,
looking innocently up in his face, and ad-
ding as she nestled her little head on his
shoulder, 81 don't feel very much alarmed
about it,"
The next day, Friday, the Deacon went
back to his old home, having some business
settlements to make there.
"Cant tell certain when l shall be back
probably not til Monday noon guess
there's wood enough split to last till then.
Goodbye" he said, and was gone.
The wee woman went singing back to hel
half washed dinner dishes, and with one
foot on the cradle rocker, she secured the
knives, while she told the story OF "Jack
and Jill'' to the twins.
When the last kottle was washed, the
kitchen stove and table brushed and scour'
ed TO the usual shade of black and white
the baby asleep in her little nest of a era.
die, "bless herr' she washed the pretty