Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-12-12
Mr.. MAYNARD'S HIRED MAN.
"Dickery, dickery dock;
The mouse ran up the clock;
The clock struck one,
And down he run,

dare you
Fanny laid the pink bundle down OF
the rocking chair full Of pillows. The
bundle protested with vigorous move
ment, and in another moment the rock
ing chair and the baby came down to
gether.
"Now, you awful man, the child il
killed. cried Fanny, with a scared
face, as she lifted the tiny morsal from
the floor; but the pillows had protect
ed it, and the startled baby, after one
effort at curling her lips broke into q
charming smile.
"No harm done, and | trust | an
forgiven" said Mathew Dom.
"No, you are not forgiven. shall
never forgive you, Mr.. Mather Dom
so please leave baby and me. | have
nothing to say"
"WelI, I'm going"
"You can 90, sir"
The young man went softly, slowly,
out but he looked neither grieved nol
angry; on the other side Of the door
he smiled
The circumstance were these:
Fanny had been amusing her sisters
child and the little cherub seemed nev-
er to tire Of musical sounds; so Fanny
who had "Mother Goose" by heart,
liked nothing better than to sit in the
cosy sitting-room, which was really
the nursery, and sing those old, old
melodies.
Mathew DOM was the hired man,
and on this particular morning had stol-
en- in quietly behind Miss Fanny, and,
tempted of-what? surely not the evil
one--had bent over and kissed her on
the forehead.
And this he had dared to do, know
ing that Fanny was a city young lady,
living in fashionable quarter and used
to the best society.
Fanny's sister had married a rich
farmer not quite two years before. Peo-
pie talked about these BrySons burying
themselves alive; but both Olive and
Fanny loved the country better than
the town. Every summer Fanny was
glad to leave the "stuffy old house" as
she called it, and almost by one leap
on the express train find herself in par
adise, breathing air redolent Of white
clover and sweet briar. During the
winter the sisters corresponded regula
ly; and Olive had sung the praises Of
Mathew DOM, their hired man, so
often, that Fanny found herself think
ing of his acquaintance as one Of the
probabilities of her next visit.
1--WE don't pretend to treat him as
help" wrote Olive, holding her baby
on one knee and steadying the paper
with a bronze weight; ''tor he is not
in the least like the men who is hired
out in these parts. Ishould be asham-
ed not to ask him to come to the table ;
and just for the novelty Of it | want
you to peep into his room. Harry
calls him his rara avis; and the two
really enjoy themselves together like
brothers. Besides, he snearlyas hand
some as my Harry. He. you know, is
the handsomest man in the world"
And the pleasant pen ran on and
told about the planting, the prospective
sweet corn, and pea blossoms, and how
the grape vines were full of tiniest
lunches, and the young peach trees
were going to do splendidly; and Ad-
ella had two milk-white teeth, and |
don't know how much more loving
nonsense.
Now Fanny had a rich lover, and,
like most rich lovers, he was not pre-
possessing in his personal appearance.
In her own written language to Olive,
che pestered her to DEATH To be
sure it was pleasant to see his splendid
equipage in front of their door with
two superb grays, for on certain occa-
sions Fanny yielded to his solicitations
to take ride; and he always contriv-
ed to take her by his castle of brown
stone front, perhaps to tempt her; forI
Fanny was fond Of beautiful things as
women ought to be, and was well aware
of the advantage which money can
give.
Both father and mother were anx-
ious that she should marry the Hon.
Ebenezer Wolcott, but Fanny was high
spirited, and they seldom advised her.
The girl knew that they were living
beyond their means for her sake, and
this knowledge had been bitterly earn
ed. She and Olive had many confer
ences over it.
81 think if you were married. said
Olive, "papa would come here and take
a small house; then business need not
press him so in his old age"
Ebenezer had done the proper thing
had offered Fanny his heart, his house,
his carriage and his horses; and al
though he was known for pugnacious
old gentleman, terribly set in his way,
he was honorable, and he loved Fanny
Bryson with all his heart. And Fanny
told him that she could not decide
that she was going for the summer
months to her sister Olives and at the
close of her visit she would give him
his answer.
"And may l come out there some.
times ?" asked Eben.
Fanny gave a reluctant consent, and
wished with all her heart that she had
refused him. So, with the understand
ing that he would call as a friend, the
two parted