Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-09-13

have decided !" answered Huldah
When are you going, Martha Jane ?
Tomorrow morning. Oh, Huldah
| am so glad. i shan't mind it one BIZ
if you are with me. l was dreadfu
scared before. but don't mind now"
81 shall feel great deal easier in my
mind about Martha Jane, myself" said
Aunt Symantha. "She's kind of deli
cate and weak spirited, you know, and
only for fear of her taking it the natur.
al way, ! shouldn't let her go. Well, ]
will get all your things ready so you
can go, and have good lonely walk
this afternoon, if you like. You won't
get another chance in some time, you
know. / guess you'd better write note
to Uncle Jakew
But | am afraid shall get you into
a scrape with him, aunt p'
"Bless you, child, / amt afraid OF
him. just stand right up to him, and
make him believe. But he is dreadful
over6earing and tyrannical, l know, and
| guess you are as well out of the way
till the storm blows over"
This dialogue took place in Aunt Sy-
mantba Wilcox's front kitchen in May,
1894. Huldah Adams was an orphan
girl the niece of Uncle Jacob Beman's
first wife. Uncle Jacob and Aunt Pru-
dence had brought her up from the time
that she was five years old, and for that
reason Uncle Jake believed that he had
the right to provide husband for her.
The husband he provided was his own
son-in-law, a widower of some two years
standing, master and owner of fine
coasting vessel, and well to do in the
world. John Pike had always admired
Huldah, and when he had little recoy-
cred from the loss of his first wife, and
began to look about for second, his
eyes naturally fell upon her. Nothing
could have better pleased Uncle Jake
and Aunt Prudy. They liked John, and
they were fond of Huldah. John would
make his voyages as usual, coming home
every now and then, and Huldah would
go on living with them, and taking care
of the butter and spinning, as she had
done since she was fifteen years old. 1t
was very pretty plan. There was only
one trouble about it. Huldah could not
endure John Pike. Moreover, she did
like DR.. Marcy, grave man of some
thirty odd, also widower, with two nice
little girls, and was pretty sure that Dr.
Marcy liked her. But Uncle Jake
would not hear word against his own
plans, and told every body, even before
Huldah's face, and despite her contra
dictions, that Huldah wac engaged to
be married to John Pike. He assured
John himself that Huldah did, would,
could, and should love him; and John,
who knew more about ships than girls,
believed his father-in-law, and thought
avoidance of him, her deter
mined silence, or short replies were only
a girls bashfulness,
AT the time of our story, incubation
for small pox was in general use, both in
Eng land and America. Doctor Jenner's
great discovery had only just begun to
be talked about, laughed at, and de-
nounced as a dangerous and impious ex-
pertinent. Small pox by incubation was
comparatively harmless disease, sell.
dom causing much suffering or disfgure-
ment. 1t was not uncommon for the
young girls of a town or village to make
up party to have the small pox to-
gether. A suitable house and careful
we're provided, and great
pains were taken to keep the young peo-
pie comfortable, and in good spirits, the
latter being very important. 1t was to
this end that the gentlemen of Eastfeld
had made the promise of a silk dress to
each girl who should dance a reel every
day during her stay at the hospital.
Even with new dress in prospect, how
ever, the ordeal was not an agreea-
BILE one, and it certainly showed that
Huldah was in earnest about not marry
ing John Pike, when she was willing to
have the small pox to get rid of him.
She knew that Captain Pike would only
stay at home for a fortnight, and that he
would not be at home again for six
and there was room for a good
many things to happen in six months.
The next day, the two girls with their
took up their abode in the
as it was called, with old
Aunty Sharpe and her daughter, reput-
ID the best nurses in all the country.
The next day at evening, Captain John
Pike drove to Aunt Symantha's door, in
Uncle Jacobs one-horse wagon, to take
Huldah home.
"Oh, she isn't here y said Aunt Sy-
nantha. "You see, my Martha Jane,
md several other of her friends, have
made up their minds to be inocalated,
md Huldah thought she'd join them.
rhev went Yesterday uornino HnIJab