Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-06-14
The Leisure Hour.
TH.fT C.SEICO B.FG.
BY MRS. II. @. ROWE.

1t was made out of a piece of one of
grandmother Masons old calico gowns,
and that accounts for its being such an odd,
old fashioned pattcrn-stif, and ''set' but
"kind o nice looking" as Mrs. John Ma
son remarked when, in compliance with
little Patsy's demand for "dinner-bag,"
she had fashioned the convenient remnant
into the requisite shape, finishing it Off with
Il faded ribbon that had in its day formed
part of her girlish tinery, and hung it up
on the dimpled arm that no,0-and quick,
low sob broke from the mothers heart,
while her fingers fingered tremulously a.
bout the little, home made satchel, hallow
ed by the touch of her dead child's hands,
and Tor a moment she begrudged the gift
even to that genial, delightfully."- social gen.
tleman sitting at the open window at the
opposite side of the room, whose easy
courtesy and graceful Difference TO herself
and her opinions had fairly won her wo-
mans heart to the belief that, never, since
the days when the "Sons of God" deigned
to make themselves agreeable to the daugh-
ters of men, had there been seen finer,
nober specimen of manhood upon the
mel Absalom, candidate for Governor
of the State of -, "the workingmans
friend" as he had never omitted to men
ton in all his speeches, proving it by ia
miliarly calling upon his constituents
whenever it came in his way, in his''stump-
ing tours" in that easy, unceremonious
fashion that is such n sure road TO the good
graces of the honest, unsuspicious yeo-
manry of our sparsely settled country
towns.
Little Jim was at school, and John and
his man being at work in the "five-acre
lot," had taken their dinner with them,
thus leaving to the busy housewife long,
uninterrupted day for her sewing, fact
upon which she was silently congratulate
| ing herself, when the sound of a horses
| hoof at the gate attracted her attention,
while the deierential bow and smile of the
rider as he halted at the door stone, brought
gratitied flush to her matronly cheek, and
| a little flutter to her heart as she hastily
tucked out of sight her blue drilling apron,
bestowing a congratulatory thought upon
| her clean dress and collar, as she arose to
receive her guest.
Good morning, madam l presume
| that l have the honor of addressing Mrs.
ahem !'-"Nfason," supplemented that un-
suspicious lady, with smile.
"Ah, yes-I am right in my reckoning
then, for had planned to reach my friend
Mason's door at or near noon = then with
an admring glance at the pleased but
| somewhat puzzled face looking out at him
| from its framework of scarlet runners and
| hop vines that clambered over the rustic
| porch: "You have heard your husband
| speak of Colonel AbsalOm, presume?"
"Colonel Absalom =! and the little wo-
mans pink cheeks deepened to a crimson,
while the words of welcome that danced a
tripping measure upon her tongue, were
cut short by the easy familiarity of the dis
| tinguished guest as, having secured his
horse, he walked leisurely into the house
and seated himself composedly in one OF
the splnt bottomed chairs beside the kitch-
en- window.
"How delightfully."- cool and sweet il
seems in here, after a six hours ride in
the heat and dust Of the highway p' he re-
marked with a sigh of satisfaction then,
as if suddenly waking up to some before
unthought of possibility, he added with a
frankness that took his listeners impress
| sionabe heart by storm:-
81 hope Pm not intruding, Mrs. Mason.
| But the truth is, / was warm and tired and
the prospect of an hours rest in such n
sweet, quiet, home nest, was too great n
temptation to be resisted"
MrS Mason tyau on1v too al ,i.i,
the privilege of entertaining so distinguish
ed and at the same time so agreeable a
| guest, and she said so with an honest un-
aiI'ectedness that could not he misinter-
preted, and to which the Colonel most
gratefully responded.
"Oh, no, please y in reply to an invita-
tion to exchange his homely seat for the
hgh-backed, cushioned rocking chair and
more refined atmosphere of the front
| room.
| LET me stay right where am, so that |
can talk without interrupting you. The
truth Is, I'm a social soul, and detest this
being made company of, and shut up by
myself in peoples best rooms, instead of
being allowed to make myself comfortably
at home, in my own free and easy FASH
ion."
OF course there was nothing more to be
said on that point, and as the smiling host
ess tripped lightly from kitchen to pantry,
Hospitality intent upon providing the best
that her house afforded for the delectation
of her guest, that gentleman fully proved
his assumption of sociability TO have been
well founded. Crops, stock, the dairy, the
orchard and the poultry-yard were all laid
under contribution to furnish material for
the flood of pleasant, often complimentary
small talk, with which the gallant Colonel
beguiled the hour of preparation for the
coming meal.