Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-06-18

VI VIC iut0iluitlout leftry StTVdueS W0io
great plaques, housekeeping a dread
tu trouble. Disturbed beyond measure
at relteratlOn Of these lamentations, decld-
ed to 60 and see for myself how they were
circumstanced, andbe of what assistance l
might for short time. So one winter |
morning, leaving Fanny with an intimate
friend, aud lntrustlng my house with all 1t
contained to the care Of one servant, l left
home alone. Arriving after dark at my
destination, found the two young servants
enjoying very comfortable meal in the
kitchen, and the baby asleep alone in
chilly nursery. My son and his wife were
out spending the evening with some friends.
Their surprise and pleasure at seeing me
upon their return home appeared great
Upon conversing with Maria the next day,
l found her to be very ignorant as regards
baby's requirements. He does cry so
dreadfully." she said. | stayed there a
whole month ; perhaps it was too long, but
there always seemed to be something for
me to do. | took charge of the little
creature whenever his mother wanted to
spend an evening 10 company. which
was not seldom. Many and many lone
ly hour did [ spend in that dlmly.llghted
room, listening to that low breathing
rather than trust him to the awkwardness
of the young girl who professed to fulfil
the duties of child's nurse. l did
great deal of sewing for Maria, Of whom
| became fonder than | had ever expected
to be.
James had relapse of his intermittent
fever. His vile knew nothing about sick
ness nursed him-I who had never
known fatigue when he had needed any
thing in former years, would surely not
fail him now. [ sat up with him night
after night, and showed the cook how to
prepare nice little dishes for him, such as
1 knew be hked-that is to say, prepared
them while the cook looked on. Whatever
was wanted now, up stairs or down, was
the one to plan or to do. At last began
to think ought to return to Fanny; and
seeing ames fairly convalescent, L sought
the train for my journey homewards. Sit
ting in a railroad car, party OF young
people took places in front OF LIE, laugh
ing and talking with eager animation, prln
cipally about persons l knew nothing Of
except by name. Presently one OF then
began to talk about my sons wife.
0 9 | used to see great deal of them al
one time" she said " but"
But what ?" asked another.
"O well, they had a mother-in-law rag
ing around lately, so [ have kept away.
so have l.
} Here followed laugh of derision.
"a motner-in-law ?n exclaimed another
that is hard l do pity them, indeed"
' i" Bat | hear she is off now"
"Glad to hear it. Have you heard tn,
i, new opera p
was the mother-n-law on whose &C
! count friends kept away. | remembered
the weary nights in that sick room; tn
weary days, when, suffering from the los
of sleep struggled to keep my eyes open
that | might attend to various little house
: hold duties Which of all this was tn
e raging round which excited the risibl
muscles OF those lively young people.
thought of Fanny, her good looks, her il
I telligence, her sffectonate nature, an
u found myself wondering what her tutur
was to be- But here we are. There sh
was waiting to meet me, dear child bu
c there was some Que with her, most insig
: nticant looking individual, with very prom
5 inent eyes and large whlskers. Why dI
: my heart sink with melancholy forebod
ing ?
&c How glad she was to see me again. Sh
, introduced her companion to me as Nj
,I nh | oil yIaf
d to be alone with her. Mr.. jenkins, with
great flourish of polteness, walked all tn
way home with Us. Before | could unit
u the strings of my bonnet he told me tha
e Fanny had promised to marry him!
l. was thuudcrstruck, having in the annoy
r. ance OF his presence forgotten my foreboc
1t ings of halt an hour before. L had rea
: with much attention, in various highl
J lauded books, of the great and imperativ
v duty of bringing up girl to be helpme'
y for noble man-this dapper little man
ken He seemed amiable, but SO utterl
q insignificant. He had uninteresting p;
IS rents, and weak plain sisters, all of who
Is made perpetual amusement of the engag
s. ment. My parlor was given up to the
|
y seemed always " de trop' when | entere
.e Judging by the sudden silence which 70
lowed the animated talk, My coming W;
ID an interruption. began to sit up stair
i, [ always walked alone.
O. Having avoided all society and all &
II quaiDtanceship when my children we
d. young, that might devote my whole tin
1t to them, | found myself now friendless al
IN desolate. Friends, like plants, must b
OF cultivated. [ found no congeniality
Is either of the two families with which N
to children were connecting themselves.
u A ftcr two years they were married; ar
J. after year of boarding aspired to tt
II dignity of keeping house. After lookir
at many dwellings one was selected, Oh
- which required great many REPAIRS al
~ y, now my services were in very great r
VI " quest attended to all the directions M
I'd jenkins wished given to the workmen ;
~ stayed in the cold empty rooms all da
no when there was nothing to sit on but
~ empty candle box. did the necessa
CT quarreling with tae plumbers, and bo
0u the snubbing Of the uphosterers and
au 40 put the furniture in the iplaces | thoug
le m best, by degrees changing it all to suit
sc tastes. washed all the china and 6 as;
III and sometimes fancied, when | got dir
doing all this, that l was happy. l hi
" so long been accustomed to work for tho
az [ loved that it was hard to learn tn
nc nc there might be any reproach connect
es with it. [ must do Fanny the justice
az az say that she was very kind and grateful
H. me.
, le On the last day, after having some &C
au tea out Of a pitcher on the corner of
" mantel-piece, [ overheard Mr.. Jenkir
81 > who had brought a friend in to admire