Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-09-12

within half an inch oil my cheek. l give
such scream that 1t brought on Aunt So
phys palpitaton, and old lady Pettgrew
thought there was fire; and / jcrkcd my
self out of his reach and run for closet,
and he after me.
"All roads lead to Rome," said he, trying
ter pull open the cupboard door. "I'm
bound to git there before go home"
"If you come into this closet" said I,
"Ill shoot you, upon honor" showing him
Jacks pistol through the crack. You see
Jack had bin out shooting at mark that
afternoon, and he'd brought it in and left it
on the cupboard shelf, and when 1 asked
him if twas loaded he said, az told Com
stock ter ire off the last charge, "cause il
was getting too dark ter see the mark"
And so when Ferris, spite of all l could
do, wrenched open the cupboard door, and
found myself at his mercy, jest pinted
the pistol at him and pulled the trigger.
Thinks 1, "I'll give him little start for
his pains" And bless us so did. There
was noise like ten thousand earthquakes,
seemed to me, a little spurt of fame, and
thimbleful of smoke, and Elisha Ferris
dropped like log. Comstock hedn't fired
off the last charge-but L he'd
The girls all screamed like so many cat
amounts, and ! thought I'd killed him for
sarlin | leaned against the cupboard shelf
minute ter get myself in hand but
seemed to be growing all numb like, and
the voices sounded as if they come through
l. t,.I. 4
TO be moving behind fog and then did
MT sense nothing more till most of 'em had
gone home, and the doctor w'as looking af-
ter the wound and heard Aunt Sophy
saying, "Twas dreful careless i'm you.
Jack, ter leave firearms handy" !" and
Jack. says he, "Its drefrul foolish fur wo-
men folks to handle 'em. Hannah Liz has
done putty days work" And then
Elisha Ferris up and takes my part, as
poorly as he was feeling. "She'd no thought
of hurting of me-" says he "and ii served
me right for pestering the poor child"
| And got on my feet at that, and went in
ter the room; and says /, "Dr. Motherwort,
If you'll be so good as ter hire me fur nurse,
| won't ask no wages. You see I've made
| him."
"Pm most cured already" said Elisha
opening his eyes at the sound of my voice,
and smiling jest little.
"Jest So" said the doctor "only keep
him quiet"
Well, DR.. Motherwort said it wouldn't dc
ter move him, and Jack and we nursed
| N. I,n holl hal
clean through his right shoulder, and il
took time; and while Jack was at his work
he'd Elisha on my hands, and cook eC
| his meals-no great shakes at fust-anC
fixed his pliers twenty times a cay, anC
bathed his head, and brought him the news
and read the Arabian Nights ter him anC
the Weekly Tact, and treated him as ten.
derby as / would hev treated Jack if it heG
been him. And when he was on the mend
ing hand played backgammon with him
and wrote his letters to his folks-he he'd
MT nobody but merried sster-and laugh
ed at the stories Of his school days till tht
tears run down my cheeks.
"lle's growed quite pale and interest
- lng." said Ann Jenkins, catching sight o
him through the open door, while she wa
making me call, 'but he amt no hand
somer than ever;" and you see, it jest tool
me all by surprise, but l felt the BLOOD
tingling in my face, and my temper git
| ting up; and lays /, "Handsome is a!
handsome does" smart as you please, be
fore | remembered that I'd used ter agre,
! with Ann on that subject.
ghty-tighty," says she, every ey
makes it's own beauty! If you're satisfied
l shan't cry. But 1 thought you didn
fancy skim milk-lookn ing menw
But, upon honor, l couldn't hev tolC
when his looks iust begun ter please me
whether ii was when he pitied me fur hurt
ing Of him instead of plying himself fu
being hurt; or whether it came about whei
/ blamed myself and he comiortcd me o
when he spoke of his mother, and the tear
filled his eyes or whether it was when b.
got talking earnest like, and his eyes grew
sort o. blue black, and as if they'd strik
sparks, and his smile was like sunshine OF
rain-drops; but there was the truth, how
ever / come by it, that l shouldn't never
hev knowed him for the same man me
nine months before with Ann jenkins.
Well, when he got able ter be abou
house, before he could go out, he used t.
help me at the churning, and he did sigh
of tinkering about the house fur my sake
he made me reel fur my yarn, and a ney
bobbin and shuttle for my loom.
"Lorw said Aunt Sophy one day Will
he was cardng the rolls for me, and wa
spinring 'em, show handy you are abou
house Elisha. l don't see how Hanna
Elizabeth's going ter git along without yol
when you go home."
"She hasn't no need to git along wthou
me" said Elisha, speaking low, and look
ing hard at me, "unless she's tired of tn
sight of me. At least" said he, after
pause, when Aunt Sophy had lost herself i
her chair, ~ can't go home without payin
my forfeit, you know"
"You've paid dear enough for it," l sale
"already."
"Aud so, of course, you won't hey th
heart ter refuse il. | said l wouldn't g
home till I'd paid it and / won't unless yo
will go with me-"
And so l thought it best ter so.-Ha,
per's Bdzdr.