Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-09-12
The Leisure Hour.
PL.sI.x.vG FORFEITS.

The first time ever see Elisha Ferris |
thought lie was jest the ugliest man I'd ev-
er laid eyes on. Ann jenkins, who was
along with me when we met him, says she,
"Lor, Hannah Elizabeth, I s'pose that's
the young fellow Phoebe Smelling 's.engag-
ed terr' PhGbe had bin away ter Bosting
TO visit her aunt, and he'd landed a big
catch, as everybody in Guilford thought.
Goodness Ann" says /, "men must
be skurse if Phoebe Snelling's going ter
marry that one! Why, he's as homely as
a hedge fence. 1 wonder he ain't afeard of
his own shadderr'
"Well, if girls will merry" said Ann,
''they must take sch husbands as are GO
tion binding, for she merried a widderer
with ten children that same year.
"Lor," said TT wouldn't merry that
man if there want another on earth ~
Don't deny before you're asked" said
she. And then we turned our heads ter
make sure he went iuter the Snelling's, and,
10, and behold he was jest pulling the
knocker at Deacon Thurlow's and a-look-
ing after us. | felt cheap enough to be
Caught Stai ihS bitOi a. yOuuS itllON,
and he no beauty either.
"Hes got good figger of his own,' said
Ann, in whose eyes young man allus he'd
some redeeming traits.
"IIe looks like skim milk" said l. 81
should think he might be the ghost of
somebody else. I'm surprised at Phoebe
Smelling, with all her advantages And
jest then we come upon Deacon Thurlow
| himself a-tu' ming the corner.
"Mercy, deacon, how you made me
| jump" said Ann. "I hedn't no thought of
meeting anybody"
81 s'pose you was that immersed in gos-
| sip you didn't hear me a-coming," says he.
"Oh no." says Ann, who never spared
anybody; 1--WE don't believe inimmorsion!
No, we was only speaking of Phoebe
| Snellings young man, who jest went inter
| your house."
"Inter my bouse! Phoebe Snelling's
young man ! There's some mistake new
er see him. guess you've took Elisha Fer
ris-him that's bought the Blount Farm
for rother. Ha ha! Maybe it was your
young man, or Hannah Elizabeth's-least-
ways ii want Phebe's."
"IIeaven forbdv' cried l, "unless
should chance ter lose my eye-sight fust"
"Ha, hap laughed the deacon, "Elsha
amt got no beauty terspare, but he makes
it up in faculty."
1t want long after this when the deacon,
what did he do but bring Mr. Ferris in ter
talk with our Jack about the crops and
stock.
| unnf1 hn nj 10, In,
aeln," said the deacon, slyly ter me. "'A
thing of beauty is a joy forever the poet
tells us and he picked you out in meetin'
among all the girls, and asked who you
was"
hated him worse than ever after that ;
and when he got through a-talking with
jack and come and set down on the setteo
where was busy patching Jacks overalls
! wished ter goodness one Of us he'd the
coat Of invisbility I'd read about in the
fairy books; and 1 would make no sort o
conversation with him. but jest said Eyes
aud "no." And when he asked If took
any interest in farming, / told him there
want nothing more hateful ter me; and
81 s'pose you're familiar with my place,
says he.
"Oh yes" says |. "You must feel the
wind from the four corners of the earth
the situations so exposed. The Blount'
was allus complaining of innuenzie, and
a-snoezing and shivering over the fires"
And then he laughed good naturedy
, and said, "You seem Ter forget that Sum
mer pays us call once year, and pays US
up Tor all old Winters tricks :" and he wen
on ter tell how much pleasure he expected
I in watching the Spring open, and the leaves
unfolding, and the faint breath of bloom
0 deepening day by day, till we find tn,