Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-07-11
The Leisure Hour.
.N.sRG.fRET HB.u.uIJvG.


There was half holiday at Howes Flat,
and the people were gathered at the ex-
press and post offices, to await the arrival
of the semi-weekly mule-train with the ex-
press and mail matter, and customary
freight of passengers.
The occasion OF the holiday and concourse
was the expected return of John Hem
ming, who had gone to the "Bay," to meet
his wife and child upon their arrival from
the Estates"
John was held in great consideration at
Howe's Flat, not only because he was the
chief owner in sundry very important
mines, but for the reason, as the miners
expressed it, "He came as near being
White man as any they make"
A cloud of dust announced the coming
of the train. In the advance rode the con-
ductor. accompanied by bright-eyed lad
of some eight years who saluted the peo-
pie with "Good evening, gentlemen, am
Johnny Hemming; please help me down."
Johnny was helped to dismount, was pass
ed from hand TO hand, surveyed and COM
mented upon with the freedom which dis
tiuguishes the miners of California. John
ny took no offense at these liberties, but,
with natural boyish impudence, strength
ened by his journeys experiences, bore up
under criticism, and, in return, opened
battery of questions relative 10 all he saw
peculiar in the manner and dress of the
people before him.
b While Johnny was fast making fyends
by his prnttle, his audience was called away
by loud shout from the street, and the
exclamation, "John Hemming in billed
shirt and a plug hat, or I'll be d-dr 10
which there was chorus of voices, with a
falling infection, "Well, 1 swear"
Hemming and wife, who had fingered in
the rear of the train, to keep out Of the
dust, now rode up--she, to be introduced
to, he TO encounter the greetings of, his nu-
merous friends.
John having ordered free bar for the
night-the usual method of celebrating
memorable occasions in the mines-took
| his wife and child to the cottage he had fit
ted up for their reception, where during
| the evening, they were waited upon by
| such of the people as had not been so fort
unate as to be on the street at the moment
| of arrival.
| Some of the callers were refined, culti-
vated people, accustomed to good society
| in other lands while many of them, awk-
ward and boorsb, entered without knock
| ing, addressed Hemming's wife as "Mis' u
Hemming, stared her out of countenance
| asked how she liked California, and took
their leave with a swagger, and an abrupt
"Waal, so-longr'
The comments of the people upon Mrs
Hemming were altogether favorable; moi
so hers upon them. "Barbarians was
| her sententious remark.
Margaret Hemming was an intellectual
woman-not that she was entirely wanting
in womanly sympathy, or in spiritual ma
ture, but these lay within her uncultivated
her intellect alone was developed. Mar
ried and left by herself while yet scarcely
more than child in years, she had calmly
surveyed the situation. She hoped Johr
would return from California with for
tune, and she determined TO qualify hersel
for the position which wealth gives In ev
cry community.
She thought, also, of the possibility o
the failure of success, and of his deatl
even, and said to herself, "Then, for th
sake of the unknown future, and that
may make the most of life, will achieve
what 1 may; acquisitions never come
amiss."
Her own earnings as teacher, and, aite
a time, Johns remiltances, had given he
sufficient means to prosecute her studies
and TO preserve her standing in good socie
ty in New England town, where the dem
ocratic tendencies of the people are such
that the fact of PERSONS being engaged II
labors producing direct money return
does not bar him or her from the compan.
of their natural associates.
Undertaking literary pursuits as a mean
10 an end, Margaret came to love them 70
their own sake-came TO judge men an'
women from purely intellectual stand
point. Had they knowledge, power O
thought, wit, tact, and taste? Wanting thes
they could be nothing 10 her.
She could see clearly the seven prismai
lc colors in the rainbow, and appreciate tn
rare beauty with which they shaded on
into the other, could listen deligh ed, to tn
music of the rolling thunder, deeming
an explosion of force, the laws of whic
she fully understood, but she had no syn
pathy with, and nothing but contempt rc
those who see more than Is to be seen
the arch of promise, hear more than Is
be heard in the thunder's reverberation
"Dreamsrs, ALL" said she.
Impelled by logical charity, she coul
relieve suffering; with due regard to Il
welfare of society, could labor for the refo
nation OF criminals; but of divine 10,
for those that suffer, divine compassiC
, for those that sin, she had no conception.
{ Under other influences John had obtai
cd his development. Neither books nj
cultivated people Informed his mind or pc
ished his mannersj but he bad seen Il