Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-10-08
Grandmamma's Story.

Phil, and he pumped down on hassock,
hugging his two knees aud resting his chin
upon them.
Z" | was young woman then" began
graudmamma. She did not seem a very
old one to us now, dear heart, with the
silver sheen Of her hair, and the sweet-pea
bloom Of her cheeks. She could play cro-
quet and climb hills with the best Of us;
and the only bad thing about her visits was
the end Of them. But" as grandmamma
herself said, everybody must have an end,
most things have t,co and if never went
away | could never come back"
Now her winters stay had Just begun.
Here she sat in her soft gray dress and
dainty cap, the fire light from the franklin
just touching her with pink glow. Here
she sat, with the eyes Of halfa dozen young
folks devouring her, and all their ears
not to mention their mouths--wide open.
al was a young woman" she went on
A" Your grandfather and had married and
settled in Greendale only two years before.
II was Saturday night; | was laying the
tea-table, and the baby, in her night-dress,
sat on her fathers knee. She was our
oldest, and we had named her Nanny"
Mammal" cried Madge, and her eyes
we're like two round O's.
Yes, dear. yoitr mother aud as pretty
baby she was as you ever saw. recol-
lect she had just found her fathers ears,
and was growing Justify, and pulling her
new paythings, and we were watching and
laughing, when there was a knock at the
door. Philip that was your grandfather
for Phil here is named for him, you know
tucked the baby under his arm and stepped
out into the entry. heard a mans voice,
and as he went away, the words, S'posen
you sleep on it, Mather7 Maybe you'll
think better Of it tomorrow morning.
"'What is it, Philip l asked, when
my husband came back, for | saw in an
instant that be was worried.
"'It was the Captain be answered
The Captain was Sykes, the master-builder
Your grandfather was a carpenter, and
worked under him. They've got hard up
about the agricultural hall, and Sykes is
going to work his hands all day tomorrow
and he wants me to work too.
"Work Sabbath day Oh Phil, you
won't do that, will your
al hadn't quite made up my mind
Mary
"Your grandfather was walking up ant
down, and the baby had dropped asleep OF
his shoulder. Now he laid her in the
cradle, and stood looking at her. By ant
by he spoke out
" If | don't work tomorrow, shall
most likely lose my place.
"You could get another. You know
1 Squire Alden says you are the best work
man in the country 1t was true. M
man could handle plane or drive mai
home with a surer blow. But Phil lookeC
straight at little Nan, and replied:
ga Getting another place isn't so easy
and If I shouldn't, then what2 I'm boun'
to provide for my family. Your Bibl
says that.
"Philip wasn't a protesting Christian
then and I was. That was what he mean
by my Bible.
&c It's yours too, dear, | said and /
worst comes to worst, can take in sewing
| rather do it for year than have yol
getting on your working apron under th
sun of the Lords day.
"'All right, Molly. You're on the clea
side of the hedge always. Where's m,
newspaper
"When the Captain came, next morning
we were at breakfast. Sykes was roug
man. and he stamped in aud up to the table
talking loud.
"'Come, old chap said he, com
along its high time you was up ther
nailin' sbiugle.'
az No, Captain Sykes, grandfatbe
answered. Working Sunday isn't IN
) style; and I'm not going to do it for 20
or any man.
"The Captain swore frightful oatt
: The baby curled her lip and began to sol
: aud grew faint, just to hear him. Ever
G other word was an oath, and thegst of
!, all was this;
: "'Then you've done yer last stroke
! work for me, Mather. | won't have non
Q o. yer cantin' hypocrites round me; nc
any fellers that don't obey orders, neithe
And, mind ye,' he put his head back in'
the room to add, mind ye, my notion
what's right is for man to keep his prom
ises. contracted to have that air ha
done tomorrow night, an it will be done
$50 he strobe away, and Betsey Viii
9 came in to stay with Nancy while we wei
y to meeting. Our pastor looked troubled, Il
y all through prayer and sermon those han
mers were going ding-dong on the hill ju
0 beyond us. Even Sykes coarse words can
. down in the pauses of the service. All th
v was strange in staid Greendale. I'm gil
It you're not joining in this iniquity, said Il
= minister, as be shook hands with Philip 0
J. ter service. | was glad too but all Il
o same l felt sad My husband was out ofwor
, and we were poor people in those days"
l. Why, | didn't know grandpapa W
o ever poor" said Phil, our Phil.
!, He was poor then, and this losing !
I place was sorry matter for us. | had
o world of dreary thoughts that Saba
!. !. morning. What If my husband should ia
to bad ways, having nothing to do, and
% to the tavern, like Bill Crooks? But
'e prayed to God, and by and by | felt bett'
a At Bible class, what do you think the L
,e son was? You'll find it in Isaiah. and
!. begins If thou turn"
H. "Oh, know" cried Madge, and sprin
l. ing to her feet and catching the corners
'e grandmamma's gray shawl, she slowly
peated
"If thou turn away thy foot from
Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on |
Of holy day and call the Sabbath delig
a the holy of the Lord, honorable; and sh
ut honor him, not doing thine own ways, I
q. finding thine own. pleasure, nor speak,
an thine own words: Then shalt thou delie
ro thyself in the Lord and | will cause ii
ID to ride upon the high places of the ear
~ and feed thee with the heritage OF JAG
m thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hi
spoken it,"
, '"It was awful hard to learn" spoke Q
re Madge, the instant she ended; "t
ou mamma taught it to US last summer"
"Yes, dear; and that was the Bible
e sou that day. AS we walked along ho
nj | think your grandfather and were b'
an glad that he had been made strong to
right"
ed I" II was an hour afterward, may
that the hammers up at the hall stopp
IN What does that mean, wonder Y 81
ma YOUR grandfather, and we kept on wond