Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-06-24

on vood-sawing machine Susan would
never allow the pump.handle 10 be jerked,
and the consequence was that, while Dea.
Hollis pump, which tbe children we're per.
mitted 10 rattle and yank at all times,
needed repairing every sir months, there had
been nothing done TO Isaac's for six years.
Them horses must have their water
fore breakfast" said Isaac to himself, the
following morning, aud, that no might have
plenty Of time, he was up half an hour
earlier than usual, and, for the first time in
many years, left the tes-kettle untitled, and
took the water directly TO the barn-not
purposely, but 10 his haste 10 water the
horses. He.put down the first two pals
and fastened back for more, then hurried
in TO hl the tea-kettle, saying TO himself,
"Susan'll never know hut that filed il
drst," and he rather chuckled over the
good joke be should get on her, should she
pour out tho water put in after four pals
full had been pumped.
Susan always pumped out just Eve pail.
fulls before putting any in the tea-kettle.
From careful measurement and tasting, she
had decided that then IL was perfectly safe
to use the water.
"Well, old fellow What's the matter
uovf" said Isaac, as the first Bostonian
put his nose 10 the water aud threw up his
head like a Southern alligator. Bucepau-
lus-so named because Alexander, Esq,
Hills youngest son, could ride him when
he threw everybody else-merely touched
the surface Of the water and started back
disdainfully, with sharp whinny. Not
one Of the horses would drink the water.
Little Kate swallowed some Of tho last
pailfull and then looked sorrowfully up to
her keeper, like a disappointed child who
finds her gingerbread sour.
Isaac stood wondering at this unexpected
freak, when the voice Of Susan rang through
the clear, frosty air : Isaac, Isaac, break
fasts ready" "Well, WE'LL" shouted
Isaac, suddenly aroused from his meditations.
"Why didn't you answer me? Here
I've been screaming this hslf.hour, and was
just coming to see what the matter was.
didn't know but the horses had knocked
you down"
Isaac went slowly TO the house. What
If the horses should getsick What If some
distemper should break out among them
Isaac never had misgiving in his heart
but that he turned to Susan, ss naturally
as the needle to the North pole, and he is
now prepared to cast the sounding.line iu
his usually unconcerned manner. So after
they were fairly seated in the warm and
coy kitchen--not half the dining-rooms Of
the more opulent were 30 comfortable. clean
and lustrous on that cold morning
very quietly remarked;
"The horses won't drink their water this
morning" expecting the effect Of the an-
nouncement to be like an electric bath, ho
intending to hold the charged sponge and
touch up the more sensitive parts, as the
developments Of the case seemed to require.
To his surprise, Susan very quietly an.
swered; why not2.
"Don't know" said Isaac. Now Isaac
expected Susan would exclaim, nervously,
They ain, sick are they7" and he really
wanted she should, as that would give him
an opportunity Of freeing his own mind.
But, on the contrary, his wife looked at him
with those large blue eyes, which had not
lost all their roguish twinkle. and replied:
+" Perhaps the waters too cold"
why couldn't have thought Of that ?"
mused Isaac, relieved at suggestion which
seemed reasonable and he expected Susan
would soon be tripping round to find an
extra pail for the warm water. But no !
Susan was in good spirits, and he could not
but respond to her witty jokes, although at
, heart he felt pretty anxious to know what
the matter was at the barn. Finally, rising
7 from the table, he exclaimed;
! Where's there a pail l can have to
carry some hot water in to the barn ?" At
, this Susan laughed aloud. Isaac was aston
5 ished. He looked sober, then surly, then
] scornful. At length he says: Where's
the pail Will you tell me ?"
Susan only laughed the more, saying, at
= the same time:
e "Dou't you wish you'd put the water
n into the tea kettle for us to drink, instead
e Of carrying it to the barn for the horses?"
p A sudden thought shot through Isaac's
rather thick brain like fash Of lightning
J. through a thunder-cloud, and in an instan,
d he was at the barn. There stood the water
!, and the poor horses looked up wishfully to
their master.
o "Zounds!" !" said Isaac, II believe til
d that darn'd lead pipe. But why couldn'
e Susan have told me, and not flung the tea
s kettle in my face? I'll find out, any way :
d and Isaac harnessed old Billy into th'
e sleigh. put in barrel, covered with thu
s buffalo skin, drove down to Luke Sanders
we'll, and there filed it with clear, sof
B. water. For the same reason that he GOV
t. cred the barrel, he put no bells on to Billy
'e and, as he drove slowly back to the barn
,r be said to himself: She won't see me, th,
9, windows are so frosty"
"a Rather spitefdly he seized the pals an,
is poured out the water, thinking. perhaps
how many times the tired arms Of Susa
in had poured out similar liquid from th
Of old tea.kettle. He managed to get th
s. barrel on to low shelf on one side Of th
Q, barn, and putting pail underneath, dre'
ig forth the plug. Out streamed the pur
D. water. The pals were filled and place
It, before the thirsty animals. At that INC
ut ment Susan walked into the barn, rs sh
to often did, and took her stand before th
u, horses Just in time to see them drink dow
OF the water until every drop had disappears
I'd Susan's eyes twinkled, and looking up
he Isaac, she said
1t, "They like the water from Luke Sar
ID der's we'll, If It's cold. Let us buy tes
at kettle that will hold Eve pailfulls, and 20
will fill that frst, every morning. and the
ot perhaps the horses viii drink the waite
lis from the pump, and save you the troubl
ng Of filing the barrels over to Luke's." An
rs. with knowing laugh Susan ran of int
ut the house.
10, Never can do nothing but that She
lie find it out" said Isaac to himself, "but
'or guess she is right about lead pipe water
as The next morning Isaac was up long b
ec fore the sun. notwithstanding Susan's r
monstrance, and after pumping out just f'
I'd pailfuls of water, he filled the tea kettl
aud then pumped more for his horses. IT
discerning animals drank it down rigl
Justify. Isaac felt very much like cha
ticleer when he has lost bis tallest feather
but he was convinced. and never after d
me he put the first pail Of water from the pun
ees e into the tea kettle.
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