St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-09-04


accept Amos Hillary. Il plain farmer
1t was astonishing. The lovers troubled
themselves very little about what others
thought, but were wholly engrosScd
with each other.
Amos insisted that their marriage
should come off us soon aS possible. and
Alice, at his earnest solicitation, named
an early day, and left IIillSlalr.
Time passed rapidly. and in the love
" month of May Amos brought his
bride homc
What Il tluttrr her first appearance in
meeting caused What II turuin" of
heads What IN eager scrutiny of the
N"rng wife. No fault could bc found
with her charming costume. Her dress
WAS of that soft. silvrry tint. so pleasing
t" the eyes of the old Quaker dame.
and fitted to perfection the graceful
form. Her airy little white hat rested
lightly on the golden hair. and gloves
to match her dress completed the sim
pie yet elegant toilet
Wen "i'Sit Aur''~ ,c pr"uu "r II"
radiant creature. rs she walked into
| that quiet assembly, proudly conscious
tIia she WAS the ohScrNcd of all obScrv-
cl~. Aftcr meeting. many came up Ia
offer congratulations; among the num-
Der. Ruth. She approached, and, III
her sweet. dignilicd way, congratulated
them on their marriage.
Many bridal parties were given the
happy pair. and Alice never wcarrd of
the round. and was always bright and
| fascinating when surrounded 10y an ad-
miIing circle.
Amos declared he wished the frstivi-
/ ties ut an end. that they might he al
lowed to settle down quietly to the en-
joy mcmt of each others society. But
t" his glicf he discovered that home
life WAS anything hut pleasant to Alice.
/ Sh" claNcd the admiration of many. and
Il quiet rvcnim" at home was utterly
rcpugnant To her.
Too soon Amos realized the fact that
he had made Il fatal mistake. Alice. Il
/ bright butterfly of fashion. WAS Insult
eel to hc the wife of Il plain farmer
/ She took no pains to conceal her utter
/ WraIinr>S of the life she led. and hen
7 husband found he had married in haste.
/ Ia repent ut leisure.
Time passed. "Whcthcr our lives
aIr happy ui no. the summers come.
the summers GO and ON the mnivcl-
~IrN of their marriage. Il little daughter
came tn bless them.
Amos hoped that the coming of their
child would make stranger and warmer
/ the bonds of love. that had grown
strangely cold. Vain hope, An unlov-
/ ing wife. Il clrrlcS>. Indifferent mother,
Happiness seemed t" have fled them
/ dwelling. never more to return.
This Nrar. that brought >oIrnw and
caIr I" Amos Hillary. brought only
pcac" aud JOY t" Ruth. She found
/ happiness III mini>tcIing t" the comfort
ut others. Always busy. always cheer
I tul. with Il loving smile. and kind
word I" every one. peace. sweet peace.
came and hrnudcd III her hralt: and.
/ if she even th"ught of Amos. il WAS
>"II"wtulll. Tor. with many others. She
L".w that his Was "a I.,~.I"-- h"mr.
kIih bad many good Offers ot mar
ri"g.. hut refused tl,rm all. She would
laughin"lN tell her parents She WAS pre-
destined t" hc an old maid and Friend
Miller. who secretly feared that Ruth
/ W"Hld give her hand t" some one of
her >uit"r>. would carr~> his darling
tcndcrll. saving. ''Ah. Ruth. thee will
/ change thy mind some one at thr~r
days. when the right one comes" con
%latulatn" himself. II the same 'i.rc
one"
His Win>"mc Ruth, How could hr
/ give her up To amy one And the
fathers eyes would rest f"ndll on his
/ child H. ~h" moved dcttlN about the old
! h"u~r. relieving her mother of many
h"u~rh"Id cafes She WIS. indeed. the
Il, u>ch"ld tauN.
Ruth WI~ ont in the garden The
/ April sunshine >trcamcd warmly duw II
"n the buds where Ruth was hu>ik
engaged pruning. clipping. and tying
/ up the plants. She loved flowers dear
/ ly. and WIS never happier than when
! tending her fragile iarlimg>. She WIS
/ leaning "Ncr gathering Il handful ot
/ sweet Ni"lctS for the little vase on the
/ paIl"r mautlcpiccc. whcu She heard
| tunt>irpS. and Dorca> Jones familiar
/ voice.
"Wcll. Ruth. here You are. sure
cnou%h. tending To NouI flowers. What
! luck Nou do have, child. A> tor me. il
seems ~ if never lrid ANY at all Eli
/ tIcr forget to water them. and the
sun >r"IrlIr> the poor things. the chick
ems get int" the garden and pick cm To
| pieces. "r .Jowlcr and lib get t" troIir-
ing. and just play the mischief with
| them. | left Mary Jane tcndin. the
apple jelly, and came over tn tell YOU
about poor Alice Hillary. knew Nou
/ hadm't heard. Yes. Amos has lost his
wife. lnu know the doctor told him
some time ago she had heart disease
and was likely To 80 of sudden like I?
| And. last night. az they were sitting at
the tra-tahlc. she put her hand to her
side. quick-ikc. gave Il little gasp. and
! before Amos could get to her. she was
dead. Well, we are all poor, sinful
creatures. May we all he prepared for
! death when it does come. And there's
/ Amos left to take care of his little girl {:
| but Nellie is Il sensible child for such Il
Young one. All. we'll. 81 il is, Thank
you. Ruth. will take IL few of them
violcts, and Ice going. or Mary Jane
will let the Jelly burn. Good-hNr. and
tell your mother | hadn't time to come
in"
Amos grief WAS undcmonStrativc.
Yet he really Sorrowcd for his wife. the
mother of his child. The unhappy wears
were forgotten, and he remembered her
as she WAS when she gave herself to
him.
His mother. who had been Il widow
| for many Years, came and lived with
her 'dcar boy" as she called him. and
his home became IL peaceful, wrll-or-
dcrcd one. His little Nellie was bright
and beautiful child. She had inherited
her mothers rare beauty and her IA
TIERS frank, noble nature, and promis-
ed to hccomr everything her father
could desire.
OF course people talked about the
young widowcr, and wondered who
would bc Alicc'S successor. But Amos