Litchfield enquirer., 1874-04-09

me to do better than marry him. And then did so despise Abiram!
 Well, I thought it all over and tr.eal to get the best light could, and at last I seemed to see my way clear. would go with Aunt Betsy and help her get settled, and perhaps stay through the heft of the summers work, and then, if didn't find myself comfortable, I would hire out to do either spinning or housework. I wasn't bit afraid of making good iv- ing. I, could spin my days work-a run and g half of warp or twor ms of filling and get through by three o'clock, and wasn't afraid to'--show my thread, either 1 linen or woolen, beside anybody's ill Greenwich "
 "You didn't do crochet work Tn those daysr' remarked Violet, who was making a dainty: little. blanket for: some .babyl or other.
 "No. It wasn't the fashion, though We did make mittens and gloves with hook, too. But we had plenty of nice pretty work, netting and knotting.-making tat ting you call it,-and sprigging on muslin We'll. as I said, made up my mind that I would go with Aunt Betsy, but would n't stay unless found it comfortable.
 'sIt wasn't comfortable at all. Aunt 1 Be sy was close enough, but Abiram was far worse. It was save. save. scrimp. scrimp, from morning till night. was fond of new milk fresh from the COW, and i used to take drink almost every night, but if Abiram saw me, you would think I had stolen five pounds by the fuss he made. He said there was skim milk enough if I must have it, andsevery .drop of new milk robbed the churn of so much butter. I suspect unt::Betsy:.gave him hint about that, for he came along one night when was milking. .Eand told me he hoped wouldn't mind what he said, but would help myself to all I wanted After that never touched 1t again. and I l took real dislike to 1t.
 ''But the scrimping wasn't the worst of it by great deal. I begun to feel like a 1 fly caught in a spiders web. I could hard ly get chance to speak to Lewis-never alone-and Aibram was always in my way hanging round and giving me presents and trying to make himself agreeable. Aunt Betsy watched me as a cat watches a mouse, and by and by it began to be said about the village that was engaged to Abiram. told Emma Parvin. who was my most intimate friend, to contra dict it everywhere, and so she did, but a SICdb uud1N Ucl1CNcu Ltcu AOWlS d1- most began to doubt, because he never went across the creek, and took on with James Whitecar, who had deal of stock and horses. James did we'll by him, for Lewis was very knowing in such matters, and he began to lay up money. We'll, of course we saw less of each other than ever, but his going was an advantage in one way. Old Uncle Jacob, an old negro, used to paddle across and up and down the river, fishing. He was good friend to both of us, and used to carry our let ters back and forth. Then every morn ing at just such an hour Lewis used to wave his handkerchief out of his window and used to wave one out of mine So we knew that all was we'll
 Aunt Elisabeth had looked uneasy for a few minutes, and as grandma paused to- take up stitch she said mildly
 ''Some people would say, grandmother, that it was not very wise to be putting love-stories into the heads of these young girls"
 Grandma looked up, and her still bright eyes twinkled little.
 Elisabeth, said she; ''does thee know that the white kitten had her noes in the cream this morning?"
 ACS> uAoWCACO AuAU IIlSaUctu, I saw her."
 "Did thee show her the way to the milk, Elisabeth?"
 "No p said Aunt Elisabeth, surpris- ed.
 '.Oh p said grandma, ''I didn't know but some one had put it in her head"
 Aunt Elisabeth smiled and went on with her hemstitching.
 ''But there was another thing which an- noyed me almost as much as the love- making" continued grandma ''It was, as said, in the year 1774-the year be- fore the war. The whole country was stirred up against the British, and their unjust and illegal taxations and other op- pressions-though I do think the bad manners. and arrogance of the British off, cers and governors had almost as much to do with the business! The tax on tea had caused specially hard feeling, and you know how they served the cargo which was brought to Boston. When we got the news of the Boston tea-party, as it got to be called, there was a good deal of di- vision of opinion. Most of the young men were on the patriot side, and so were many of the old ones, but still those were not wanting who called the business 8 shameful outrage, and stood up for the British through thick and thin. Abiram was one of these and Aunt Betsy another, and they used to abuse the patriots and uphold the British till they made my blood fairly boil
 "Well, one day, along in the last of Oc- tober, Abiram said he was going to Phila- delphia for few days, and he had the be married right away, so could go with him And xvhfln r ru0c fofr1vy vyc&wr n1r with rage and surprise, Aunt Betsy put in her word and said it would be very good plan, as I could buy my wedding clothes myself, and she would give me money for nice satin gown and grey crape shawl.
 ''Then, can tell you, gIrls, fiared up. told Abiram just what thought of him, and Aunt Betsy what I thought of her; and sad wouldn't marry Abiram then or ever, if she should pave my way with gold. I told Aunt Betsy she knew that I was engaged to Lewis Howell, and that I should never marry any one else. Abiram was so very angry he turned all kinds of colors, but Aunt Betsy was as placid as you please, and when had fairly broken down, and was crying as if my heart would break, she sad calmly
 Thee needn't be so violent, Sybilla. Abiram has no occasion to go begging for w1Fe. If thee chooses to disgrace thy self by breaking thy word to him and marrying vagabond'-
 "'I never gave Abiram any word, and he knows it! said I.
 G '''Actions speak louder than words said my aunt. We won't say any more about 1t now. Abiram, have an inward persuasion that Sybilla will come to a bet ter mind. Thee must excuse her violence. 1,& T. hasn't learned to rule her spirit. Sybilla, thee had better stop crying and eat thy dinner
 'tBut wouldn't eat any dinner, and I never sat down to the table nor spoke a word to Abiram till he went away. Aunt Betsy was as calm as ever, but she kept me so close, couldn't even get chance to send word to Lewis. However. old Jacob did snuggle one to me, in which Lewis told me how Abiram had told James Whitecar that we were to be mar | |