Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-09-18
HOW SHE WON HIM.

minnie! minnie! Is my chocolate nearly
ready?
In one minute, grandmamma.
1t was scrupulously neat and dainty in all
its appointments, the little parlor where
Mrs. Brighton sat, although the carpet was
tissue of darns. the furniture faded, and
the hearth rug skillfully eked out by piece
quite another fabric inserted in the spot
most worn. a few flowers, in II slender
throated vase, stood on the antique, claw
legged table, the fender irons glittcred like
gold, and the thin muslin curtains, artistical-
ly mended here and there, were white rs
snow; and Mrs. Brighton herself looked like
Cinderella's god mother, in her dress of an
Cient brocadc, best yellow thread lace, and
the rings gttering on her small, shrivcled
hands.
Eighty years old, and u lady to the last
That was something TO be proud Of What
though paralysis has robbed her Of all use of
those danty-slipped ieet-what though the
grand house she had entered us n bride was
now narrowed down to this one room in u
second rate building, where two other iami-
lies also set up their household altars-she
was lady still, and she could boast that she
never had degraded herself to commonplace
toll.
Our means are limited, said old Mrs
Brighton, with the lofty air of duchess;
~''' tho nension of my son, the colonel-who,
as you probably ni'J .-...amber. wos killed
on the Florida irontier--is sufficient to mai,
tain myself and my two granddaughter
and we are ladies.
Minnie Brighton presently came in with
her little chocolatiere on Il napkin-covcred
tray and two slices of toast, eXquisitely
Drowned and cut us thin ms Il wafer.
hope you haven't been kept waiting,
grandmamma9 she said.
My dear-with an air of mild resignation
i am accustomed to wait.
Oh! am so sorry But our fire is out,
and l had 10 run in and borrow the use of
Mrs. fuckers stove to boil the chocolate,
and
Mrs. Brighton contracted her silvery
brows.
The Brightons are not a borrowing race,
Minnie
Shall get you an egg grandmamma?
Not if the fire is out, my dear.
And grandmamma Brighton went on with
her breakfast wearing an injured air, while
Minnie went back to the other room, where
sat her twin sister cogtatlng
Anna Brighton was as pretty us Minnie,
but in quite different style. She was dark,
with melting, almond-shaped eyes. an olive
skin, and lips like a pomcgranate flower, so
perfectly shaped, so richly red, while Minnie
was tall and slender, and fair rs daisy.
Anna laid down slip of greasy paper rs
Minnie entered.
It's the grocer's bill again, sister. What
shall we do?
Minnie sank into n chair.
And the gas yesterday, and the landlord
not paid, and the purse rs empty as-Mothor
Hubbard's cupboard. What shall we do?
That's the question, said Minnie, reflect
lively arching her jetty brows.
five can only keep it from grandmamma. |
We must! retorted Minnie, with decisive |
nod. 1t would kill her. If we were men |
now, Nanny, we could go out and get job |
Of wood saving, or house painting, Or
And why can't we now?
WhyP Because Pat O'Neill has got all
Mrs. Barker's wood to saw, and because we
can't climb ladders, with paint pots over our
shoulders.
But we can do something else, | suppose.
Listen, Minne-money we must have!
IL we go out into the highways and ask it
at the point of the bayonet interjected Min
mic, gravely.
There's no poverty like genteel poverty,
ciU Dttt |
my plan. Mrs. Barker, the laundress in our
top story, is sick,
What then? We have neither wine not
yet crisp bank notes TO bestow upon her.
And she can't keep up to her engagements.
There are two Swiss muslin ball dresses,
fluted and pulled beautifully, lying in her
basket waiting TO be done up ut this present
moment. Five dollars apiece she has for
them.
Well?
1 shall do them up.
Nanny
Well, why not? Think what n golden
stream of pactolus ten dollars would be in
our empty Golfers! Ask yourself how on
earth you or | could earn ten dollars any
other way. And after ALL u Swiss muslin
dress is II pretty poetcal sort of n fabric to
wash and from aud into the bargain, poor
Mrs Barker keeps her customers.
Oh, Mamie have you come to that?
Now you look and talk exactly like old
Don't be goose Minnie
Just you invent some story about my being
in the park, or taking lessons
in wax-nower making, to delude her credu-
lous soul, while 60 up stairs and coin mon
ey.
But may help you?
By and by, perhaps, if my wrists get tired.
Not now some one must stay with grand
1t is very strange, said Miss Georgiette
Appleton, that my dresses haven't come
homel Positively, shall have nothing TO
wear to-nightl
She was lounging before the sea-coa fire,