Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-03-25

or ever. if he should pave my way with
gold. / told Aunt Betsy she knew that
w;ts en- ragged to Lewis Howell. and that
should never marry any one else. Abiram
was so angry he turned AL kinds Of colors,
! but Aunt Betsy was as pllcid as You please.
and when | had fairly broken down. and
was crying rs if my heart would break
she said calmly
Thee needn't be so violent. Svbilla
Abb am ha, no caSion t. go begging for a
wife. Ii thee chooses to disgrace thysclf
! by breaking thy word to him and marry
ing vagabond :
Il never gave Abram any word, and
/ he knows it, said l.
- Actions speak louder than words,
said my aunt. We won't say any more
about it now. Abiram, | have IN inward
persuasion that Sybilla will co e to Il bet
ter mind. Thee must excuse her violence
She wasn't brought up with Friends, and
hasn't learned to rule her spirit. Sybilla
thee had better stop crying, and eat thy
dinner
But would Mt eat any dinner, and |
never sat down to the table nor spoke Il
word to Abiram till he went away. Aunt
Betsy was as calm us ever, but she kept
me so close, | couldn't even get II chance
Jacob did smuggle one to me, in which
james Whitecar that we were to be mar
ricd when he came home Lewis said he
knew | never would be false to him of my
own free will, but he didn't know what [
might be tormented into doing, and he
begged me TO leave my aunt, and come
over to Deborah Whitecar, who knew all
rha l,, III
mother to me. Deborah herself added a
few words to the same effect. Deborah
was Il good. kind woman. besides being 4
preacher and very much thought of.
knew she meant every word She said. and
that | could be useful to her; and besides
} that 1t was a great encouragement to have
such u woman to take my part. Still
} didn't like the notion of going right into
the family where Lewis wts and thought
would wait Il little Beside that, Aunt
Aunt Betsy was lame and ailng, and
didnt feel quite free to leave her. SO |
staid on, and certainly | did have a pretty
hard time. Even the neighbors began to
notice how | WAS mewed up, and never
went outside the gate.
" The second day of November, Abiram
came home in the best of spirits. He had
ma'le isjourney profitable, it seemed, and
he WAS more of IL Tory than ever. He had
actually brought me Il satin gown that
would stand on end for richness, and Il
gray Grape shawl | told him he might
keep his gifts to himself, and went up stairs
7. to my room. where presently Aunt Betsy
came bringing the shawl and the satin.
Thee had better put these things
away! said She. laying them on the bed.
took them just rs they Were. and open
inc the win low, dropped them ont and
saw them fall plump into the tub of rain
water underneIth.-for then. instead OF
cisternS. we had great troughs standing
under the caves. 1t was silly thing t.
do. but was 80 worked up | didn't care
one pin. For once saw Aunt Betsy in Il
rage. She scolded me roundly. and ended
by declaring that should marry Abir;tm
within Il week or She would never see noI
speak To- me again. ,ould have gone
away thtt very night. only Aunt Betsy
waS taken 50 sick didn't like to lcav,
her. What Ahiram thought when hr
found his presents all wet and spoiled
cant say. H. never said a word to m,
nor I to him. | did my work. and waited
on Aunt Betsy. but l couldn't get any
: word to Lewis, much aS | wished it, foI
old Jacob WIS sick and hadn't any OH
er messenger.
We'll. for two OF three days Abiram
was wonderful busy clearing out the eel
llr. Now and then he would take hi
, boat and run down the creek. and he grew
, , 50 queer and excited that began to Won
, , der what was going to happen. | hardly
ever GOT a chance To step outside the door
Amt Betsy kept me SO close, and what
with the work and waiting on her, | was
:. pretty well used up.
'One night,-it was the 2Oth of Novem
, , Der and a fine moonlight, though rather
foggv.-I went to the back door for :
breath of air. and | SAW Il fine large brig
coming up with the tide. She seemed tt
find her way without any trouble. ant
:, presently came to anchor over there where
! YOU see that pine stump-it was 4 fine tree
then-not far from our house. | stooc
watching, and presently L saw Abran
> and two other men come ashore from the
brig. They came up the path toward the
house, but | did MT stay to meet them
went back to Aunt Betsy, and wher
r Abiram called me to see to supper. he tol,
me the strange men would stay, and asked
me if | would Mt sit down and make tea
For YOU see | hadn't sat down to a singl,
meal with him since he came home.
=. / L,
tea?' | knew ours had been out som,
: time. and you couldn't buy an ounce 70
love nor money.
= -. Never mind said Ahiram, lookin:
as pleased as could be. I've got it. an,
D plenty more of nice things. Now be
good girl and see to the supper. and
i promise not to say Il word thee won't lik'
: to hear
Well, | didn't want to make Il fuss be
' fore the strangers, so | said | would; AM
| made some nice hot c,kes and fried
Il chicken and turned out the tea, but
wouldn't touch a drop, more than if
were poison. The two men We're English
: as | made out by their talk. and one c
t, them WAS captain of the brig. He ha
been drinking Il little, and he kept throw
II inc ont hints which made me open m
ears. and caused the other man to swe;l
y at him for 4 fool.
e well, | did up the work, and was jus
going upstairs to bed, when Abiram stop
ped me.
What is it?' | asked sharply enough
> II only wanted to say that thee needn
be scared if thee hears n noise in the night
said he meekly. l have got some good
|" aboard the brig, and | am going to hav
them unloaded. because the captain want
" to get away
''Somehow it flashed across me all in
! minute what the goods were. So instea
of going to bed, blew out the candle an
$ sat down behind the curtain to watcl
. :, Presently saw the men from the bri
:, bringing up the goods all covered wit
3" tarpaulins and slowing them in the cellar
:, They had nearly finished when one of tn
j" men let fall a square box, and knew b
= the sound that something had broken. Th
e captain cursed him for clumsy foo
= Abiram brought out broom, and coul
" '. see them sweeping and brushing some
~ ~ thing. Finally the business was tinishe,
l1 the men went away, and Abiram came III