Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-10-21

o
About sundown ! reached Bolton but |
Didn't know in just what direction my uncle
lived. 80 | stopped before the door of a little
wood-colored house and asked the old woman,
who sat knitting hy the kitchen fire. ii she I
could tell me where could find Jeremiah /
Gales house.
"'Mhy ! guess You are stranger IN |
these parts if You don't know where Jere- /
miah Gale lives. said She.
"'Yes am, said !.
".What district might YOU be FROM /
asked She.
49, Massachusetts, replied.
"tDcw tell said she. What sort Of /
country is it down yendcrt and how did You [
make ont with your potato crop this year. I.
Sich o harassing time as We have had with l
ours: first it WAS too dry, and then 1T was too /
wet. and then these pcsky bug, came round F.
/ tell our folk. that if | should have to go f.
to the poorhouse, the first thing should ash .
for would be- a dish of good. mcaly potatoes
4" saw that She would talk for half the
night if | would stop To listen to her, SO !
asked her again ii She would direct Inc 60
Mr. Gales.
"sWhy lor. YES, of course WILL said
she; its % good mile further on, but the
road is as straight MS an arrer. The house
is % gambrol roof, with two popple trees
standing right aforc IT, You can't miss it.
but don't bo In such q hurry stop and rest
yourself a spell, can't yct' ! thanked her
but hurried along pleased enough that was
So neat my journey end. After had rode
about half mile saw little old man lay
ing stone wall near the road. ! saw him
stop and look at me as though he meant to
speak. but was tired aud thought ! wouldn't
give him q chance, and was passing him
upon % brisk trot, when he just reached out
hi, hand and took Brutu- 10y the bride.
"' You seem to be in great hurry said
he. Where mought YOU be fromt
81 told him Dmdermook, Massachusetts,.
" Why, how You talk said he. Did
YOU ever run against cousin of mine, David
smith. who lives la the old Bay state some
WhcrcY I've lost an track of him lately
"' Never heard OF him
sos All what mought be your name, if |
may be SO holdt
... Ezekiel Gale
SO Any relation 10 Squire Gale. folk
90 He is my uncle
SO >hoi you don't say. Here don't be in
such an everlasting hurry How would
You like to swop of that ere pony OF yourn,
| for pairof steers lie seems to be a likely
beast
90 replied that ] didn't care 10 trade that
day and pushed on, although he tried TO stop
me again 10y asking how long expected 10
stop in those parts,
" In about ten minutes more had climbed
the hill and stopped at Uucle Jerry's.
think ! should have known the place with.
out any directions. il looked so comfortable
and home-like. | fastened my horse at the
gate and then went into the house 10y tn,
kitchen door. | expected to take Aunt
Nancy all by surprise, hut she wasn't there
No one but girl sitting in a low chair
stringing apples, A great tub of quarters
stood by her side, and the table was filled al
with those she had already strung. feel
kind of awkward like and began to whir
my hat around in my hands, for ! was S,
taken aback that didn't know what 10 say
So Did YOU wish to to see Mr. Gale 2 sal,
she, looking up.
So | am his nephew, Ezekiel Gale, man
aged to stammer out, aud came up fron
Massachusetts to make him a visit
So Oh. did you 2 said She, jumping up AM
putting down her pan of apples. Why, yo
must be very tired. Sit down here by tn
nre-it's quite frosty tonight and let NJ
take. your hat Mr. and Mrs. Gale hav
gone to Greenough, but they will be bacl
this evening | am Content Sabin.
81 said guessed / would 60 out and pa
up my horse. was glad of chance to e
out into the open air and get my BREATH 70
she was just the neoiea girl had ever So
eyes ON; and, although | was accounte
quite a beau at home She ilustered me =
that | hadn't word to say for myself
: When | went back into the house she ha
drawn out little square table, which wa
covered with white cloth aud spread wit
raised biscuits, cold boiled ham, apple-sauc'
and pumpkin pie. She sat down opposit
TO pour my tea, and ] could hardly eat IN
supper, good as it was, for watching hc
She did look Just like a picture, that's a fac
She had on a linsey-woolsey petticoat an
blue check short-gown; her brown hair wa
braided back Just as smooth and shiny O
, could be and She had blue eyes, plump, ros
,, checks, aud neck and arms as white as mill
al am sorry Mr.. and Mrs, Gale are away
said she, for hadn't had the grace to spea
a civil word yet, and she began TO be afrai
wasn't pleased. But, dear me, although
D had come so far to see my relations, WI
y beginning to wish that they would new,
p come back at ALL but that might Just sit
u that warm little room all the rest of my lii
e with the tea-kettle singing the cat purrir
on the hearth, and Content pouring tea I,
u me and looking at her | found my tongl
! after a while, too, so that when Uncle Jer
q and Aunt Nancy came home we sat by Il
II fire as sociable as though We had known ga,
e other all our lives.
e. Well, | stayed and stayed there till II
Is folks began 10 think | never was comii
y home helped Uncle Jerry get in the la
sr crops, and had kind of knack with
IL saw and hammer which made me very u,
II full about the house to Aunt Nancy. Tn
n in the evening ! sometimes took Content
IN a husking or an apple-bee. Finally 4
u father sent for me, and that night, comil
g home from a husking at Deacon llandfor,
IT, i mind how the moon shone down throu
at the pine trees that shaded the road Conte
~ promised to 60 back to the Bay state wi
IN Inc when came up in the spring"
or Uncle Ezekiel grew thoughtful.
ia seemed to be living over again that gold
l October evening, but Geneva clasped !
10 hands together and said in that pretty lit
slI affected way She has:
ut What did she say when you proposed
Ut her Oh, should like TO know so mucl
p" Uncle Ezekiel reused up;
" She gave me a simple, straightforwa
~ answer" replied he, and didn't ogle or /
on airs, as you would have done in her pla
l. miss"
re We were familiar with Uncle Ezekie
liu blunt ways, but we all thought that
~ was too hard upon Geneva; so We chang
ay the subject to the last importations 10y Ste
re art, and he fell into a doze in his easy-ch
by the crate