Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-07-03
LEARNING TO SPELL KATE.

uly u ioarIul clnltcf proceeded from tho men
house; cackle, cackle, cackle, cut, cut, cut,
cutarkcr, cut, cut, cut, cutarkor," cried tho
hons; then the old rooster mounted upon
barrel at tho door and Tapped his wings IN u
triumphant fashion, and crowod so Justify
that Mrs. Arnold. who was frying doughnuts
in the kitchen, exclaimed:
Good land, what's the matter with them
honsP must BIO they've laid lots of eggs.
Run, James Henry, and bring en- in lore
they cat 'em up"
But James Henry, who was whiting with
an old case knife, did not start, only asked
intorostedly, GLOW many do you 'sposo
tho've laid. mother?"
"Oh, don't know, perhaps two Dozen"
81 got twelve and half cents for the last
l carried to the store. A jacknifo don't
cost but quarter"
'Well, what of itP Go and get them eggs"
"But say, mother if there's two dozen,
mayn't buy n jacknile? All the rest of
the boys have got 'em. Jim Green's s
beauty, and it didn't cost but quarter"
"Why, Mrs. Green takes in washing!n
said his mother.
James saw his advantage. "Yes, and
Jim can't whittle no MORN a"-woman, he
was about about to say, but fearing his
mother might take offense at this important
time, substituted cow-"no MORN COW.
1 bet them hens have laid rs many rs three
dozen; they're cackling yet. Say. mother,
mayn't buy n jacknife?"
YES, guess so, if you are good boy
and learn we'll ut school,"
James Henry walked of jauntily, his
hands in his pockets and slight swing in
his gate betokening his satisfaction, until
eagerness getting the better of his dignity,
he gave two or three jumps which brought
him to the door of the hen house. Alas, for
human hopes? There were but twenty eggs.
Lacks four eggs of jacknife," he said
mournfully to his mother rs he entered.
His look of disappointment was too much
for her tender heart, and she went into the
pantry and returned with basket in which
reposed twenty-four eggs.
There, sonny" sho said kindly, Ego and
buy y jacknifo, but be sure to get strong
one"
James Henry was tho only son of his
mother, and she was widow. Years ago
she was rosy-cheeked farmers girl, belle
and beauty, who for awhile flirted and
kept the beaux' hearts fluttering in the way
girls are so fond Of and then to their cha
grin married tho least among them, Mat
thew Arnold, with n fine chateau d'ESpdglle,
but none in this country, and great fortune
in hopes and plans rs yet not realized.
Mary's father bought them little house and
garden when he found her mind was made
up to marry Matthew, and they went to
housekeeping IN that happy, incOnsequont
fashion people are so apt to pity.
Had Matthew been rich, his friends won Id
have called him genius, but us it was, two
years had not elapsed since ere the neigh
bors said he was "shiltless,n no calculator;
which now l think OF it, are synonymous
with genius.
But whatever the meaning of the word
the house (not the Spanish castle, that was
more beautiful than ever), began to wear
dilapidated appearance, the fences leaned
over in careless fashion, and the gate
swung idly in the breeze, for Matthew was
all tho time mt work upon something, that
was sure to bring fortune-but which new
er did. Sometimes it was churns of mar
Vicious Workmanship which wore to churn
and work out tho buttermlk ut the same
time; then it was clock with many new
features, and was sure to become n general
favorto; again, steam engine, n kind of
perpetual motion, as ii was sure to use the
steam over and over again.
But unhappily they all lacked some inn
portant element. The churn wouldn't
work, the clock wouldn't go, the engine re-
fused to bulge an inch.
Mrs. Arnold was the greatest possible con.
trast to her husband. But for her they
would have come to want. She II was who
not only attended to the household affairs,
but cultivated vegetables in their little gar
den, sold eggs from their few hens, butter
from their ono cow, and spun and wove for
her more fortunate neighbors. More than
all the rest, she was CHEEKY and pleasant rs
ever, and had implicit faith in her husbands
genius.
Sometimes the neighbors condoled with
her but Mrs. Arnold would say, "Matthew
never made thing couldn't use. There's
that churn, now, 1 use it to put meal in, and
its just tho incest thing you ever see for that
The old clock | couldn't get along without.
keep my blankets in it, and the other WOOL
ems. Never mouse gets at 'om. You have
no idea what it is to have n husband SO
handy to mako things"
But the time came when Matthew went
tho nj all ha ,.lI al
still lived in the little house and continued
to do so up to the present, which brings us
to the time when James Henry bought his
jaeknife.
The first few weeks after his new acqui.
sition, the only result was great piles OF
shavings, and his mother said she never had
so easy times keeping fires. Ere long, his de-
votlon to his knife precluded every employ
ment, and Mrs. Arnold mentally wished
he was not so handy. lilo was the vcrest
Ounce that ever voxed a teacher; but rs he
gratuitously furnished the scholars with tops,
water wheels and pointers, no was in high
favor with them. Impervious alike 10 coax
ing and ridicule, he seemed perfectly con
tent to be forever at the foot of his class, SC
long rs little Kate Williams stood ut thu
hoad, Kate was just six years old wher
James Henry was ten, and rs she was Z
good scholar, and the daughter of the village
lawyer, she was held up to the scholars as
aPattern of excellence. She was sensible
and not easily spoiled, and in those days
evinced strong preference for James Hen.
ny over all the others, not even excepting
George Clifford, which continued even altel
he was in Latin and Algebra, and jaime.
was stumbling through geography; ant
james Henry felt little short of idolatry fol
Kate.