Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-10-22
For the VERMONT FARMER.
MILLY's TRIALS.
BY ANKLE.


"What is the matter now, MillyPn
We were sitting doRn by the roscbushes,
back of her home. my little friend and l..
The last cow had been MIXED, the dshes
washed and the breakfast things got ready,
as far rs possible. The wood.box filled at
last. The same never ending routine that
was Milly's lot to travel. She hal come to
me with the most forsaken look imagin-
able in her gray eyes. and there were unmis-
taxable signs of tears which, rs she was
so rarely given to crying, was quite dis
mayed at.
Dear me! O, nothiag new of course. moth
| ing new under the sun, is what l am blue
about. get so sick OF 1t, so discouraged.
II there ever was an end TO it all wouldn't
mind, but mother and Bertha don't ever seem
TO care how hard work or If l never rest
at all. And as for ever going away or dress
ing rs Bertha does, you see how it 10 and
know all about it. l wish sometimes Lady
Bertha's dainty fingers could be as tanned
and scratched and rough as mine are. Am
l not wicked?" And here little ripple of a
laugh broke out. rs she held up her mites of
hands SO chapped aud brown. Ftal9
You know-she went OIL never know
when have a moment Ofmy own" and rs If
TO verify her words, her mothers shrill voice
came from the side door, and it seemed as
if the very rosebushes shivered while we lis
tened, .r.a
"Milly, Milly, | want you to run straight
over to Mr. Aliens with this package and
come back fast rs you can"
"You remember the old woman's L told
you so.' laughed Milly, as she sprang away
to execute her mothers commission, no doubt
light-hearted just for that little outburst, for
generally she was very patient child
went home that night plying her from
my heart. Yes, knew all about it. 1t was
wonderful how much those little brown
hands accomplished. They picked bushels
of berries in the season. They MIXED more
than their share of the cows, helped to pick
the screaming geese, of which l stood In
such terror. Chores innumerable fell on
her slight shoulders. for she was such q
slightly built child scarcely larger than girl
of nine, yet we knew she was fifteen. Poor
Milly! 1t was she that run the miles OF
errands for her borrowing family or rode
the horse TO pillow, rs tho occasion might re-
quire worked in the bayfield, and in short
worked everywhere that child of her size
could be made available. ,....
1t used to be puzzle TO me to know If
her mother had more than half heart
Bertha could be treated to nice hats and
dresses, sashes and fneries, take music les
sons and have good education. but that
had been years before, perhaps, after all
that was the key to Milly's hard work and
privations. Bertha was thirty If she was a
day, and the beaux were not so plenty as
had been, and no wonder, with her white
hands and silly small talk and contempt Of
anything useful. A Young man must be
devoid of brains to visit her with anything
like serious Intentions Of marriage, and 1
give them the credit OF saying that they did
not. The butterflies fluttered around for 1t
was pleasant place for an evenings call,
and hard to stop the old habit Of dropping
In to hear lll the gossip-for there you We're
sure to, get all the news and Bertha
was quite player on the piano, If
she chose to exercise her powers: believe
in those days she saw her charms were
waniHg for the mirror she consulted so often
must have told hsr that in snite of pearl
powder her complexion was getting sallow,
her curls were getting thinner. lot her ar
range them in whatever form she would.
Aud none but her dentist and herself
knew how many times those beautiful teeth
had been repaired. ~
Milly's was much the sweeter voice, which
no one seemed to notice her forehead was
low and the brown hair was fine and wavy,
but in her hurry it was always allowed to
hang In large net. or was cropped short TO
her head Aud, although school was near,
her mother never could spare her from home,
so useful had she become. Well, in just this
wise was Milly when 1 left home. Years
went by that never heard word from her.
My Rivervale correspondents were not
greatly given TO details, rarely getting beyond
the fact that such-and-such one was we'll
At leDgth-rtbO wonder was doubtless so
great-cAmc the news " You would never
know Milly B., she has grown so much,
and is quite pretty. She sings in the choir
and has a remarkably sweet voice. Some
how she has outgrown her old drudgery. and
Is quite ne young lady"
Bertha is far in the background, and il