The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-01-26
BELLY's WIFE.

OOu hDO" NilJ lueu tilOW mo 10
introduce to you ian Irisbman by trade,
and a mechanic by the grace of God :" Il
perfect pet among the girls, as handsome
as the day is long, aud as good as
he is handsome. That 10 Billy,
or rather ,eas Billy when first l knew
him. He Was the youngest Of the squad
of carpenters that worked on our new
building, and altogether the most active
and .flicient of the parry. They sent him
to | TIE exposed positions, and he risk,
ed his life gaily, every day. There i, c
special Providence for fools and child
ren," said he, "aud l claim protection
under the first clause of that law"
l was watching him, one day, ST work
en- top Of the house. when his foot slipped
and he started head foremost for terra
frma. When within ten feet of the bot.
tom be touched some scaffoding with hi.
hand, "swspped ends" and lighted on his
feet, like the tumber 10 the circus. IN de
me an elaborate salaana. and climbed ~
again to his eyrie fall forty feet above my
head.
Billy bad not worked long tot US When
it became apparent there was something
on his mind The jolliest of fel
lows among the men, he yet strovt
to get away from them in his leisure
bours, aud passed the greater part Of Sun
day OF. iu the meadows, OF unier the
trees. Even 10 the house he was addict.
ed 10 reverie, aui his absent. minded re.
plies 10 remarks made to him gave rise tc
many laugh The query went round
Whats the matter with Billy7" tat
found uo solution until | guessed it.
lie was in love. The neighboripg girl,
laughing-eyed. dimpled.cheeked rustic
beauties who came to visit me, could
make DC impression on his faithful heart
Being myself motherly individual Of
that type which Byron describes as fair
fat, aud forty" billy took to me as nat.
urally as ducks TO water, aud before long
be told me all about it.
The prsttiest girl in all the world
Mrs. Brown be said but that would b,
nothing If it wasu'i Ter her goodness. To
be sure she is two years older than |, bu
why should care She is 50 truthful
and innocent. you can look clear dow.
through her blue eyes iuto her very sou!
She is q big girl she weighs huudrec
and fifty ponds judged it 10 be near
er one hundred and eighty. But thel
you are big, you know, aud the hoss Ger
.sinly made teuserk. when he got you
| like big girls myself. lfthey are swe
and good. yea can't have too much of 'em
an like Chinsman buying boots;
want the bigges, can get for tho money
Then Alice is smart, l tell you, it. fac
she is to smart too be tied to such nun
skull as | am, and can't tell what sh
sees in me to love; but there is no ac
counting for taste She does lovo me
anyhow, in spite of nv ignorance anc
awkwardness. God bless her. And
am wholly grateful to her for It. Yes,
nm. The thoughts of it briggs tears t
NJ eyes often, though you wouldn't tax
---rne for such granny
And away be went singing in u rich
clear voice, "lm lonely tonight, lovt
without you" aud | passed in out Of th
moonlight to put Little Pickle TO bed
thinking all the time OF Billy, aud hopin
bis girl would be as good and as true Q
be believed. But somehow, without an
particular reason, felt sorry for him.
have u sort Of o!d- fashioned pity for mel
anyhow, thinking OF my own good hu,
band. and how be has struggled to sur
port me and the children, until care an
anxiety have furrowed his dear face an
blanched his hair, whio have been $
sheltered ard protected that time has lei
me almost untouched, About q, youn
as when | married you, Liz, aud hsa
better looking, he said, last Sunday ,whe
, | had on my new blue aud white ca &c
,, for the first time.
Before long Billy got leave Of absenc
aud went to Sacramento, whence he r,
turned, bringing his wife. She was vi
ling--even euxious-to help mo with tn
housework aud soon. with hig.hearte
tyranny, she monopolized it all c
course | could not rest in my easy. .chai
feeling all the time that l was imposio
upon her kindness aud so after conferiD
with ny husband, it was decided to pa
? her fair wages for her work.
She was remarkably hGnisone ",
? man, with 'head.piece' on her, i'ifiee
years older than Billy at least two sh
called it. but he was young In years gn
in the Vaccinations of our charming Sc,