Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-10-04

HUI hofS W fVuO lVu up az hiShS W 80
for the doctor every time he screws his
dear little face up into pucker; and
then she is so fond of babies | dare say
she will tend him half the time; and
think how much more time shall have
to read to you and make parish calls r
In due course of time Mrs. Briant
made her appearance. She was deli
cate, pleasing. lady-like little woman,
with sweet brown eyes and a marvellous
ly sweet voice, that excellent thing in
woman" Never yet came Nemesis in
gentler form or more alluring guise; but
it was Nemesis all the same. She was
an acute and observing woman there
was quiet but keen penetration in those
soft brown eyes, but there was no bit
terness about her.
She read her son-in-law's character at
once. the soft brown eyes went straight
through his shallowness down to his sell
fishness and Incidence. OF course her
motherly instincts were all on Lucy's
side, who, she saw, vas dropping under
burden of care beyond her strength !;
but she never thought of making her
unhappy by pointing out her husbands S
faults to her; on the contrary, she al
ways praised him whenever she consci-
entiously could, treated him with mark
ed Difference, and made him more CON-
Portable in dozen little ways, while she
was all the time quietly loosening his
wife's bonds and transferring them to
him.
"bIr. Holland" said she to him one
day, in her sweet. gracious way, "will
you have the kindness to pick us some
peas for dinner to-day ?"
'Me l pick peas ?" asked the aston
ished son-in-law.
"0h, no, o!'' hastily interposed Lu-
cy, 81 will go and get them | was just
going"
my dear child-no The vines are
wet with last nights rain; and with
your thin dress | would not have you
do it for the world /; and l am sure that
Mr.. Holland would not listen to such a
thing"
mo, mol certainly not" said the
Reverend gentleman, ''it is not fit for
her. of course !" though he remembered
uneasily how many times she had done
it, even in the rain. "But can not Ka.
tie get them %
= 81 do not think she can," said the
gentle voice; ''she is very busy ironing
your shirts. and she does them very
well, but she is very slow. I could shell
the peas if | had them; but it is M
matter; if you do not care about them
we will do without. We have only plalr
boiled corned beef, to-day, and though
you would like some vegetables besides
potatoes with it; but please don't go i
: you don't want them
r But Mr.. Holland was an epicure in
r small way, and he did not fancy a din
ner of beef and potatoes. So he went
/ and from that day the picking of tn
| peas, beans, cHcumbers and tomatoe
| was, without any talk, dropped quietl
into his hands.
!, And so with many other little out-oi
u door duties which usually devolve upo
Y the master of the house, but which Lucy
d in her loving eagerness to spare her hui
e band time and trouble, had indiscreetl
n taken upon herself; Mrs. Briant, laugl
Il ingly accusing her of over-ofhciOusnes
;. quietly took them out of her hands au
+ restored them to their rightful owne
II And all this was done so sweetly by Il
o amiable law-giver that neither par
r. could gainsay her, and the mysti6t
d minister actually felt she was sustainII
n him in his rightful authority. Indee
he was morally and physically a bette
ir happier and more useful man for t
healthy out-of-doOr employments
a which her sagacious administration hi
le subjected him. He dawdled less wi
I'd his pen. and wrote better when he d
N write.
70 By this time Mrs. Briant's visit dr.
), near its intended close, the gentle lit
H. taetician had her leviathan pretty W
in hand for, though quiet in her adva
ces as the incoming tide, she was gu
G. as irresistible. Lucy, eheered by
it mothers presence and silent suppO
I'D and set free from the household bon
to that had SO oppressed and enthrall
Iot her, was herself once more. She b
it regained her elasticity of step and fe
e ing. and, brought on by her mothe
lis judiciOus management, she had tai
ad and worthily filed her proper place
en- the parish as the ministers wife. a
he was beloved and respected by the c
his gregation.
II have been thinking, my dear
i'd. Holland, /" said Mrs. Briant, In her N
ex- mellifuent tones. one day when the 81
a she had presided over bad given
ry great satisfaction, ''that after i le
ri you. Lucy had better have sec
md girl"
an. Mr. Holland looked up in blank 1
e prise. and calmly and sweetly the L
cen went on aK atie. though a good CIR