Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1876-09-08

ing INTO the property anu just as soon as
she got back from the grave, she went tC
counting over the things, and what do you
think There was six of the old lady's best
sheets gone"
"Dear me-" said Mrs. Fairman, coming
out of the buttery, with her apron half full
of dried apples, "theso are solemn times"
The expression had great force, although
1t was little uncertain whether 1t applied
TO Aunt Debby's sheets or to things in gen.
eral.
~ guess they be-" croaked Miss Hen
slow, suspending the operation of pairing
one of the seams of Deacon Broderip's coat.
at looks as though there wouldn't be a
spear ofgran raised this season and thoin's
Dave Blodgelt, one of them Millertes-
second adventers they call themselves
saying the worlds going 10 be burned up
this year, on account of the big hcrn and
the little horn in the book of Daniel. 1 ask
ed him if he wouldn't like TO engage me to
make his ascension robe, for thought ifhe
didn't come out straight in his calculations,
might as well have the job"
Salome stepped out of the bedroom with
Cruel bowl in her hand. She was a tall
girl, with light hair just turning little on
gold. 1t had slipped out Of its braid and
was banging against her white neck.
"What mop of hair Lome has got"
said Miss Henslow, when she had gone
back into the bedroom. 81 notice that
weakly girls are apt to run 10 hair"
"Salome amt rugged, that's cerlain,"
said Mrs. Fairman, who was interrupted
| in her calculations as 10 whether she could
squeeze out molasses enough TO sweeten
the dried apples she was coring. "She amt
tough, and had TO be put 10 bard work be-
fore she got her growth. II Sarah Jane
didn't keep school 10 help along I could let
| Salome puIler round for year or two
and then guess she'd get hearty; for the
doctor says there amt anything chronic"
81 don't know about that" broke in Miss
Henslow. "She looks TO Inc just like Sis
| ter Patty's girl that went of with gallopine
consumption"
"There ain't no consumption in the fam
| ily," returned Mrs. Fairman, giving a snap
| pish little jerk TO the hand that held the
bread knife.
"Wal, 1 didn't mean TO scare you, Mrs.
prepared for things as they come along"
"rm never unprepared," returned the
other disMally. ave gone through with
so much that it seems as though l was al
ways expecting trouble; and Obed, he
don't seem to sense things as do; don't
s'pose it's 10 be expected. Religions a
great solemnizer, Miss Henslow; and now
when it looks as if we all were going TO
starve, and the cows don't average more
than two quarts apiece, II seems most
sin TO be making jokes"
"Look there at Miss Darcres," said the
tsiloress. "Ain't she stiff-necked7 l un-
derstand Jo comes here pretty oflen after
LONE"
"He comes TO see the boys" returned Mrs.
Fairmln, with some asperity.
"Law, young fellow can visit the boys
and squiut toward girl at the same time.
But I'll tell you what, the old lady won't
like it if Jo means to play that game. feel
1t my duty as a friend 10 let you know how
the land lays"
Mrs. Fairman had finished coring her ap-
pies and now she went to the sink and be-
gan plying the handle Of The pump with
such vigor that her neighbours last words
were fortunately lost. Miss Henslow re-
membered her goose heating red hot over
home, SO she took herself and her voice
away; but not before she had got peep at
the canaille bread under the crash towel;
and that same afternoon she thought it was
her duty TO go over to Mrs. Seth Spencer's
and tel! that lady how Strengthened the
Fairmaus were.
10 Dacres, a broad-shouldered hearty
young fellow, with n great stride, and a
CHEEKY, loud voice, was just opening the
gate of the home place. 1t was the snug
gest, best kept farm in the neighborhood.
Simeon Dacres, the old man, was forehand-
ed, and had money laid up in the bank;
and II there is anything country folks do
respect and bow down before, il Is money
in bank.
Mrs. Dacres always regulated her affairs
by the almanac and the first of May the
sitting room stove was taken down, wheth-
er or no ; and now the house was as chilly
as cellar, with a clean smell about it of
whitewash and varnish.
Mrs. Dacres was waiting for the men
folks to come to dinner. She had blown the
horn twice out of the back door, and the
pork in the spider was curling itself up in-
TO little, hard, bilious looking scraps. With
enforced patience she came in and sat down
in the rocking chair with its puffy feather
cushion, and united her cap strings. She
was large woman, with a heavy tread,
nd double chin, and an immense talent
for managing. In her own person, she rep
resented the hard-headed ethics OF Burn
ham, and perhaps was more honest, If less
nice, than some Of her nelghbors.
"Obed Fairman has been kicked by a
horse, mother" said 10, betraying a little
hesitation in his tone. "The hurt isn't dan
gerous, but think 1t would look friendly
II you should step in and inquire how he
Is"
"lfitain't dangerous, shan't stir step,"
returned Mrs. Dacres, shutting her mouth
to positive line. "You do running enough
over that way for the rest of the family;
and expect you'll make fool of yourself
one of these days.
"There might bel two opinions about that"
said 10, rather evasively.
"Wal, you know what think right out
fat-footed1 You're hanging around that
girl, and expect you will get weakly
wife on your hands, who will be whining
round with nurailgy or highpo half the
time. Obed is shinless. don't mean that
he is lazy but he hain't got no kalkerla-
ton. His wits are off wool-gathering half
the time; and Salome is cut out of the
same piece of cloth. She's as easy as an old
shoe, and would sozzle round house aud