Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-08-01
" Such Folks"

On one side of the street the houses were
decent" on the other respectable" in
the esteem of ordinary passers-by But the
decent people regarded their neighbors
as "genteel," and so envied and aped them,
while the genteel regarded them as low,
and despised them.
Among the decent" people was the family
of an honest, hard-working teamster, who
had spared no money in educating his two
girls for teachers and keeping them and
their mother as nicely dressed and comfort
able as possible
The girls did not find that committees
were waiting at the door OF the high school
to bear them off at the close of their grad
uating exercises. Months passed, and, eagerly
as they had sought situations, they were
still at home doing nothing, while their
mother cheerfully did everything rather than
compromise their position, at the bread bowl
or the wash-tub.
The old man was not strong, and the hope
of "starting the girls in life " had buoyed
him up through long struggle; he, in the
meantime, creeping in and out of the back
gate, lest 'such folks" as the opposite neigh
bors should know he was the man of the
house and the father of the girls whose pa
tient practicing on rattling piano was any
thing but agreeable to them.
He ventured at last to suggest that there
were other ways, aside from teaching by
which girls could make a living. The mother,
whose love exceeded her wisdom, exclaimed,
"What, and waste all we have spent on their
education
1t was in vain that the sensible father
hinted that learning was something that
would keep" The mother asked, indig-
nantly, "What would our opposite neighbors
aud such folks think, if they knew of their
leaving their books and piano for shops and
stores ?"
To know "such folks" and TO appear
! like them, was this poor woman's highest
ambition; while all that such folks" knew
or cared about them was TO say, Why
don't that old teainster take his whip To
those girls and stop their pounding that
poor piano y
But there are "such folks" at both ends
OF the social line Our young girls were in
pursuit of schools which they could teach, OF
of music scholars they could not teach
The upper part of the house was vacated
and bill put up, Women, whose fine
clothes contrasted strangely with the style
of the apartments, came TO look at them
and the silly mother of our young girls said
she did hope such folks would hire them
Aud when poor, weary'looking women anc
young mothers with babies in their arm,
came, then she said, " | do hope such folks
won't get in here !
After a score of persons had examined the
premises, they saw the landlord come up tn,
steps and pull off the bill. The house wa'
let and TO whom, became the great question
The mystery was soon solved A wagon
drove up to the door with very little pair
g.. t.ll II IL
widows cap, of very shabby Grape, and ,
bright young girl with her arms full OF boxes
and bundles.
To the horror of the people below stairs
the young girl having deposited her burden
returned and took books pictures, looking
glass, and other little things from the hanc
of the driver, and carried them upstairs
"Oh, dearl" exclaimed the old tenant
How dreadful to have such folks get int
the house with us What will the folk,
across the street think !"