Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-04-13
DREAD-BAKING,
And the Three WARNINGS.

1t was in The days of our grandmoihers,
W hen there were brick ovens in the land,
that Mr.. Hubbard bought his house, and
bought it very much against his wife's
ill. 1t was a lonely house, and reported
to be haunted. 1t was next TO a graveyard,
which, though unused, was not cheerful,
and which had likewise the reputation Of a
ghost. However Mr.. Hubbard did not be-
lieve in ghosts, and was too cheerful to be
depressed by warnings, and never intend
ed 10 be lonely.
"MIs. Hubbard" he said, when his wife
shook her head over the purchase, 81 got it
cheap, and it is good one. You will like
it when you get there. If you don't, why
tLeu talk"
So the house was bought, and into it the
II ubhard family went. There was scarce
ly chance for a ghost to show his face
smid such a family OF boys and girls. Mr..
and Mrs. Hubbard counted ten Of them,
all noisy ones.
Having once expostulated and spoken
out her mind as TO the house, Mrs. Hub
bard gave up the point. She scrubbed and
secured, tackled down carpets and put up
curtains, and owned the place was pretty.
AS not ghost appeared for a week, she
made up her mind that there we're no such
inhabitants she even began not TO mind
the tom bstones. So the house got to rights
at last, aud baking day camo about. In
the press of business, they had great deal
OF bakers bread, and were tired OF il.
Mis-. Hubbard never enjoyed setting a
bat eh of bread to rise as she did that which
was 10 be eaten for the first time in the new
house. For / cannot get up an appetite
for stuff that nobody knows who has had
the making Of" said Mrs. Hubbard, land
all puffy and alumy beside"
So into the oven went the bread. and out
it came at the proper time, even and brown
aud beautiful as loaves could be. Mrs.
Hubbard turned them up on their sides as
as she drew them forth, and they stood in
The long bread-tray, glorious proofs Of her
| skill and the excellence OF the oven, when
Tommy Hubbard bounded in. Tommy
was four; and when at that age we are
prone 10 believe that anything will bear
our eight. Tommy, therefore, anxiousto
inspect the newly made bread, swung him
self Off his feet by cluicbing the edge of the
bread tray, and over it came, loaves and
Tommy aud all.
Mrs. Hubbard few to the rescue and
picked up the loaves. All we're busted and
put in the tray again but one. That lay
hottom upward under the table.
"a bothering child, 10 give me so much
trouble! she said, as she crawled under
the table 10 get it. "O-Ah-dear, dear,
dear 90 my"
And there on the floor sat Mrs. Hubbard,
screaming, wringing her hands and shak-
log her head. The children screamed in
concert. Mr.. Hubbard rushed in from the
garden where he was at work.
"Whal's the matter, mother 2" he gasped.
Mrs. Hubbard pointed 10 the bottom of the
loaf lying in her lap.
al ook there and see - she said. 'It is
a warning. William, am going to be
taken from them ALL"
And be looked and he saw a deaths
head and cross-bones, as plainly engraved
as they possibly could be.
at is accident" said Mr.. Hubbard
"Such queer cranks do come, you know"
But Mrs. Hubbard was in a troubled
state of mind, as was but natural. "The
stories about the baunted house were true, "
she said "and the spirits have marked the
loaf 1 am afraid its warning" And
the loaf was put aside, for even Mr.. Hub
bard did not dare TO eat any Of it.
Mrs. Hubbard got over her fright at last
but the news of the awfully marked loa
spread through R, and the people came
to Mr.. Hubbard's all The week to look at 1t
1t was a deaths head and cross s-bones GER
tainlyj every one saw that at glance, bu
as to its meaning, people differed. Some
believed that 1t was warning Of approach
ing death; some thought that the spirits
wanted to frighten the Hubbards away
and get possession of the house again, al
TO themselves. This latter supposition in
spired Mrs. Hubbard with courage; final
ly, being brave woman, she adopted th'
belief and when another baking day ar
rived, put her lOaves into the oven oncS