St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-05-04
Barbara's Difficulty.

barDaraS s Difficulty.
That Barbara Hawkins owed n GOOD
deal to her step-mother was fact that
she could not have concealed from her
self if she had tried.
Her fathers house had been IL very
home of discomfort during the dull in
term between her own mothers death
and the arrival of the youthful and
winning stranger who had been some
how persuaded by Squire Hawkins to
come and take keer of his little dar-
ter"
The history of the next five years, in
which she herself had grown from girl
hood to wOmanhOod, included all the
genuine sunshine of Barbara's life. and
she knew to whom that change, and Il
good many other excellent things, were
due.
Then, since the squire had been
gathered to his fathers, what Il notable
manager had widow Hawkins proved
herself for the very moderate property
he had left behind him !
1t was just there that the difficulty
was now coming in, for that which, with
such good management, had kept the
| two women very nicely so long It's they
lived together, could continue to do so
only under just that state of affairs.
| The widows share, if set apart 10y itself,
would be only another name for power
! ty. True, and yet what suitOr, or at
least which one of the tNO now nearest
to proper condition for consideration,
would care to ''marry Il mOther-in-law." ;"
and step-mOtheT at that, as well as Il
wife
"And she understands it," said Bar
bara to herself that September after
noon, ''as well as | do. She's as polite
to both of them as if they were courting
her instead of me. | must say it's been
very convenient once or twice, for they
both like her. In fact, every body likes
her, and that's what makes my position
so very peculiar"
A very pretty girl was Barbara Haw-
kins; even prettier than her step
mother, and that was saying something,
i'll spite of the widows thirty wears.
A bit of belle, too, was the squire's
''heiress" in that unambitiOus rural
community, and by no means without
some characteristics which put the viz
lage gOsSips ut times in mind of .oquil e
Hawkins'S fust wife"
AZ 'liC plCoCul j llONcN tIlt
public opinion of the DOrcas Society
was more than usually perplexed The
best judges of such matters were III
clined to ''guess Bill Emmons is leetle
ahead" although this was sure to be
followed by the remark, ''But then, you
! know, Dan Growers got ten dollars to
Bills one, and he's mighty sight stid-
dier."
And Barbara was in a worse quandary
| about it than the Dorcas Society knew
how to be, for at times she almost sus-
pected her heart of threatening an i'm
pertinent interference before her head
could have fair chance.
"She'd be entitled to Il third, sup
pose" solilOquized the fair maiden,
land she's wonderful hand with her
needle. There's no danger of her
starving. There's lots of folks'd be
glad enough to have her come and live
with them.'
And Barbara did not know it, but
train of thought very nearly related to
her own was at that moment passing
through the mind of the widow, us she
stepped lightly to and fro among the
household duties, of which she so kind
ly relieved her step-daughter.
Il don't hear the piano." murmured
the soft, low voice of the widow, land
yet | know she wanted to practice that
new piece. Young EmmOns'll he here
this evening. | ought not to say word
in such matter. She's old enough to
decide for herself, but why can't she
see that Dan Growers worth five hun
dred of him g-nOt to mention his big
farm, and that's something nowadays.
| wouldn't put that in her head, how
ever-nOt for the world. I've paid
dearly enough for making just that sort
of a mistake. Better have gone out to
service or taken in sewing. That's
what may have to do when Ban bara's
married"
The neat, tidy figure paused in the
kitchen doorway as she said that, and
shade of sadness swept across her face.
Live in the house, with Bill En-
mons for the master of it 2" she ex
claimed, after a pause. Not |, indeed,
She won't have sense enough to settle
on Dan Grover, I'm afraid. Would |
stay, then, if she did Not so long as
| could earn OF beg any other shelter !"
The last exclamation came out with
unnecessary energy, and the widow
caught up broom and made an i'm
mediate assault on the kitchen floor.
The sweeping was very unnecessary
indeed.
Barbara had clearly misunderstood
her step-mOther, and the widow had
also failed to penetrate the mind of the
squire's pretty and sensible representa-
tive.
There was only too good reason
why the sheet of music forwarded by
Nh. EmmOns had received SO little at
tentiOn that afternoon.
Barbara's morning walk had carried
her past the fine old homestead of the
Growers, now the sole property of the
present family representative, and she
had noted only too precisely the reno
waiting and beautifying process on which
Dan was expending half the proceeds
of that years liberal wheat crop.
CarDepters. GLACIERS, painters and