St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-03-23
tFrom Chambers Journal.
To Marry Again or Not.

Idst III nef uear dead face, and kissed
it and the fingers that had wrought so
deftly and untiringly for the poor, for
our children, and for me. | am hale,
active man of seventy, one, through
Gods mercy, capable of much enjoy
ment but day and night pass not
without thoughts of how well she suited
me: how simply she admired me, how
tenderly she loved me, what happy
old couple we should have been.
81 wonder you never married again,
Norton" said my early friend, Jack
Hathaway, to me once. "You must
have wanted wife in the parish as
well as at home, and you must feel very
lonely in the long winter evenings"
Then | knew that he was thinking
lovingly of his fat little wife and COM
monplace children at home, and | was
glad of it, for he is good creature, and
though we are intellectually antagonis-
tic, and he sometimes Offends my taste,
| like him because we were lads to-
gether. | felt that | must say some
thing, and | am sure | astOnished my
self more than | astonished him when
said: "To tell you the truth, Jack,
did think of it once.n
l was so taken back by the having
made such a confidence had never
| breathed the fact-had intended never
to breath it-that | felt as | think |
should feel if one of my good sound
front teeth fell out, and had to attack
piece of coal.
"Then what hindered you 2"
"Well, to be ecandid-postage stamps"
"POstage stamps ?n he queried loudly.
10 - | anSIuaTa1
81 will tell you all about it, if you real
ly feel interested, but L would rather
not have it repeated"
81 am rs deep as well, and of course
| Pm Interested"
With that he crossed his legs, leaned
back in his chair, and looked eXpectant.
/ began ''You know that | was left
widOwer with two children, a boy
and girl. They went to school as
soon as they were old enough. About
sending boy, there can be, i'll my
opinion, no doubt and l do not be
lieve that a solitary girl can be edu-
Gated, with advantage to herself, at
home. She requires cOmpanionship,
wishes for it, and ought to have it. l
even took care to provide it fol mine in
her holidays. My wife had always
taken great interest i'll the DaltOns.
Dalton was the perpetual curate OF
Furzeham about four miles off, and he
had married favorite schoOlfellOw OF
hers. 1t was an imprudent match !;
neither of them had any money; OF
course they had Il large family, and
Furzeham was worth fl20 per annum.
Mary helped them a great deal, and,
You'll be kind to the poor Daltons-
won't you p was among her latest eX-
pressions.
Their oldest daughter was two years
older than ours, and ten years wiser
Education, as it is usually understood,
she had none it was simply impossi-
BILE first there was no money for it ;
next, her mother wanted her to help in
nursing, sewing, cooking, housework.
| must say the child was a strong case
in favor of no education. She had
abundance of talent; and her father
being a gentleman, her mother gentle
woman, she acquired easy, self-uncon
scious manners, talked with tact, read
aloud charmingly, wrote capital let
ter-she even danced and sang when
she had opportunity. Now, partly fol
her sake, to give her the recreation she
deserved, and glimpse of better social
things than existed at home, but much
more for my own girls sake, always
had Dorothy Dalton to spend her va
cation with her, and | treated her in
every respect as another daughter
even to kissing her and blessing hel
night and morning.
1t went on thus six or seven years
till Anna married, which she did al
eighteen. Dorothy had been invalu'
able during the troublesome period o.
preparation for the Wedding; and wheI
it was over, asked her mother to leave
. her with me for time, not only to Sc
new arrangements going, but to tall
to me =; for Charles, who was with m'
for the long vacation, was very dull
=, and a mere boOk-worm Mrs. Dalton
agreed and for several weeks all wen
on delightfully."-. Dorothy had an ex
quiste gift of companiOnship-
> set conversation going when it wa
wanted. and her silence was never glun
or oppressive. AS far as | am con
eerned, this state of things might have
y lasted to the present day shoul'
never have dreamed of putting an en'
to it-but one morning | was alarmed
bv a visit from Mrs. DaltOn-I sa,
. alarmed, not only because her cOun
tenance betokened trouble, but becaus
| knew that it was barely possible TO
her to leave her family. My frs
thought was of some pecuniary difficul
ty; not that she or Dalton had eve
. asked for even small loan-yet hOv
could they make both ends meet? He
first words were: i want TO speak t
you alOne.'
$50 you SHALL replied. Now, m
dear good friend, what's the matter
Nothing serious, | hope 2
"'No,' she said family, and with
quivering lip, not looking up at me
but want Dorothy to come home wit
me to-day
"'Why p asked is Dalton i'll, o
one of the children, or are you? Wha
is it9
It "She broke into quiet tears; an
knowing the woman's long endurance
her strength as well as tenderness c
character, was very much affected.
"Come, come,' l said soOthingly
;. remember what an old friend / an
=. Try and fancy that am Mary whis
m pered, and took her roughened hant
spoiled for society, but in my eye
- made venerable by holy househoul
toll.
"She wiped her tears, and said: wv
! have all forgotten that Dorothy is no
a woman. We ought not to have a
le lowed her to stay with you after Ann
!. went away. People are making il
1t natured remarks
20 E.Then felt exceedingly angry, an