Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-03-28

Bread Baking, and the Three warnings.
It was in the days of our grandmothers,
when there were brick ovens in the land,
that Mr. Hubbard bought his house and
bought it very much against his wifes will.
| It was n lonely house, and reported to be
haunted. Itwas next to a graveyard which,
though unused, was not cheerful, and which
had likewise the reputation of ghost.
| However, MIR. Hubbard did not believe in
ghosts, and was too cheerful to be depressed
| by warnings and never intended 10 be lonely.
"Mrs. Hubbard" he said, when his wife
shook her head over the purchase, g got it
cheap, and il is good one. You will like
it when you get there If you don't, why
then talk"
So the house was bought, and into it the
Hubbard family went. There was scarcely
chance for ghost to show his face amid
such 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 week, she
made up her mind that there were no such
inhabitants she even began not to mind the
tombstones. SO the house got to rights at
last, and baking day came about. In the
press of business, they had great deal OF
bakers bread, and were tired of it.
Mrs Hubbard never enjoyed setting a
batch of bread to rise as she did that which
was TO be eaten for the first time in the new
house. For cannot get up an appetite
| For %, hat "
the making Of said Mrs. Hubbard, and
all puffy and aumy besides"
So into the oven went the bread, and out
it came at the proper time, even and brown
and beautiful as loaves could be. Mrs. Hub
bard turned them up on their sides as she
drew them forth, and they stood in the long
bread-tray, glorious groofs of her skill and
the excellence of the oven, when Tommy
Hubbard bounded i'll. Tommy was four ;
and when at that age we are prone to believ'
That anything will bear our weight Tommy.
therefore, anxious to inspect the newy-mad'
bread, swung himself off his feet by clutch.
ing the edge of the bread-tray, and over ii
came, loaves and Tommy and all.
"Mrs. Hubbard flew to the rescue and
picked up the oaves. All were busted and
put in the tray again but one. That lay
bottom upward under the table.
A bothering child, to give me so much
trouble !" she said. as she crawled under the
table to get it. "O-ah-dear, dear, dear
90 my"
And there on the floor sat Mrs. Hubbard,
screaming, wringing her hands and shaking
her head. The children screamed i'll CON
cert. Mr.. Hubbard rushed in from the gar
den where he was at work.
"What's the matter, mother 2" he gasped.
Mrs. Hubbard pointed to the bottom of thc
loaf lying IN her lap.
"Look there aud see !" she said. " 1t is a
warning. William, | am going to be taken
from them all"
And he looked and saw death's-head and
cross-bones, as plainly engraved as they pos
sbly 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. g The storie'
about the haunted house were true" she
said and the spirits have marked the
loaf. | am afraid it's warning" Aud the
loaf was put aside, for even Mr.. Hubbard
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 CAM
to Mrs. Hubbard's all the week to look at it
1t was death 's-head and crossbones Ger
tainly; every one saw that at a glance, bu
, as to its meaning people differed. Some be
lieved that it was warning of approaching
death some thought that the spirits wante'
to frghten the Hubbards away, and get pos
session of the house again, all to themselves
( This latter suppostion inspired Mrs. Hui
bard with courage; finally, being bray
woman, she adopted the belief and whe
another baking day arrived put her oave
into the oven once more, prepared for cross
= bones, and not to be frightened by then
The loaves baked as before. They came on
brown and crusty as Mrs. Hubbard turne
each in her hands. There were no eros,
0 bones visible, but on the last were sundr
a characters or letters. What, no one coul
tell, until there dropped in for chat
certain printer of the neighborhood accu
y toned to reading things backward.
i by George said he, "that is curious
u That is curious-r-e-s-u-rg-a-m resurgam
h that is what is on the loaf-resurgam."
;, "Well, yes" said Mr. Hubbard, bein
obliged to admit it. :" But it is not so ba
) as cross-bones and SKULL
= Mrs. Hubbard shook her head. It's eve
# solemner," said the little woman, who wa
; not as good linguist as bread maker. I"
: feel confident, William, that shall soon
o resurgamed, and what will these dear chi
5 dren do then 7"
& And now that the second loaf was befol
4 her eyes, marked even more awfully tina
the first, Mrs. Hubbard grew really pale an
i thin, and lost her cheerfulness. " | have
s. presentment," she went over and over agai
,l :" that the third baking will decide who
G the warning belongs to. believe it is meal
for me, and time will show. Don't you 5,
. how thin ! am growing =
ID And though Mr.. Hubbard laughed, he all
lie began to be troubled. The third baking df
"a was one of gloom. Solemnly, as at funers
!. the family assembled to assist in the dra'
A' ing. Five loayes came out markless bl
ry one remained.
c. Mrs. lIubbard's hand trembled; but 81
If drew it forth she laid it on the tray 81
d. turned it softly about. At last she EXPOSE
ID the lower surface. On it were letters print,
m backward plain enough to read this tim
is and arranged thus;
n, "Died April 3D.
al lamented by
ar her large family"
-, at is me-" cried Mrs, Hubbard. 81 a
IN to go tomorrow. This is the LIST. do fe
10 faint. Yes, do, 1t is awful, and so su
d, dem" And Mrs Hubbard tainted away
ut the arms of the most terrified of men al
he husbands.
!" The children screamed, the cat mewe
e. the dog barked. The oldest boy ran for b
ed doctor. People hocked to the Hubbard
The loaf was examined. Yes, there W
en- Mrs. Iubbard's warning-her call to qu
ot this world.
m She lay in her bed, bidding goodbye
m, her family and friends her strength goii
lie fast. She read her Bible, and tried not
IT'S grieve too much. The doctor shook his hea
to The clergyman prayed with her. Nobo
M doubted that her end was at hand, for peoI
III were very superstitious in those days.
gs They had been up all night with go
ist Mrs. Hubbard, and dawn was breaking, al
lg. with it she was sure that she must G
ey when, clattering over the road and up to I
We, door, came horse, and on the horse came
rs, man, who alighted. He ratified the knock
- aud rushed in. There was no stopping hi
nd Up the stairs he went, to Mrs. Hubbard
he room and boted into it. Every one star
m at him as he took off his hat,
5" "Parding,' said he, breathlessly, 4" hea
in Mrs Hubbard was a'dying-and she'd wal
ou, ings on her baking / came over to expla
all You see | was sexton OF the church he
few years ago and | know all abo