The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1877-06-07
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sell II sbe bad tried.
Her fathers house had been s very
home Of discomfort durluK the duii IN.
term between her own mothers death
and the arrival Of the youthful and win
niag stranger who bad been somehow
persuaded by Squire Hawkins TO ZONE
and lake keer Of bis little darter.
The history Of the ne1i Eve years, 10
which sbe herself had grown from girl
hood to womAnhood, included all The
genuine sunshine Of DarbArA's life, and
she knew to whom that change, and 3
good many other excellent things, were
due.
I 7 en-, sinee The Squire bad been
gataoIei 70 nis fathers, what notable
mAnsger had Widow Hawkins proved
herself for the very moderate property
be had lefl behind him
II was just there that the difficulty was
now coming 10, for that which, With
,uch good management, hAd kept the
I two women very nicely so long As they
/ lived together, could continue to do so
only under just that state Of Affairs. The
widows share, II set spart by itself,
would be only another name for poverty.
True, aud yet what suitor, or at least
which one of the two now nearest to a
proper condition for consideration,
would care to marry = mother-in.law,
aud step mother at that, as well as q
wife2
4 Aud she understands IL. said Barbara
10 herself that September afternoon, as
well as ! do. She's ss polite to both OF
them as il they were courting her instead
of me. must say It's been very eonyen-
lent once or twice, for they both like her,
In fact, everybody likes her, and that's
what makes my position SO very pecu-
/ liar.
A very pretty girl was Barbara Haw-
kins; cyeH prettier than her step mother,
and that was saying something, in spite
Of the widows thirty years.
A bit of belle, too, was the 'Squire's
heiress In thai unambtious rural commu-
nifty, and by no means without some
characieristics which put the village gos-
sips, at times, in mind Of Squire Haw-
kin's fust wife.
AT the present junctnre, however, the
public opinion ofihe Dorcas Society was
more than usually perplexed. The best
judges of such matters were inclined TO
guess Bill Emmons is a leetle ahead, al
though 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 stlddier
Aud Barbara was in worse quandsry
about II than the Dorcas Society knew
how TO be, for at times she almost sus-
pected her heart Of threatening amin
pertinent interference before her head
could have a fair chance.
She'd be entitled to third, suppose,
soliloquized the fair maiden, and 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 1t, but
train OF thought very nearly related to
her own was at that moment passing
through the mind Of the widow, as she
stepped lightly to and fro among the
household duties, OF which she so kindly
relieved her step daughter.
don't hear the piano, murmured the
sof, low voice Of the widow, and yet
snow sue wanted to practice that new
piece. Young Emmons II be here this
evening. | ought not to say word in
such matter. She's old enough to de-
eide for herself, but why can't she see
that Dan Growers worth five hundred of
him ?--not to mention his big farm, and
that's something nowadays. | wouldn't
put that in her head, however not for
the world. I've paid dearly enough for
making just that sort Of a mistake. Bet
ter have gone out 10 service or taken IN
sewing. That's what may have TO do
when Barbars's married.
The neat, tidy figure pansed in the
kitcaen doorway as she said that, and a
shade OF sadness swept across her face.
Live in the house, with Bill Emmons
for the master OF II? she exclaimed, after
pause. Not !, indeed! She won't
have sense enough TO settle on Dan Gro
yer, Pm afraid. Would stay, then, if
she didi Not ss long As could earn OF
beg any other shelter!
This last exclamation came out with
unnecessary energy, and the widow
caught up broom and made an imme.
eiate assault on the kitchen floor.
The sweeping was very unnecessary
indeed.
Barbara had clearly misunderstood her
stepmolher, aud The widow had also fail.
ed 10 penetrate the mind Of The 'Sguire's
pretty and sensible representative,
There was only too good reason why
the sheet OF music forwarded by Mr.
Emmons had received so little attention
that afternoon.
Barbara's morning walk bad carried
ber past the fine old homestead Of the
Growers, now The sole property Of the
present family representative, and she
bad noted only too precisely The renoya,-
ing aud beaaufying process on which
Dan was expendIng half the proceeds OF
that years liberal wheat crop,
Carpenters, giaziers, painters; and all
the Dorcas Society were 10 arms, she
knew. sboal the eKiravagAnt waste with