Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-04-27

tasted aud IL You had asked. Where III
should have replied chaotically but confident
~; Oh, in the sugar aud things. but mostly,
guess, in Hebes fingers.
Through the open window came little puffs
OF air. faint and sweet as baby's breath,
and fooled with the rings Of hair about her
face, until she brushed them back with her
no6ty hands, giving herself quite uncOn-
sciously tho look Of modern belle.
1 The cakes came out Of the oven, round
and golden, spotted here and thero with
sugary eyes where sugar bubbles had burst.
There ~ said Hebe with sign Of immense
relief, as she stacked up the cakes by tho
window aud spread white napkin over
them; "it's all come true--what Mr.. Bliss
says about Gods using our fingers to answer
our prayers with. | shouldn't wonder If He
had put Aunt Stebbins asleep on purpose"
Aunt Stebbins at that moment was shifting
the fragrance of fresh-baked cake through
crack 10 the kitchen door, and gaining all
the baleful knowledge which that rather lin
tied avenue of light afforded to ono eye and
these we're the words that fell slowly and
veugefully from the thin lips--"I'll be even
with her-the hussy I"
Hebe ran up TO her little back room, q
very poor place-unti she entered it. She
put back the curtain from the west window,
and sat down on stool in the level sunshine
The sun was dropping toward the horizon,
through fathoms Of misty blue and golden
haze, and the tranquil air was sweet with
old-fasboued pinks aud towering currant
Hebe was sensitive to beauty always, wide
awake TO tho charms of common things not
that flower or q sunset was of any CONNER
cial value to her, for she was absolutely in
capable Of tiDging sentiment with the rose OF
a sunset, or embalming it in the scent of a
violet. But her instincts we're 6ne aud true.
and they led her to appropriate, for their own
sake, sweets of sound scent, aud color wher-
ever she found them. Ordinarily. that is;
at present, worn with the fatigue of the day,
her head dropped on her crossed arms; and
as she slept, the old appls-tree just outside
the window dropped q few of its wealth
of blossoms on her auburn hair.
Aud as she slept, Miss Liza Stebbins down
below was getting seven with her,"
"HSre comes Hebe Gladney, girls and
with donation too, as you're alive!" whis-
pered Oiuthy Crane.
"Well, now, Hehy it's good to see your
bonny face" said Mother Bidde, busting
forward, and giving her comprehensive kiss
that made you think Of a sunaower smacking
peach.blossom. "And amt Miss Stebbins
Gomez" questioned Mrs Biddle.
mo ma'am," said Hebe, hesitating and
sorrowful.
"There girls; didn't tell you Lily Steb.
bins was mortal mad at the minister ?" said
Miss Crane, not too softly for Hebe's ears.
There's beauties, Mr.. Bliss!" exclaimed
Mrs Biddle, cheerily, catching the minister's
coat as he was passing, aud lifting the nap
kin from Hebe's basket; "you can always
count on something good from Miss Steb-
bins oven"
Oh. how Hebe blessed the dear soul, in
her heart for that speech
"Your aunt made em, dear ?"
"N-no-I made them," said Hebe, de-
voutly wishing that the tip Of Miss Stebbn's
little finger had touched the dough so that
she might divide the honors with her.
ala Mr.. Bliss, off with you now. not
tumble till supper time" cried the good wo-
man, holding tina basket above her head -
'you must save your appetite for the SUBJ
stantives," she added, unconscious of the
arid grammatical prospect to which she
doomed a hungry man. MRa,
"Ab, IF you knew on wha b rations
my housekeeper bad kept ms~for the last
week, starving me on anticipations of to.
night" pleaded Mr.. Bliss, patheticaly, but
Mother Blddle trotted of to the supper room
laughing and shaking fat finger at him.
Oh, the jollity and good fellowship attend
ing an old-fashioned donation party--that
compromise between meanness and generosi-
| ty, that parody on justice, that raven-like
method Of feeding starving Elijahs All day
the goodly stores pour 10 ; now a load OF
smooth-skinned hickory that made Squire
Treats eyes water in the loading; now a
white hen whose glossy feathers some little
maid kissed before sending it to the minister
now a barrel of flour, and bag Of coffee,
and packages of groceries, until the parson-
age appears to be in a state Of siege. Then
the delightful hustle, the boiler Of coffee,
steaming up fragrance, the mothers in Israel
hanging over the grooming supper table and
vedglng in one more plate of goodies, where
to any eye bat that of faith, there was not
room for fairy's tea-cup.
Friends, We will ask what we all need
Gods blessing" Mr.. Bliss stood, with lifted
hand, at the head of the table,
The hum of voices was hushed, the laugh
and the joke died on the lips, and all heads,
young and old, were reverently bowed while
he prayed that love might not be IN absent
guest, but that. sitting at one board they all
might be of one heart aud of ono mind.
"Now, Mr.. Bliss, l know you're hankering
after one of Hebe's jumbles," said Mrs. Bid
die when the meal had reached a stage that
| justified an attack on the cake.
"Thank you; remembering past famine,
| I'll take two" said the minister, beamiDg on
Hebe over Deacon Biddles shoulder.
That little speech created a demand for
jumbles that only stopped with the supply.
But alas for Hebe her eager eyes fastened
on the minister aud caught him in the act Of
making the wrYest of faces. At the same
instant Deacon Bidde, who had taken at a
bite two-thirds of cake, turned purple, CUR.
Cling aud sputtering alarmngly: "Bless tho
man !" cried his wife, promptly doubling him
over one stout arm aud humping his back
with all the strength Of the ether. A small
boy between the Deacon's legs, concluding
that boys were fallen on evil times when ven.
geance was overtaking deacons, took light
ming review Of his sins, gave himself up for
lost, and sent up lamentabs wall.
arts that horrd stuff - cried several can.
did spirits, and fragments of the cake were
dropped on floor and table with small cere.
mony.
"WhO would have thought the young heart
could be so desp'rit wicked AZ to salt dona.
ton jumbles !" sighed an old lady.
ats worthy of sheep in VOLTS clothing,
that it is" said Ointhy Crane, too righteous.
y indignant to mind her metaphors.
Blind with shame and burning tears, Hebe
slipped unnoticed through the door, picking