Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-04-10
he Only Pumpkin.

he Only Pumpkin.
1t was on Thanksgiving night, after all
the friends and relatives who had spent
a merry evening at his house had taken
themselves away with loud laughter and
invitations to come over soon," shouted
ont of the darkness as the wagon rolled
away-after the children had been sent to
bed in high glee at the unwanton infrac-
ton on early hours, and while bis wife
was still putting away the silver and fine
table linen-that Farmer Fielding went
out alone with a lantern swinging in hi>
hand to take II last look at the stable and
cow-house and make sure that the great
barn door was properly fastened.
He should have returned in ten minutes,
but twenty lad passed, when Mrs. Field
ing looked at the clock, and asked herself
in some surprise. what Hiram could have
found to dop And when ten more followed
without bringing him, and ten more went
after them, she grew little alarmed, and
tossing shawl over her head, went down
the path that led from the kitchen to the
barn, calling:
Hiram! IIiram
Hiram! she called again, her voice TAX
ing on that shrill, and unmusical tone
which fright brings with it. Hiram
Speak! where are you?
She stood by the barn door now, and it
was wide open, swinging in the wind on
it's great dark hinges; and within it was
all silent and dark There was not sound
not a gimmer of light from the lantern
Surely if he were there, she could see him.
or hear him at least, even if the lantern
had gone out.
Oh, Hiram she cried. don't scare me !;
don't try to scare me; for indeed I'm tnrn.
ing faint. I'm So
There she paused, struck dumb with
terror. She had taken step forward, and
her foot had struck something soft and
heavy that lay on the barn floor-some-
thing that did not move, but felt as though
it ought TO have done so. The faintness
had gone; in its place was that horror
which we all know, and which is different
from any personal terror and far worse.
She guessed what it was her foot had
touched.
She did not utter his name. She knelt
down and stretched out her hands and felt
about. The first thing that she touched
was a cold, limp hand, that fell nertly
over hers as she lifted it. Then she felt
upward from it, and touched face, also
cold. She gathered it up to her breast.
Dark as it was she knew well enough that
it was the head that had rested there so
often; her hand went through his curls and
II little moan escaped her. Dead, she sob
bed, dead, dead, dead. And then her voice
came back in wall that rang out upon
the night air and brought from the kitchen
Madge, 'the help and her beau, Ben,
who had been lingering over Il parting
there.
Ben, great stalwart fellow, lifted the
master in his arms, and carried him into
the kitchen. How Sarah Fielding got
there she never knew, but rs she knelt by
the long settee and wondered whether
with all those babies up stairs it was right
for her to pray to die, too. hope came back
to her in word from Ben.
Missus, he said, boss amt dead-he
amt no such thing he S stunned like. No
doubt he's hur! mighty bad. but lor, no
not dead. | wouldn't say so if it warn't
true. II fetch him into bed, missus, and
90 for the doctor. He'll come to-he II
come to; tell you hell come to.
Then it seemed to the poor woman rs il
heaven had opened its gates and given her
Il glimpse of glory.
She bent over him as he lay on his pill
low, and heard the CHATTER of horses hoofs
over The stony road, duled by the planks
of the wooden bridge, for II while. and
then sharper, though fainter, on the high
way leading townwart.
How long it would be before the doctor
came she did not know. If he were at
home, why, soon. II some one else had
called him, who could tell? Meanwhile
she bathed the poor, bleeding head while
Madme chafed the cold hands. and with
her white lips whispered fond, comforting
words us to baby. And ut last she saw.
indeed, that he lived. More color came to
his cheek. His eyes opened; but when she
spoke to him be answered her only with
groans.
One of the children had been awakened
bv the noise, and crept down stairs-a ht-
tie white ghost with u scared face and
seeing what had happened, had awakened
the rest by her cries.
And in the midst of this, the door open
ed, and thank heaven the doctor! but
worse than that, Ben, with horror in his
eyes, and hand pointed over his shoulder
toward the red glare that flashed up
toward the sky.
Madge saw and comprehended, and
quietly slipped out after him. The barn
was on fire; and while the poor wife with
in the shuttered room had one thought
only, Will he love better than the world
beside live or diep despite the fruitless aid
that came too late, though it was freely
offered, barn and stable, hay and cattle,
were licked up by the devouring flames
And all the efforts of the bewildered to
save the little homestead and one poor
COW, dragged by Maige's faithful hands
into place of safety.
A poor Thanksgiving for Mrs Fielding
said many a kindly matron us she heard
the news next morning. Yet Sara Field
ing was at that very hour thanking God [;
for, as the doctor went away, he had put
out the good wrnkled hand that had given
her the first spoonful of medicine when
she was baby, and that had held up her
own babies for her to look ut in her new
motherhood, and had patted her on the
head, and said: