Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-04-18
"Yis,- repeated Aunt Huldah. ''set his

|
'em mind We. Ef we hadn't been palt ~
, tools We should ha' mistr.sted suthin. Et
that gai's Abigail Basseu's darter, things'll
fly. | tell We" And here Aunt Huidah
blew a long breath out, as II her steam was
at high pressure and could not help open
ing valve for relief and wise Aunt Han.
nab seized the chance TO speak.
well. Huldy. declare TN beat. my self !;
but we can't help 1t. | must say looked
, forward 10 the time when he would do It.,
but didn't reely expect Il jest yet. We've
got Lovey. anyway; and ef Melindy Amt
pooty capable woman she'll hev her
hands iull with Bub and Marah."
"Thet's fact" returned Aunt liuldah.
whose inmost soul rejoiced at the prospect
OF Bulbs scontnmaciousness under new rule,
tor he was not a small hoy any more. and
shingles were in vain; though he still made
certain outward show OF obedience.
Marah. too, was well calculated to be q
thorn in the flesh OF any meek step-mo,her.
with her high spirits. untamed temper, and
utter wiliulness; and Aunt Huldsh. whose
soul was sore,-not because of Freedoms
marriage, for she recognized It's necessity.
bat because OF lis Indecent haste, which
not only seemed an insult to gentle Lowly.
whom Aunt Huldah had loved dearly, but
a matter OF talk to all the town where the
wheelers had been "respectit Ike the
lave" Tor mary a long yesr.-Aunt Huldah
rejoiced in that eXasperated soul OF hers at
a prospect of Torment to this woman who
stepped Into Lowy's place quite uncon-
sciou. OF any evll design or desire on the
part of her new relatives.
But 1t was no meek step-mother whom
Freedom brought home from a very in-
formal wedding, la his Old wagon. some
three weeks after. Melinda Bassett was
quite capable OF holding her own. even
with Aunt Huldah; Il strapping. buxom,
rosy ,aced girl, with abundant rough dark
hair and pair OF bright, quick dark eyes.
an arm OF might In the dairy, and a power
of work aud management that would have
furnished forth at least live feeble pieces
Ike Lowly. FIeepon soon found that he
had inausurated Queen stors. Bab MAS
sc, 20 right a. 10 his clothes, aud pitched
into, as he sulkily expressed II, In way
that gave him new a new aud unwilling
respect for the other sex; and Msrah en-
1 tered at once Into az alliance. offensive
aud defensive, With the new NANNY"
Tor Melinda was pleasant and cheerful
when things went right, and generally
meant they should go right. She was
fond OF children. too. when they were
pretty behaved. and Merah was bright
enough 10 tind out. with the rapid peroep-
ton OF keen-witted child, that IL was
much better for her to be pretty behaved
/ than Otherwise.
But Freedom lit WAS new times To have
his orders unheeded and his ways derided;
he had been lord and master In his house a
long time, but here was a capable. plucky,
| courageous. and CHEEKY creature who made
no tones OF turning him out OF her domiu-
ions when he inierfered, or ordering her
own ways without his help at all.
Land OF Goshen" said Melinda to the
/ wondering Aunt Hannah ..Da Vou sttn.a
| ltD goin' to hcy a mau tewin' round In my
/ way all the tip., i.sf ~cs h@'- 49, hps hs,,d.
guess not. ! know how To tend 10 my
business. aud | expect TO tend right up 10
II; moreover, ] expect he'll tend TO his'u.
When get holt OF his plough. or fodder
his team, or do his choppin', II be time
enough for him to tell me how to work
butter nd scald pans. ] amt nobody.
tool. tell ye, Aunt Hammer"
-'Im glad on't,-I'm dredful glad on't,"
/ growicd Aunt Huldah. when she heard OF
this manifesto.
That. the talk she'll straightcn him
out. III bet ye, Fl poor Lowly'e had ihnt
spunk she might ha' been liyin to-day.
But | guess she's better OIL" suddenly
wound up Aunt iiuldah, remembering her
cathechism, M Doubt. as she walked off
inattering. Are at their death made per-
feet in holiness. and do Immediately pass
into glory an assurance that has upheld
many n tried and weary soul more conver-
SAINT with the language OF the Assembly OF
Diyines than that OF their Lord aud Head;
tor in those old days this formula OF the
faith was ground into every infant memo
ry. thosgh the tender gospel words were
comparatively unknown.
So the first year OF the new reign passed
on: aud In the next February Freedom
was mastered by a more stringent power
Ia. ta.. fall s.f al. a.h.
ioned typhus fever. mahgn evil that lights
down here and there 10 lonely New Eng-
land farm houses, utterly regardless Of
time or place; aud in a week this strong
man was helpless. nuttering deiirious
speech. struggling for life with the fire that
filled his veins and consumed his flesh.
Aunt Hannah came 10 his aid, aud the
scarce ueighbors did what they could for
/ him; brother farmers snored away the
| night Ia a chair beside his bed. aud said
they had "sot up with Freedom Wheeler
last night, ADMINISTRATION worse than use
less. but yet repeated as a sort OF neeiful
! observance; and az the end OF the first
J week Aunt Hannah was called away 10 the
"up chamber" room, where Melinda slept
now and big boy was introduced into
the Wheeler family; while Moll Thunder.
a woman skilled In ''yarbs," as most of
her race are,-for she was half breed In
dian.-was sent for from Wingied, and
took command OF the iever-patient, who
| ragged and raved at his will. dosed with
all manner of teas. cboked with lukewarm
| porridge smothered In blankets, bled
| twice a week, and kept as hot, as feeble.
| and as dirty ss the old practice OF medi-
cine required till disease became a mere
question of "the survival Of the tttest;"
our grandfathers and grsndmothers are
vaunted to this day as healthy, hard
working race, because the weakly share of
each genet alton was neatly eliminated ac-
cordng TO law.
But ii Freedom was helpless and wand
ering Melinda was not week was all she
spared to the rites and rights Of the occa-
sion; and when she appeared In the kitch
en-. defying and horryfying Aunt Huldab,
there ensued brisi and spicy converse
tion between the three women concerning
this new baby. who Law sucking his fist In
the old wooden cradle, looking round,
hard and red as a Baldwin apple, and quite
unconscious what a hre-brand be was
about TO be.
Its real bad. amt i;r' purred Aunt
Hannah, ITO think Freedom shouldn't
know nothing about the baby. He'd be
just as tickled."
Il don't know what for snapped Me.
linda. Il should think there was Young
But there wasn't boys" answered Aunt
Hanuah; Freedom is sOt on having boy
10 be called tor him; there's allus ben
FREEDOM Wheeler among our folks. as well
as a Shearjashub and never see him
more pestered by little thing than when
I them two babies died, both on them being
baptized Freedom; and he's Lad real
controversy with Providence, Parson
Pitcher sez his minds 80 sot on this bus
iness."
well. this feller isn't going to be
called Freedom, now, l tell ye," uttered
Melinda, with look OF posItiveDess that
chilled Aunt Hannah TO the heart. Hes
jest rs much my baby's he is his pas and q
. good sight more. blieve; shan't | hey
all the the trouble on himf and jest a.
quick AS he's big enough to help instead Of
. hinder. won't he bc snaked sf inter the
. lots to work? I've seen men folks afOre !;
and tell ye, Aunt Hammer. you give them
I .. t.lr. ...ReA