Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-11-28

ground strewn with deep red carnations, an
blue sea-pink flowers the chairs were r,
cushioned with the same stuff, and the curtain
Of it hung before the windows there was
dark gray carpet on the floor, with cort
pattern of scarlet in two shades, red an
blue cloth oD the round table, where ais
were gathered Joes foreign treasures, ,-
Japanese idol or two, a few shells, one
them holding a wild rose in its pink convolu
tions, Chinese basket of foreign nuts, an
the big family Bible in the midst of all. Th
room might have looked gaudy but for tn
low ceiling, the gray walls. the small pane
windows; but as it was, there was only al
aspect of cheer and warmth, and delicat
| odor of roses. The other room was all O
Joe's ordering; he had brought its Sigh
bamboo chairs, its settee of the same type
the nests of teapoys, the scarlet and blacl
walters that leaned against the wall, even tn
delicate mating, home in the Nancy Beers
and the dreadful dragons, the puffy Manda
rims, the topping pagodas nailed against tn
wall, relieved ones mind, since they wer
pictured on rice paper, from dread of thei
long and ugly endurance. corner cup
board held set of curious China for tea
drinkings, and few old spoons, quain
enough to match the cups; this was the sum
mer parlor. The kitchen shone with neat
ness the tea-kettle sung already on the stove
the table was laid for two, and in the pantry
good store of fresh bread, yellow butter, cake
berries and pies, contributed by friendly
neighbors, promised more present solact
than the ungainly pots of foreign sweetmeats
Joe had thought it necessary to provide. 1t
was simple, clean, cheerful old house, sci
in the middle of fiat green field, but il
seemed little paradise to these lovers, and
the mighty diapason of the sea did not daunt
them for they had each other.
But when September came, and Josiah had
gone, Sally began to feel that there is a price
to pay in this world for even natural and
honest happiness. She thought she had
been lonely before but what had it been z
nothing to this Poor child she not known
her own measure, her own possibilities, nor
were they yet fully tested.
Aunt Lyddy came on her visit, and had all
the news of Baxter at her tongues end to re-
late, and then all the hospitalities of the
beach to receive and return besides it was
the years busy season to a housekeeper Sal
ly had fruit to dry, herbs to gather, apple
sauce to boil down, cranberries to store, her
few house plants to pot for winter compan-
ions; she must see TO the potatoes, the car
rots, the cabbages, and put down her winter
butter Her deft hand, clear head, and good
sense had won appreciation and respect al
ready from the housewives of Matoonoc, who
were not the most skillful or provident of
their kind, but too apt to live like their hus-
bands, sailor fashion, from hand to mouth.
But when Aunt Lyddy went home, when the
bright still days of October were gone the
hillsides that had glowed like fields of blood
with red huckleberry leaves, swept bare aud
gray the great swamp turned from gor-
geous mass of gold and purple, scarlet and
green, to a low and leafless stretch of misty
woodland; when the splendid sapphire sea
became a livid, sweltering ocean beneath
threatening sky, and dashed its sullen anger
on the shore, or lashed by mighty winds drove
its mad tides high in air and far on land,
with bits of wreck, and naked vessels when
fogs lay low and deep over land and sea, and
the fog-horn from the lighthouse sent its
waiiing warning note through the dreary day
and night; then Sally's heart failed her, and
she thought she knew what it was to be a
sailors wife
Thank God, our lives only come TO us day
by day There are few hours to endure,
to work, to fight with dismay, and then there
is respite at night, except for those who
dream and Sally did not dream, she was too
healthy, too practical too uninjured by
trouble or pain to dream sleep came TO her
as the night did, blessing from heaven, and
even the fog-horn ceased to keep her ears or
hSA tlNo OptL aver a DIlcl CApeIlcuCes DuL
We who dream we who rehearse every sor-
row in new and ghastlier form who recall
the dead with their averted eyes and alien
speech to mock our longing, and battle our
grasp; who predict our coming agonies and
rehearse them, as it were. beforehand, even
waking with the certainty Of grief to come
or, worse of all, renew in sleep the Joys for
ever lost clasp with fond embrace and fer
vent caresses the little forms that land and
sea separate from US see face to face with
tender recognition and welcoming kiss the
shape and countenance alienated from us for
long, lingering years and then, from the
keen rapture and joyful surprise, wake to
find it all dream toe know what wear and
tear to soul and body mortal suffering can
bring, but we too thank God that it is to-
days burden only we have to bear, and not
to -morrow's; that we are taught and accus-
toned to pray only for our daily bread.
So day by day the winter wore away for
Sally she had her work to do, which helped
her, as work always does she had chicken
coop behind her wood-shed, and the futter-
ing inmates amused and occupied her some
what; the neighbors were very friendly she
had comfortable, pleasant home, and little
care and with unconscious philosophy she
comforted herself, thinking how much worse
of she might be-thoughts which are won
ierfully consoling to all of US, if we can only
think them
Once or twice she heard from Joe, and
more often she wrote to him, hoping some of
her letters might reach him, much as she
might hope dry leaf, wind-whirled through
space, would alight on any given shore but
still she wrote. Spring brought her the com
tort of outdoor life, the cheer of springing
grass, of budding trees, of soft winds and
showers, of work in her garden, and new life
in broods of bright-eyed chicks, fluffy yellow
goslings, and queer little waddling ducks
she loved pets, from the cross old cat she
had imported from Baxter and waited on all
winter, to the neighbor's droning horse that
carried her TO and fro to the occasional meet
ng, or to get the semi-weekly mail She
wished in her secret heart with all the shy
iervor of a young and childless wife, that
heaven would send her little child of her
OWN, to share her solitary, longing life and
make il blessed; aud for want of such a
grant she loved all little living things, and
elt hope bud and blossom in her heart as
he spring went on and the birds came, and
hings grew in life and strength; for the dear
words of our Lord came back from Natures
he SO care for one of these"
md it seemed to her as special revelation
hat Joe would also be cared for and return
ID to her safely.
But it was a long year and long voyage.
summer came aud went, and Aunt Lyddy
With it, but the Clio did not appear in Bos-
on Bay hope grew sick, and faith almost
lespaired, till in the middle of October Joe
anne in one day to the still clean kitchen and
,ut his arms round Sally, who had heard his
tep coming up the path, but in very agony
If joy could not rise to meet him.
"Only one MONTH !"
Sally looked into Joe's eyes two weeks Rf-
er his coming, with a look of pain and sur
,rise hard to bear.
"Well, Sally wish to mercy could help
t bless you, my little girl what in thunder
would You do eff l was a whalin' capen
hree years a v'yge, an mebbe seven, I've
moved it so 10 be-"
do I'd go with you"
'Ho no no 60 with me I'm blest if
'ou would dear whaler amt no place for
women folks, now / tell ye. Ef l was only
'wner of the Clio you could go along, easy
,ut whaler my eye how do you think
'ou'd stan tryin' outI"
'gBut only month Joe ?" Sally recurred