Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-02-24


the Lord hasn't anything for your hands
to do just now, or feet, either. as for
that. Yours all seem to be inside work, |
but the other kind will come in the
right time; perhaps sooner than you
think. See how pretty the baby looks
in that streak of sunshine, doesn't she? ?"
"Oh mother, 1 don't know what
should do without you. There always
seems to be a streak of sunlight for you
to see everything in."
Meanwhile Phil had gone into the
garden, and seating himself on log,
proceeded to paint his trellises. He
painted them tastefully in green and
white, and put them on the fence to dry,
and sat down to whittle some sticks for
more. Just then handsome carriage
stopped. and lady called out
"Are your trellises for sale %
Philip advanced to the fence, and re-
Piled
81 didn't expect to sell them, but l
should like toe"
"How much would you ask !"
"Well," said Phil, in a hesitating
voice, "do you think fifteen cents apiece
would be to much %
"No indeed, not enough. I have
been looking for such things in the city
to-day, but saw nothing so pretty and
strong as these. I will gladly give you
fifty cents for the two. But have you
no more? 1 want some small, delicate
ones, and some larger than these. Can
you make them as nice as these"
"Yes, ma am nicer. should be glad
to, for my father is sick. and l have
been trying to get something to do.'
"Very well, then, will agree to take
them. Good-by;" and the carriage
whirled away.
Phil fairly few across the garden to
the house.
"Look here, father, it may be pay
ing business after ALL Just look
here % and he tossed him the fifty
cents. alt has turned out just as moth
er said 1t always does. I've sold my
trellises, and she wants more. She
wants all sorts of queer shapes, and
father, don't you suppose you could
think up some, while | whittle ?"
"She Who is she"
Why. the lady that bought 'em. she
was in carriage, and she's awful rich,
know by the looks of her. She's coming
again, and I've promised to have lot
ready"
"Well, suppose I must help you,
then. What's to hinder my running
the rattan in after you bore the holes ?"
That's so. Twill help lot, and
I'll 60 right to work, and get things
ready"
After Phil left the room, his father
lay there thinking. He closed his eyes,
in order to think better. and when his
wife came noiselessly into the room
thinking he was sleeping, she thought
she had not seen such happy express
sion on his face since his fall. His
mind was full of pretty designs. He
would have hardly believed that SO
: small matter as trellis would have
, absorbed him so, and it seemed to him
that his desire to help Phil, and to sur
: prise him with something new, was the
4 great stimulus of all.
S Phil soon returned with the imple.
/ ments of labor. Fine and course wire
t rattan, old hoop-skirts springs, and long
e smooth sticks were placed on the table
: within easy reach of the sick man. Tht
g kitchen suddenly became workshop
d Even Mrs. Lee caught the enthusiasm
d often stopping her work to admire ant
praise. Birds, with wings fully spread
n were poised lightly, but strongly, on tht
y tops of long sticks. There were circu
6 lar trellises, spirals, hearts, anchors
harps and crosses, some woven with fin
;, wire, others strong and heavy for thicl
a shrubbery. A double good was bein
e wrought. The dependency of the fathe
e was rapidly leaving, and cheerfulnes
was taking its place, and the mothe
lie looked on with thankful heart.
1T At the end of the week the carriag
II stopped again, and the ladies were ir
vited in to see the trellises. They wer
is marvels of taste and beauty, and coul
not be enough admired. One of the la
l dies paid Phil eight dollars for the lot
1T and the other left an order for the sam
e. number, and promised to tell Mr.. Wir
10 an extensive gardener about them.
l After they left, new thought can
II into Phil's mind, and he could hardl
r wait to put it into execution. He rusl
is ed out to the woodpile, and looked
to over with critics eye. Every rougl
ungainly knot and stump was maj
to of beauty now in Pills eyes. He Dire
We the sticks along in front of the kitche
window, his face red, and his brigl
ut eyes sparkling with excitement. H
de father watched him with great interes
ng He was forgetting his aches and pain
to Phil took sharp saw, and sawed {
ut the wood into proper lengths. leaving