Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-03-26
WOODSTOCK, VT,, WEDNESDAY,, MAR. 90, 1875

lhe farmer ~ liA own mihu wiahc'
to live raIer longer Tor at the ulmos
he considered that his wlie's bill 0
mortality had but two months Il
run, The calculation made him sor
rowfnl, During the last four month
she had consulted bis appetite, ben
TO his humob aud eonformed her owl
inclination IN q manner that could no
be supplied
His wife, from being at first usciu
to him, had become agreeable, and q
last dear aud as he contemplated
her approaching tate he could not hell
thinking out audibly "that be shoul'
be lonesome man when she wal
gone"
The dame, this time heard the sur
vivorshlp ioreboded without starting
but she marycled much at what sh'
thought the infa'uat'on of a doomed
man. So perfect was her faith in tn
infallbilily of st. Mark, that sh'
had even seen the symptoms OF morla
disease as palpablc ms plaguc-spo's OF
the devoted yeomsn. Giving his body
mp, therefore, Tor lost, stong scns'
of duty persuaded her that it was I'M
perative on her, as Christian, L
warn the unsuspecting farmer of hi
dissolution. Accordingly, with q sol
cmnity adapted TO the subject, a ten
dcrncss OF recent growth, and q me
momenti nori face, she broached th'
matter in the following question;
"Alaster, how bee'st though 7"
"As hearty as a buck, dame and
wish thee the like"
A dead silence ensued the farmer
was as unprepared as ever There IL
a great fancy for breaking the truth
by dropping it gently; an experiment
which has never answered, any more
than with iron-stone china. The dame
felt this and thinking it better tc
throw the news at her husband a
once, she told him in as many word;
that he was a dead man.
1t was now the yeoman's turn to
be staggered. BY parallel course OF
reasoning he had just wrought himself
upto n similar disclosure and the danes
death-wawant was just ready upon
his tongue, when he met with his own
signed, sealed and delivered.
Conscience instantly pointed out the
oracle from which she had derived the
omen.
"Thee hast watched dame at the
churcbporch then 7"
Gay, MASTER
"And thee didst see me splntously."
wn the brown wrap, with the best
hose. Thee were coming to the church
by Fairhorn Gap ; in the while l was
comming by the Holly Hedge"
For a minute the farmer paused
but the next he burst into fit OF un-
controlable laughter, peal after peal,
each higher than the rest. The poor
woman had but one explanation for
this phenomenon. She thought it a
lelirlum, a lightning before death !;
and was beginning to wiring her hands
Ind lament, when she was checked
by the merry yeoman.
"Dame, thee bee'st fool. 1t was
myself thee seed at the church.porch
seed thee, too, with notice to quit
Upon thy face; but thank God thee
oee'st a living, and that is more than
cared to say of thee this day ten
month y
The dame made no answer her
leart was too full to speak but, throw
rg her arms around Ler husband, she
howed that she shared his sentiment.
And from that hour, by practicing a
careful abstinence from ofense, or a
sufferance of its appearance
hey became the most united couple in
he country. But it must be said that
heir comfort was not complete till
hey had seen each other in safety
'ver the perilous anniversary of st.
Marks Eve.
The moral which this story conveys
S one which might prove a useful
monitor to us all, if we could keep it
II daily remembrance. Few, indeed
Ire2so course in their manifestations of
ll.temper as this Rentish couple are
described but We all indulge more
,r less, in unreasonable tretfulness and
,etty acts Of sel6shness in the relations
# husband and wife, parents and child.
en- brothers aud sisters-in fact, in all
he relations of life. 1t would help us
.reatly to be kind, forbearing, and
elt.sacrifcing toward nelghbors,
riends, and relatives, if il were always
,resent TO our minds that death may