The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1880-10-14
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iacbcetT sad Appt Jane. Take 'fm ss !
ha4, thsysn q sitlpts iot, an expect u
have iE@f anjF done ioF cm
The Oh I'D kBiaing needle. drove
smNi Ilghip.ug 10 and 0ai tbe iloekiag
hesl sbe roaa3td
Nav, ,beres Deacon Mrtib iIe
makes zoe 20 filsd seiila' 50 fetiin', %
calm llle, ahslsyef happens. Calm
himself 49,
Optimist Aont jana Impaired
Msab'n, suppose, contained ibe
breslbless old lAdy, tbsl i,'s more soothin'
70 ibe ioelis's 20 put Up with other pco.
pleis troubles ihaa 10 t,lFabout an belp
'em when you can. hsin1 goi no kind
o. patience with such folks.
Aa oplimIst, Aunt Jane, said !, soolh-
Z Ingly, is topposed TO be one who thinks
aA Is ordered for the best, aOd who looks
on The bright sido Of things; sort Of
laughiug pliiosephsr
Deaeon Martin don't lAagh no more'n
the rect OF as, Sarah, responded my aunt,
With 3 shake OF ber esp ribbons. Sskes
alive never seen him more solemner
Az ibe idea Of bis letlin' things 20 10
si1ts su' seyens, an expeelin' Slius some
thiu' 'lIturh up At the last mint
Now, Aunt Jane. interrupted, again.
Iyou know Catherine, Deacon Martins lii.
lie maid, is one Of his special proyidences,
you say, and she isrcerlainlY great tav-
orite Of yours.
L hain't got a word 10 say agin Gather
Inc; she's powerful smart little ereetur.
Bal it does 20 asln my grain 10 see bow
he never appears to think Of her nor help
her along, sn how she's clean best out
hsviD to lur1 this way az that % get
even The Tar meals together. Irsevery
bit cause he's 80 shiiless, kind o. depend.
in an dopendh' Oh sometbin' outside
Fhimsel6 ldeelsfe when 60 over TO
that there house o. bisn, an see ber so put
TO IL, lose my Christian patience. And
be thet up when be s'n't traipsing round
the woods an fields arter what Catherine
cslls specymens, nasty, crawlin' vsrmin,
an weeds littterin' up The hull place Ibis
nose stuck tween books, and the farm
goiu' to the dogs under that lazy hired
help he's brought over from the mill.
How tbe girl stands II is more'n know.
ia give him pcce o. my mind an leave
bin 10 lud his own vittsls, an cook 'em
too!
Why, sunt, exposiulated, Catherine
seems happy enough, ifihat's all you have
against the deacon. She sings all day at
her work, and has smile and word for
the very chickens about The place.
/ dare say,I dare say ,reitersted the old
lady, with degree OF modified rsscibli.
ty But the deacon must sggravate her
bein' so helpless an takin' no notice, 10
speak OF, OF her. She's nothin' but q
child though she be so spry and know
in. She's just eighteen next ThanksgiY.
in day.
0 Aunt Jane, pleaded at this conven-
lent jnncture, you know how often, since
came, you have promised to tell me all
about her: how she came to be house.
keeper ct Deacon Marin's, and where
she 60 her bright ways and education.
She is not bit like the rest Of the help in
the village.
Now, if Aunt Jane could find patient
auditor and happened to bit upon a con-
genial topic, her cup Of happiness was
full, and on this special occasion she was
satisfied.
had developed a wonderful amount Of
curiosity concerning the half servant half
housekeeper at The Martin farm, and ad.
mired the little active, attractive figure of
the girl as sbe moved about the place, its
very life and propelling power. To be
sure, old g Mother Martin, as The neigh.
Oors ,caIled the deacon's
mother, was living, but stroke of psrsI'
yss had left her almost helpless, and she
was but an lditional burden TO the little
maids many cares.
hs'n't no objection TO teiIin you all
know bout Catherine, responded my
aunt with alAcrity. II ain't much, arter
all, but it's just enough TO make me feel
the deacon s'n't, IN my mind, payin' bis
dues. II she is one Of his special provi-
denees why amt be more ihankful2
am SO anxious 10 know her story,
aunt, interrupted.
Well, theB, she began, settlipg herself
down in her high backed rocker and wip-
ing ber speclacles in aslow aud enjoyable
way, you see Cs.heriue's mother want a
native. She came here just afore the
child was born an took the Bidwel place
down BY the mill II wasnot much 70 brae
on, bat there was garden, 40 she SOFT
O cot II fixed up q bit, and want no wise
Uncomfortable when Catherine came
But, somehow, the widow didn't pear to
beo' much account for geltin' on. She
tried 10 do little sewin' an' little
teaohin', an even took 10 washin', when
Catherine was big enough TO help, but
she didn't bold out long al any one thing,
an they bad wrcstlin' time Of 1t. When
the girl weren'l more'n ten the widow
suddenly died, an some relations ofher'n
out West seat for Catherine An' che bad
to 90. What ever happened out there
she never ie, ou, but someihIu' went
wroug-an' whatever Il be, alins hold
that little ereatnte was 10 The right-and
In about three yesisshe came back lookin'
terribly peaked az thin sn' Kind o scared
ike 10 them big blae eyes o. hsrn She
went straight 10 the psstof-an' one o the
elect be was, AZ called II ever man bad