Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-06-04

1 wish Melissa Bonney would mind
her business"
Don't get riled. 1 dare say it's true.
'Twculd be like you to court gal with
out penny, because you've not penny
yourself. Prissy Carols been raised out
of charity by her aunt"
'That don't make her loss lovable,
Cousin Silence"
Now, Tom Lowey, "said Miss Silence,
brandishing the big iron spoon with
which she stirred the lard, "don't make
fool of yourself over a pretty face.
Butter your bread before you eat it.
There's Melissa Bonney, whose fathers
worth"
That's enough, " interrupted Tom, and
before Miss Silence could stop him he
was out of the kitchen door ara walking
briskly down the path to the gate.
Lawful sakes what peculiar creatures
men are. Talk of me bein' peculiar;
why, / amt circumstance to that Tom
Lowey. He'll marry that Prissy Carol,
now, if it's only to show me he don't
care for my money!" and with a sigh,
Miss Silence went back to her lard.
Christmas gift, indeed~ she mutter-
ed, after standing for some time in deep
thought. Il think l see myself eatin'
humble pie to Martha Baldwin, But
somehow or other her conscience did not
feel quite so easy as it had felt before
Toms call.
An hour later Tom was sitting in the
widow Baldwin's small parlor, with his
arm about very trim waist, and very
lovely golden head resting on his should
er. 1t was very evident that the closest
economy was necessary with the Bald
wins, for the carpet was patched and
worn, the muslin curtains washed thread
bare, and the furniture in sad need of
varnish and new hair.cloth.
Il wish | saw my way clear to take
you out of this, Prissy." said Tom with
a asigh; "but clients are scarce enough in
Wolfboro'."
Now, Tom, where's the need to wor-
ry? l couldn't leave Aunt Martha, any
way. We are both young enough to
wait"
You're too good for this world, Pris-
sy," said Tom, with kiss on the dim
pied white chin.
There's some one knocking; let me
CO." cried Prissy, springing up and run
ming to the door.
1t was no visitor, but the hired man
from Miss Silence's farm, with the spring
wagon, which he had brought to convey
Tom at once. to his cousins home, for
Miss Silence had, not ten minutes after
his departure, an hour previous, over
turned kettle of lard by accident, and
been terribly scalded.
where's my hatp" cried Tom, in great
excitement. while the man was telling
how he had wasted time by going to the
office first, and not finding him there had
hunted up.
'Let me 60 with you, Tom; know |
can help" cried Prissy, as her lover was
springing into the light wagon.
"Oh, Prissy! if you only would"
"Wait until I get my bonnet and
shawl, and tell Aunt Martha; won't be
gone minute" and Prissy rushed into
the kitchen where her aunt was ironing.
go, by all MEANS" said Mrs. Bald
win, when she had gasped the meaning
of the girls incoherent explanation.
"Stay as long as you are needed, and do
not worry about me-"
Miss Silence made no remark when
Prissy entered her room with Tom. She
was in great pain, and was thankful to
see even this member of the hated Bald
win household.
For three weeks Prissy was chief direc-
tor at the farm, and managed things SO
cleverly that Miss Silence had no chance
to find fault. But the grim spinster had
no words of commentator for the young
girls untiring industry.
II calkerlate to pay you for what you
have DONE" she said one day, as she
watched Prissy making bread. "You
needn't think you're workin' for nothin.'
II don't want any pay, Miss Silence,
said Prissy, with trembling lips. Il an
only glad to do what can, because
she hesitated, and turned scarlet.
Because you're in love with Tom,
finished Miss Silence. 20, ycu needn'
blush; l know all about it, and il h'
chooses to break his head agin a ston
wall, amt agoin' to stop him."
At the end of three weeks Miss Silenc
was able to be about again, and Priss.
went home declining the twenty dolla
bill offered her for her services. But sh
had not gone three hours, before the hir
ed man came from the farm with tw'
large baskets, which he set down on Mrs
Baldwin's kitchen floor.
Compliments of Miss Silence. and sh
sent these in place OF the money" an
was driving off in the spring wagon be
fole Prissy could recover sufficient
from her astonishment to ask him an
questions.
The basket was full of good things {
every sort, and there was royal Chris
mas dinner for the Baldwins the ne1
day, much to the JOY of the childrel
who had contemplated ruefully dining 0
mush and potatoes.
Prissy sent a note of thanks to Mi
3 Silence by Tom, but she never receive
an answer.
Time went by, and Toms law busine