Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-05-05
A faint flush crossed tho visitor

thin face. She was not quito sure
that shc had been called indolent and
advised to 60 TO work aud earn an
honest living the words only had an
uncomfortable sounds 80 tho lips
kept their timid, gentle smile, though
they trembled q little. She held frat
one hand in It's thin cotton glove, and
then the other to the fire moved un'
easily, glanced down at her feet with
a dim thought that II they had always
chosen tho smoothest path II bad been
rough enough to wear out her shoes
much faster than she could replace
them and then she arose to Co.
"Yasn't you rather hard on her,
Lixaboth :" asked Mr., Wilkin, with n
regretfal glance toward tho door as It
closed.
Mrs. Wllkin returned to her seat at
tho breakfast table and surveyed him
over the coflee.pot.
"Hard on heri only told her
what I do, and II that pricks her con-
science and makes her uncomfortable,
It's not my fault. But you needn't
worry; she just said good.morning as
sweet as ever. She's one OF the weak
kind that cant DO stirred up, and have
not spunk enough TO say their souls
their own. | wonder what such folks
are good fori They'll! never make
tho world any better that's sure.
They haven't courage enough TO help
put down any evil if ii was right an'
der their noses they'd only stand and
smile. The very sight Of EN- pro!
vokes me. I consider it my duty to
speak out when see things going so
wrong"
"But then everybody amt alike,
Liz'bc,h," interposcd Mr.. Wilkin.
"Needn't tell me that! It's plain
enough snapped Mrs. Wilkin. "Just
look at this neighborhood- -peaceably,
orderly place two years ago; and now
there's new mill started and all sorts
of vagabonds drought here to work
in it. IF I'd had my way they would
mt have come; and now they are
here somebody ought to keep a sharp
watch on 'em. But that's the trouble /;
there's so many mild, easy folks that
want to sit still an do the knittin
work of life that there's precious few
left to take care Of the good of soci'
ety."
81 don't see as the mill folks have
done any mischief yet, 'Liz'heth."
"Of course you don't see, and no
body else sees; but l know there's
something going on when the lower
part of the mill-that old empty store
room back there, it can't be seen from
the Streets lighted up two or three
nights every week." said Mrs. Wilkin,
triumphantly. 'I've watched the
twinkling through the shutters, tight
as they're shut, and seen folks slippin
in through the door, too. It's time it
was looked after, and I'll do my duty,
if nobody else does. There may be a
gang of thieves or counterfeiters start
ing for all we know"
A suppressed giggle made Tim sud-
denly cough and put down his coffee
cup.
"Timothy," exclaimed his aunt Sc
verely, "if you cant drink coffee with
out doin' it so fast as to choke your.
self, you'll have to 20 without it. III
do my best to bring you up right,
whatever comes OF it."
Bringing up Tim in the way he
should 90 was one of Mrs, Wilkins
strong polDts. He was the son OF hel
niece and Belinda had married in
opposition to her aunt's advice. Mrs.
Wilkins protested and then washed
her hands of tho whole mater.
But when the poor man was so in
conslderate as to die and leave Belinda
with half.a-dozen children just when
she needed his help, Mrs. Wilkins opin
ion of his general 'slackuess' was YER
flied. The family were poor. of course
She didn't believe in sending in many
self-dependence was a duty
but she offered to take Tim.
"Having the boy to raise makes me
more careful about the morals of the
whole place." she said, returning to
her original subject, "and as for there
being no thieves round here, Eve
thought for sometime that meat wen
pretty fass from our smoke.house.'
"Dont-now Liz beth, I'm sure
no ones stole any," said Mr.. Wilkir
with startled uneasy look. 'Yor