The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-09-10

throw on a sun-bonnet and step over to
Neighbor Parker's and git some, and
Miss Van will never surmise the state
oil my larder. Lor, / wouldn't a-had
the neighbors know that hadn't bit
of Clipped beef in the house for for
tune.
so i picked up n plate-a queer
looking thing, a monstrosity / calls it,
that Rube had brung home once. It
had snake like life curled up in the
middle of it, and for fear it wouldn't be
natural enough it was riz on the stuff
looked as If you could knock IL off most.
and | often wished / could, for /
couldn't stomach the thought of eatin'
off it while that varmint was coiled u
there; an as if tina. wasn't enough,
there was snails all around il, and on
the border two lizards and beetles and
various bugs colored like life, looking
as if they'd just lighted there, and more
curious still, if there wasn't two fish
laid out with their scales a-shinin'. /
never set much store by the thing, but
grandma had a great liking for crockery
and she had pitcher that matched it,
so on her account | had never given It
array. One good of the vandoo,' 1 sez,
with sigh, will be cledEii rbuts ALI
this rubbidge as suppose will 20 for q
song.'
well. hurried over the track and
caught Miss Parker skimmin' her milk,
and she was very accommodatin' about
the eggs. When got to the road again
there was a great train stoppin' the way.
IL was so long, thinks !, I'll never take
tie time to go round, but just step UP
the steps and down on t'other side. ]
was up without givin' it second
thought, when, Lori If the pesky thing
didn't give start like it was shakin'
itself, and the most diabolical snyeort
ever heard, and was off like the wind (!
And was so skeered l tilted that there
plate till the eggs rolled off and lay all
smashed about my feet. l could have
cried. i hadn't any money to pay for
the ride, and l stood starin' about me
in daft way, wonderin' what Miss Van
was a-thinkin' when the conductor came
along. .l.l.
- You can't stand on the platform,
my good woman" sez he not al
lowed tn
worth more than your house and lot, and
I'm ready to pay the money DOWN.
u looked at the young gal to see how
she took her pas speech, but she seemed
rs pleased as Punch, and was a-ex-
claimin' over this and screamin' fairly
over that, till | began to think was
dreamin' and I'd soon see them go up in
smoke as smelt of birthstone. like fairy
story I'd heard on. 1t wasn't for me to
refuse this offer under the circum-
stances, you see. But my heart misgave
me, as it wasn't doin' right. Would
you believe it. he'd paid me fifteen hun
dred dollars for the stuff would have
sold to the ragman only for the sake of
Rube and my old lover! Why. was
sot ur only owed Life Jones five
hundred. and there was cool thousand
to put in the bank!
THE young lady was so friendly
when was hustlin' around gettin' an
empty box and straw for the packin'
that made bold to ask her question.
Her pa was a-fixin' the things in the
box IS careful as if they'd bin live
babies.
was the queerest-looking monsters,
dragons and such, rearin' up on their
frighten child into fit. There was q
pair of square little pots, lookin' like
they was shakin' their fat sides laughin'.
They was dull gray, and had Adam and
Eve on 'em shakin' an apple-tree. /
never had 'em about. cos thought 'em
improper. Then there was one plate OF
a greenish-yellow glaze, with sober
black and brown figures on it. Wal,
nothin' very takin' about it, you would
say; but that ere gentleman-Mr. Brun-
hold the card called him-took it IL, in
his hands with worshipin' look.
80 It's Horny -Door seq he, most in
n whisper. with look on his face like a
fellow who's been to the anxious seat
and got religion-sort of rapt look as
if the world might wag on; he was
happy whatever came.
"' Never knowed fits called honry-
do or honry-don't,' seq /. Rube
brought it home once, and seems as if it
might be more useful than the kind with
critters sprawlin' over it,
well, If he didn't up and offer me
.hree hundred dollars for that plate.
sez he, won't take advantage OF you,
or you don't know the valley of the
things, an you've told me yer in fix.
But what you've got on that tables
I'm lost I'm ON the wrong tram
mean I don't want to be ON no train at
ALP sez /, quite mixed up. Put
me out at the next station, if you
pleaser .....
He looked at me sharp, and then
said:
well, we won't charge you nothin'
for sittin' down. and he sort of pushed
me into the car. / stood, after got in :,
for a minute scarcely seeing where
was, when middle-aged gentleman got
up and offered me his seat. He was so
perlite was quite surprised at the way
he kept a starin' at me; and then he
says somethin' to his daughter, a young
woman in sage green, sittin' next to me
-somethin' that sounded like real pal
acy,' and / supposed they was a-talkin
French. Nt IH .tt
1.-THE daughter was a good -lookin
young woman if she hadn't had her hair
like a Skye-terrier, and a large sunflower
in her bonnet, and she talked to me
very friend v like. And at last made
bold TO say: t .u .i.N
Wotever is your pah sJarin' at.
Do look like madwomanP" t.t %
"'He's a-lookin' at that plate,' says
she. Would you like to sell itp' a.''..
"' Isor, might as well,' sez I, sigh
in; and my heart was so full up and
tells them strangers somethin' of my
troubles.
81 have fancy for that plate, sez
the gentleman, with real feelin' man.
ner. and perhaps you've got other
things like it at home. We may find a
way to help you; who knowsp' nar
"Lori thinks /. here's another man
who likes rubbidge as well as Rube
did. So, of course, / invites 'em cordial.
1t would be nice to have little money
eff / did have to turn out on the cold
world. And, bless us, before we stopped
at Langley, eff he hadn't given me his
card and hundred dollars for the
plate with all them reptiles a-coilin' and
squirmin' over it. 1 couldn't believe
my eyes, and took the up-train and got
home in perfectly dazed manner. Miss
Vanburen had gene home in a huff. and
l sot down and counted out that money,
and looked at it as if it was fairy gold.
/ most 'spected it would be nothin' but
leaves in the mornin'; but there it was,
Just the same, aud then remembered
the visit they had promised, and l
hunted about for the truck that had al
ways been in my way, and so trouble
some TO keep clean. 1t was all about
and lots in the garret. / sot 1t all VI Z
on the kitchen table. and couldn't help
laughin' when looked at it. There
" He isn't just all right here, is hop
sez l, touching my forehead. see
you indulge him, as s'pose he has got
plenty OF money to pay for it. but it's a