Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-12-30

what Obed ~ nkely young man ne parts
bis hair in the middle and scents himself up
beautiful, and appears as genteel as if he was
a school. master but he did use to put but
tons in the contribution-box when he was a
boy, and his grandfather's half sister eloped
| with tin peddler, and the tin peddler got
taken up for cheatin So he haint what you
could call good blood"
''He doesn't follow the sea. think great
deal of Ann Olive, and never could be will
ling that she should marry anybody but
sailor. I suppose I'm set, and know I'm
aristocratic but l do want TO see Ann Olive a
first mates or a captains wife"
''Saiors amt 80 very apt to be godly Civ
en-, and it must be kind Of lonesome to have
your husband always away to sea, and they're
terrible apt TO get drownded, and don't al
ways leave their wives well of. But the
| Welcomes 20 TO the other meetin', and don't
never feel sure that get my full weight of
sugar and they're so stuck up that It seems
Christian duty, as you might say, to take
'em down peg So do hope you won't let
her have a word TO say TO Obed."
II shall never give my consent to her mar
ryin' Obed; bat I'm poor widow, too heart
broken and crushed TO have much influence
| over anybody. If her uncle was only alive"
Mis- Prosser, do hope you're resigned.
Mebbe you'd better get the minister to pray
with you if you amt Mr. Sherborn is terri
ble gifted in prayer"
"Oh, ami am that is, hope am"
said the widow, hastily.
And then she arose and hurried over to the
sofa where Ann Olive sat; for Obed Wei
come, although he went to "the other meet
in, had come to the donation party, saori-
| hcing bag of his fathers best -four and
| box of raisins to the felicity Of spending the
evening with his beloved Aud, after all that,
the cruel widow guarded her dragon wise, so
that he could not get near enough to speak
TO her, and tucked her under her arm and
whisked her of home, refusing all escort, at
half-past nine o'clock.
And Obed heaped maledictions upon the
| cruel fate that had made him a clerk in gro
| Gerry store instead of ''sailor bold" and
walked home under the starlight revolving in
his troubled mind plans to outwit the widow,
and win and wear his Ann Olive.
There was an imposing monument in the
cemetery, with this inscription
ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF CAPTAIN DA-
yID PRossER BY HIS INCoNsoLABLE WIDOW.
We would not call thee back from heaven"
The widow spent much of her time plant
ing and tending flowers and shrubs around
the monument, and keeping the turf that sur
rounded it fresh and green.
On cold, gray November twilight, she was
engaged in picking up the withered leaves
she suddenly saw the figure of a man coming
through the cemetery gateway and advancing
| toward her.
The cemetery was on the outskirts of the
village, and visitors to it were rare. The wi
| dow wondered what his business might be.
When she discovered that he wore a sailors
garb, her heart began to beat quickly. As she
confided to her faithful servant Barbara that
night, she had, at that moment, q PRESENT.
| ~ xvhoE
She leaned against the monument for sup
port she put her finger upon the inscrip-
tion, I'VE would not call thee back from
heaven" as if that ought to have its effect on
the mind of any well-disposed ghost
But the figure still advanced, and, taking
of his sailor cap, revealed black, curly head
a sunburned face, and a great deal of Jet
black curling moustache. A young man, and
the late Captain Prosser was sixty; a very
dark man, and the captain was fair.
The widow drew a long breath and stood
upright, although, as she afterwards explained
to Barbara, the ''presentiment' did not for a
moment leave her.
II beg your pardon, madam, for intruding
upon you especially while you are engaged in
so sacred duty" he said with great polite
ness; "but have communication TO make
to you which may prove to be of great I'M
portance."
| LUG NluOH lLNlltu ulLl 10 ueE mouse, leAQ'
ing the way with weak and faltering step
instead of her usual brisk and alert one
She ushered the sailor into the sittng-room
where Ann Olive sat, in a melancholy frame
of mind, embroidering sunhowers and cat
tails on crash towelling-for the aesthetic had
travelled even as far as Horthport-and think
ing of Obed Welcome. With SO many polite
bows and complimentary phrases that Barba
ra, who was peeping and listening at the
Ii H. IL -
ley that he was 'ayther Ould Nick himself ol
Frinchman," " he seated himself beside the
fire, and, while the widow had her face turned
toward the window in an effort to regain hei
composure, he managed to whisper an asid,
TO Ann Olive:
II am not what 1 SEEM"
Obed belonged to the Shakespeare club il
the village, and Ann Olive had heard him re
cite that in the hoarse and growing accents
} which were supposed to be natural to Shak
speare's heroes. The whisper was diferen
from the growl but still Ann Olive knew tina
/ the sailor was Obed. She knew, too, that ht
had adopted the sailors disguise for the pur
, pose of getting into her aunt's good graces
and she gave expression to her delight b.
D hugging the ancient bob-tailed tabby, tina
was mapping beside her, so forcibly that sh
. uttered an ear-splitting meow.
''Therel there I" exclaimed the widow
| turning hIOuuui IuOTe hBlthteu tuhn DeIOre
= l should know now that something was goinl
, to happen, if hadn't known it before Tha
I cats cry always means something I neve
r knew it to fail"
= The sailor concealed grin, and Ann DIV
1 sat wickedly silent.
Q ''We sailors knock about the world goo
( DEAL and hear a good many strange things,
I remarked the sailor, in an easy of han
manner and in kind of falsetto voice whic
IL
s mirth and admiration. But the widow nc
{, ticed neither the manner nor the voice. Sh
2 was pale with expectancy. 81 met an oil
9 shipmate over at Northport Harbor the othe
J. day, and he told mel don't want TO rails
e any false hopes, and it may be only a rumo
Q but he said that the Sunbeam had bee
r heard froml"
= The widow uttered a cry, and sank into he
d chair with her hands olasped, as if in suppl
d cation.
d "She was wrecked, but the captain an
a several of the crew were picked up and ca
t, ried to Australia, and it is thought are no
a. on their way home"
''The saints be good till us !" cried Barb
l. ra's voice. 'IndAde it's the ould Nick hin
/ self that's afther bringin' such news as that
It Sure and can't himself shtay drOwnded, Il
!" like iv amy ither corups, and lave thin
,, pace that's been kilt wild his impidenoe-tl
10 owdacious ould raskill!"
,r barbara Barbara" said her mistress r
>" proVingly but she wept and wrung he
ID hands despairingly, and at last tottered o.
o. of the room, half fainting, and supported
Barbara's faithful arm.
n This astonishing reception of his news 81
u ed the sailor with dismay, especially as, Il
T. instant that her aunt was out of hearing
le lady-love turned fercely upon him.
"a pretty mess you have made Of it, ha'
Ia 81. -. H..
* isn't true"
II am afraid it is," said the sailor mour
IN fully. 81 did hear So and thought it wou
d. be a capital opportunity for me to get in
H. her good graces. l thought she would be d
to lighted. was only afraid she would die