The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-06-16


mAdo astonishing faces at himself IN IL
hopeless struggle 10 li the hutton-hols
his shirt lie did no, swear. but the era
cat. blinking her eyes drowsily from be
sleeping place under the stove, suddenl
sneaked past him and into the siiiin
room aud took refuge npon the skirt {
Mrs Frosi's calico gown. There wer
thunders and lightnings porientous in th
atmosphere. and the good woman locke
up from the stocking she was darnin
barely in time to escape the storm.
Why father what's tho troublef Here
let me button it. Sit right doxn her
aud let me fix you or and the pale, wor
ried looking woman laid her hand coaIing
ly upon his arm.
Well. button it, then, II you're going to
| should like 10 know il I'm ever going Il
have button right as long as live. Two
women folks, and nobody TO take stitcl
in my clothes. Where's Marys She's al
ways ou, Of sight when she's wanted.
There WAS no fault with ths button OF
the hole. but only with the stiff. clumsy
fingers unused to any service so small.
But his wife did not toll him that the Sc
cret Of his inability to manage his collar lay
in the fact that all his life 'two womeu
folks" had done il for him. She only fas
tened tho necktis, brushed his hair, and
helped him on with his overcoat, saying
gently, / presume Mary's getting ready to
go with you You know you always like
to have hor go to meeting with you on the
last Of the year.
Then IL she's going, tell her to come
along! l can't wait for her to put on al
her fnrbelows | want to stop at Squire
Nelson about that mortgage. OF course
he means to foreclose.
Oh, mol | don't believe it Gideon. He
ism any such man, and the poor woman s
face grew a shade more weary and white;
but you go right along, and Mary will 60
when she is ready. It's a beautiful night,
and I'll walk down with her myself You
will be there to come homo with herr
OF course shall I'll be there. il for
nothing else than to keep George Nelson
from coming. He needn't think I'm 60
ing to let the farm and the girl both go in-
to his fathers family.
Now, Gideon, don't talk sol You've
been behind on the interest before this,
and Squire Nelson was willing to wait. /
don't believe he will touch the farm.
The Deacon didn't believe it either, but
he didn't get much comfort from that,
since it did not alter the fact Of his not
having the money due, or save him from
the duty OF saying 30 to the bland old
Squire. And Deacon Frost was the last
man in the world to let his wife be com.
forted il he was uncomfortable himself
He always told her the darkest side, and
that made the meek soul feel that in some
mysterious way she was responsible for all
his woes. He looked and acted as il they
were her fault; and she had grown so used
TO it that she often acted herself AZ il it
must be So So when he added, sulkily,
that il his son had behaved himself and
stayed at home and helped him, the mort
gage would have been paid off long ago,
she only sighed, but did not venture to
speak a good word for her boy.
As the deacon, smoothed and brushed
and grumbling still, passed out, Mary
came into the room just in time to hear
The vigorous bang her father gave the
loor; in time also, to hear the great hut'
tering sigh, almost a sob, that broke from
her mothers lips.
Father gone? asked the girl
Yes, dear, and I'll walk down little
way with you, said her mother, stopping
o pick up the stocking she was darning,
hus hiding her face from her daughters
,yes
No mother, I don't want TO 60. ! cant
ct you go out on such cold night. I was
,oing more because thought fathe. would
,rpect il than for anything else.
Perhaps be will not mind, said the
mother hcsitating, though as usual. he
vas not pleased that ] did not 60, and
hough perhaps ! ought TO II it would
make him any happier.
But it wouldn't, mother dear, said the
oung girl, hastily, and throwing aside
er cloak, drew chair up to her mothers
ide and gently pulled the darning from
er hands as she went on;I really think
be more we try to please him in every lit
le thing, the more FAULT finding and exact
ng he becomes.
Hush, child and the mothers thin
and passed softly down the girls cheek
, her lips.
Mary captured it in both her own. kiss.
/ il, and answered. laughingly- {
Don't hush me, mother. I'm not
hild any longer, and SOC my father as ! {
ould see any other man. The fact is. we {
ave spoiled him, until his habit Of find I
u fault with trifss, and holding some F,
ody responsible for oil his discomforts, il
most unendurabls. He isn't conscious
ii, and IL tonight at meeting some I
ody should tell him OF it, he woald be As 8
uch surprised as anybody. !
And he would pray as earnestly ~ any I
ody 10 be delivered from il said his I
iie I
Yes. IL they were successful IN making 4
i'm believe he had any such fault, laugh 5
Mary; bu, we two. Who love him best, a
ave never dared to let him know We saw I
80 be would not easily be convinced.
He's good man, Mary sgcod Christian 4
an, honest as the light J