Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-09-02
HER STONY HEART.

1t was on the occasion of meeting of the
sewing circle, which was held that week at
Miss Keziah Fletcher's, that the fruitful sub
ject of Mrs. Denton's peculiarities was
brought up for about the fortieth time. All
the members, with the exception OF the min
ister's wife, were present, and every one of
them had something to say of the poor wo-
man whose strange ways had caused her to
become quite a curiosity in Brierville.
"Its my opinion such people are best left
alone" said Mrs Prudence Randall, as she
bit of her thread little spitefully.
shes been a disgrace to the town ever
since she lived in il" said Miss Paulina Cow
an. ~ must confess that l haven't any pa
tence with such queer ways"
Poor thing she's seen a sight of trouble,
said Miss Keziah, who was ever ready to
pour oil on the troubled waters. First her
husband died of delirium tremens-"
Worthless sot she'd oughter have been
pleased ter death to get rid o him." inter-
rupted Miss Matte Baker, throwing her scis-
sors on the table near her with considerable
noise. You won't get no pity for her out O.
that, Miss Keziah."
''Then she lost her two little girls with
scarlet fever" continued Miss Keziah, un-
needing the interruption, "and only year
later her second boy died of the typhoid.
Shed only one child left then, and that was
her oldest boy. She set so much store by
him l remember seeing her look at him
once if she worshipped the very ground
he trod on, and
That's it," interrupted Mrs. Bliss, whose
husband was one of the pillars in the
Methodist church. "She thought more of
him than she did of her salvation, and he was
taken from her that her hard heart might be
softened."
''But she seems harder than ever" said
20 of
comfort, nor anything else. No one can
make any impression on her. Miss Cowan
here went to her and told her how we were all
born to pass under the rod that chasteneth,
and that her Edgar'd been called from the
evil to come. What dye think Miss Denton
| did She rose up like fury and told Pau
lima she preferred to be left alone"
Yes" giggled Miss Cowan hysterically
''Shed rather have my room than my COM
pany, any day. Howsomever, / don't bear
her no hard feelins. l done what could
for her."
''The minister's wife didn't get no better
treatment" said Miss Baker "She sat in
Miss Denton's shanty most an hour talking of
the mysterious ways of Providence, an ev-
| erything bein' for our good, an all flesh bein'
| grass an so on. An Miss Denton, she nev-
| er spoke a word from first to last, but lay on
| the sofy with her eyes shet an never even
said good bye when Mrs. Bounce went away.
| Such impertinence An / went there too
didn't want to be behind the rest of folks in
doin my duty. told her about these affiic-
tons bein' sent for our good an she must
bow her neck to the yoke and bend her back
ter the burden. She laughed at me ! yes,
she done just that"
'She wouldn't even see me, said Mrs.
| Peckham, a tall, sharp-featured woman with
| a shrill voice Il saw her at the window,
but she wouldn't open the door, no matter
how loud l knocked. But scattered tracts
all down the front walk, and hope they did
her good"
Miss Keziah, you amt been, 1 believe, y
| said Miss Baker. "Well, don't go it's time
wasted. Her hearts as hard as a stun"
NO" said Miss Kezah laying down her
work as she spoke. 81 haven't been TO see
her. You know l was away to Helmstone
when her Edgar had the fever, and since
I've been back my rheumatic has been that
bad 1 couldn't go anywhere. But now I'm a
trife better, I'll take my turn"
"What is the use? What can you do
Haven't we done everything" chorused the
other ladies.
II think shall ask her to tea, said Miss
Kezah, thoughtfully.
"Ask her to tea !" repeated half-a- dozen
astonished listeners.
'Yes; none of you tried that, l believe,
answered Miss Keziah.
''She won't come, said Mrs. Bliss.
"Perhaps not but all the same it won't dc
no harm TO ask her."
II hope you'll try to soften her heart, and
bring her ter the pTayer-meetin' Thursday
night" said Miss Oowan.
Miss Keziah made no answer; but pc
culiar look crossed her homely, good-naturet
face-a look Miss PaulinA did not quite un
derstand.
''Miss Keziah'll be wise to make no prom
ises" said Mrs. Bliss 'It stands to reason
that she won't succeed where all the rest oi
us have failed. One might as well talk to a
stone, as to Mrs. Denton"
Miss Keziah sighed, and bent her eyes up
on her work. She had known what suffer
ing was once, and she knew that while paii
and sorrow softens some natures, it harden
and embitters others.
Mrs. Denton lived entirely alone on the
outskirts of the village in little, DID, wealth
er-beaten house she had bought when sh
first came to BTierville, ten years before
Weeds grew tall and rank in the yard, tn
sunken steps leading to the door were half
buried in vines, the well-curb was broken
the gate fallen TO the ground, in fact, every
thing about the place spoke of ruin and de
cay.
''Not very cheerful place, certainly,
muttered Miss Keziah, as the day following
the meeting of the sewing circle she drove NJ
to the Widow Denton's, and hitohed he
horse to the tumble-down fence which par
TALLY enclosed the yard. "Now, Hetty, yol
sit right still till come back, and don't star
old Moll."
Hetty was a diminutive niece of Miss Ke