Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-10-04

WAS real Rlhu W btt nlHl--h DTtdCu VI tlutng
by the way, for which she suffered many
conscience pang. Mr.. Lawson blundered
promptly after her, and was likewise called
TO account by his conscience. Sam took his
hat and coat and deposited them on the
dusty table in the next room, while Johnny
obligingly moved along TO make room for
the plate, knife and fork which Mary Jane
brought from the cupboard behind whose
screening doors she remained long enough
to tear down the row Of curl papers across
her forehead and tuck the ends smoothly
away.
Mr.. Dent saw through IL all at once. His
experience in boarding houses, and g as one
of the family" had been wide and varied,
and included more than one presentation Of
the worst as well as the best foot" He
felt sorry for them all, especially the pretty
young girl, whose scarlet cheeks and down.
cast eyes told how keenly she felt the awk-
wardness of the situation in which his
thoughtlessness had placed them. Never
theless he managed to make hearty meal.
The plain bread, and fresh, sweet butter,
the cold, juicy meat and simple sauce were
great deal more TO his taste than the heavy,
indigestible food to which he had been ac-
oustomed of late.
Little it mattered to him just then, that
the tablecloth was on awry, besides bearing
the marks of several days usage, that the
cup that Mary James trembling hand passed
him had lost its handle in some past con-
flict that the butter dish bore evidence of
having been used at the two preceding
meals and that the meat dish had cracks
enough to render it almost sacred in the
eyes of those harmless lunatics, the China
collectors.
fThair ,lNorr ont and affnrfa t, knaf,
up a conversation were so evident that Mr..
Dent concluded it would be an act of mercy
to shorten his visit as much as possible, so
shortly after tea was over he shook hands all
around and was escorted to the door by Mr..
Lawson, who, for the first time in his re-
membrance, was heartily glad TO see the
door closing on guest.
The next morning the boys noticed that
their mother and sister, who had sat up
talking the night before, long after the
others had retired, both had appeared in
clean dresses and aprons. Also, that Mary
Jane had forgotten to put her hair in paper
and that her eyes and nose were red and
swollen, as though she had been crying.
With presentment of something-they
hardly knew what-they hurried home the
moment school was out. They found the
kitchen empty, but the door between it and
the dining-room was open, and, peeping in,
in search of their mother, they saw, much
to their astonishment, pretty white draped
dinner table, with row Of chairs placed in
vitingly around it, A second glance revealed
the fact that the best dishes were all there,
even to the cherished celery glasses.
81 wonder who's come ?" Not the min
lister again, hope" and Sam tiptoed across
the room, and cautiously peeped through
the crack of the door into the hall.
"Tain't man, anyway, for there's no hat
but fathers old straw that's been hanging
there since kingdom come" Continuing
his investigation, he crossed the hall and
looked in at the open parlor door. A fire
was burning pleasantly, but the cat was the
only occupant.
Meantime Johnny had been counting the
plates, and when Sam returned from his un-
satisfactory tour, he was met with the infor-
nation that there was nobody coming after
all, for there were only five plates
"What does it all mean, anyhow ?" was
the question which the boys lips and Mr..
Lawson's eyes asked, as they all gathered
around the table.
at MEANS" said Mrs. Lawson, with a
glance at her daughter, "that Mary Jane
and have talked it over and determined
that we will never be caught again as we
were last evening. So from this time for
ward we are going to look on ourselves in
the light of company. We will use all of
our house, instead of the kitchen only, eat
the best food and wear the best clothes
that we can afford, and when our friends
come they shall have as good but no better
than we have ourselves. l think we'll all
be the happier for the change, and we will
have no fear of last nights experience being
repeated"
Presently the gossips of Woodleigh began
to whisper among themselves that the Law
sons were getting some high notions in their
heads. They always sat in their parlor in
the evening, so it was said, and their dining
room carpet was getting awfully scuffed.
Moreover, it was settled fact that Mary
Jane put on her brown cashmere and white
apron every day as soon as the after-dinner
work was done up, and that Mrs. Lawson
managed TO look neat and tidy even on wash
days. So different from what it used to be
you know. These bits of gossip carefully
gathered up and neatly put together, went
from lip to lip, and in the course of time
made the circuit of Mrs. Dodd's tea-table
Mr.. Dent listened, smiled knowing smile
and said something to himself which wont
repeat, though know very well what it was
n Ncdl ldbci hC bOOh tCh ioi ehO ocSOhN
time with the Lawsons. A few friends wert
also gathered around the table, and beside
him, blushing and lovely, in her simple
white dress, with orange flowers in her hair
and wedding ring on her finger, sat Mar,
Jane, who had taken the VOWS of wife on'
short hour before.
} At first Mr.. Lawson thought the marriag
} of his only daughter must be grand affair
and had talked of invitations and orders t
the florist and confectioner. But Mar,
Jane in whose mind the lesson of year ag'
was still fresh, begged with hot cheeks ant
burning eyes
, "Don't please don't, father II never coul'
look John in the face again if you made al
this FUSS
And so it happened that the rooms wort
only their own homely, pleasant look, anC
: that the table, with the exception of tn
: huge brides cake, with pair of claspe
} hands, presented no unusual appearance OIL
! that pleasant autumn evening, when tn
Lawsons gave away their daughter, and Joh
Dent received his wife.