St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-03-03

justly immured by her step-sons, so
that by and by they may invalidate her
will if it doesn't suit them"
''But, Phoebe, we don't knOr she's
sane
"If you were put on oath, would you
swear that you had ever seen any evil
dence of insanity in her ?"
"Oh, la ! Nor'
"Then would you testify to your be
lief in her sanity ?"
"Well, wouldn't Just like to do that
when Jeemes and Eben is such good
neighbors to borrow from A body
has to keep on good terms with his
neighbors, you know"
Il don't know any such thing; but
| do know that we ought to remember
all in bonds as if bound with them"
During this conversation pale little
fellow of twelve years had been peep
ing in at the half-open door, listening
and hoping for II smile from Aunt
Phoebe.
The old man now caught sight of
him, and shouted in II terrific tone
SIS that the way You weed onion beds ?
guess you're after another thrashing,
you lazy young scOundrel ~
The child flew, as if he had been
struck by lash, past the window by
which Aunt PhHbe was sitting.
'Don't shout in such tone to that
motherless child - exclaimed Aunt
Phoebe entreatingly.
''If women folks had farms to run,
they couldn't be so mealy-mouthed as
y0u and my wife to their farm hands"
said the old man.
In ..,ll Int hnl, u f.ll
asked Aunt PhGbe.
"a poor sort ~ one. He don't do
half what Lunt's boy does"
''Do you pay him half?'
"Why, don't pay him nothin'. He's
bound to me. He wants to swing and
play ball, and whittle, just as if he
wasn't bound boy"
"Half the work of childhood is play
said Aunt PhHbe softly.
"Pho! Who'll pay boy for play
ing? He don't arm his salt" said
Hayes.
81 see him driving the cows to and
from pasture, and milking, and weed
ing, bringing in wood, and"-
''Oh, yes, he does some such little
chores; but You see I'm responsible
for making him work, and the town
can call me to count if | let him go
idling about"
"No danger for that, for Joe Harris
told me that when he set off for the
doctor the other morning at four
o'clock, that child lay asleep Oh the
onion beds !"
'He did? Well, then I'n have a
Sc tlement with him for that He had
no business to sleep there !" cried
Hayes.
''No, he ought to have been asleep
in his bed. What man will you find,
who, for good, round pay, will work
from four in the morning till seven i'll
the evening ?"
~ dO-sometimes- and you couldn't
expect me to treat bound boy better
than | do myself, could you ?"
"Treat yourself better, then. You
have motive. You want to lay up
money and if you are willing to sac
ritice ease and comfort, and to convert
yourself into Il bunch of nerves, you
have your reward. | came to speak
about little JIM"
"Little jim! Why, Phoebe, he has
all he can eat three times day, and Il
good bed to sleep on"
"Yes, your good wife will see to that ;
but he has not the love and the tender
words from you for which his poor
| little heat is aching, nor the long
hours of sleep that he should have. In
stead of these, he is hurried, and
blamed, and scOlded, and called Il
lazy scoundrel,' and whipped'-
GLOW do You know that ?" asked the
farmer little sharply.
81 know it by my own senses, re
piled Aunt PhGbe.
81 didn't know you could hear me
such piece down the road. hope
you'll excuse me for talking so loud" :"
said the dull-witted man, who did not
see he had been telling the story him
self.
child and his dead mother, and, above
all, the God of mercy
LA you scare me thought folks
had boys bound to 'em purpose to get
lots a. work out on 'em -for-well, for
nothin'"
"Would you like your fatherless
| little grandson to be put in Just such Il
place as little Jim is in, if you were
dead ?"
''La, Phoebe, Sans mother is IA fore
handed woman herself, and wouldn't
have to bind him out even if | was
gone"
Aunt Phoebe uttered Il little discOur-
aged sort of grOan at the poor results
of her reasoning, and Philip Hayes
added: "Well, no, don't knows |
should, cause he's my own flesh and
blood"
Little Jim was some ones flesh and
blood, too" replied Aunt Phoebe, wip-
ing her eyes.
"Why, Phoebe, my wife's inst as
chickenhearted as you be ; and do you
s'pose she'd stan by and see little Jim
abused? Why( I've knOwed her to get
out - her warm bed of Il bitter night
and go into his room to make smre he
was kivered up warm, and tucked in y
"Blessed are the merciful, for they
shall obtain mercy" whispered Aunt
Phoebe. "One day" she continued,
he peeped in at my window, and ask
ed him what he wanted. He said, II
thought maybe you'd see me and have
time to smile on me.n | did smile OF
him-dear child-and told him Mrs
Hayes would smile on him any time
and what do you think he said ?"
"La don't know, Pm sure. Boys
, will say anything" was the reply.
''Well, he said, Mrs. Hayes is awful
good to me and smiles on me whenever
she gets time; but she's awful drove
from daylight to dark" I'm afraid I'm
going too far with my plain talk, Phil
ip. You look as if you were getting
angry"
NO, hain't neither cried the far
, mer, Strengthening himself up in hi.
chair, and trying to look very brave
'but I'd like to know what I've don,
| n, Dl,.,.l.D 1-f