Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-11-17
NO. 46.

Sim was filled with shame and distress. A
few very dry crusts were all that his larder
afforded. Dan Wingate had been fishing, and
be had intended to drop in Upon Dan upon
some errand that would serve as an excuse at
about the time when Dams fry would be like.
ly to be done to q turn. He had made no
preparations whatever TO "set his own not A.
biln' that day. He was rubbing his fore
head with his bandana in direst perplexitv.
when, moved, as 1t seemed to Sim, by some
direct interposition of Providence, Mrs Tim
berley, wife of the we-to-do blacksmith who
lived next door, appeared bearing dish of
soup, from which was waited an appetizinp
odor, and loaf of bread of goodly size.
And following in her wake came other neigh
bora bringing eatables, until Sims table groan-
ed under such burden as 1t had never known
before.
"You see, we thought you might not be pre-
pared for company, being a single man, ex-
planned Mrs. kimberley; land besides, we
felt as If we wanted to do something to well
come Cynthy Jane back"
Sim was glad and thankful that his quests
were provided with food but every mouthful
that he tried to eat seemed to choke him. He
remembered that yesterday he could have
eaten his neighbors' food without shame; but
then Cynthy Jane was not there TO see
'It's the last meal they shall ever have by
the charity of neighbors, If steppin around
lively can fetch anything to pass" said Sam
to himself
As soon as dinner was over he went down
to Sam Ellis's shop. Sam Ellis was the shoe
maker, and he always had more work than he
could do He had offered Sim great many
jobs, which he had declined When he asked
with great eagerness for job, Sam Ellis look
ed amazed.
why, they've been tellin' that your chance
had come along, and that you was goin' TO
Californy to make your fortune" he said.
Sim turned away his head and looked out
of the window. With the beckoning finger
of his chance lifted above the 'stiddy DAYS
works" which he saw stretching before him
in dreary monotony that his soul abhorred,
Turing him to change of scene and adventure,
and to fortune which should drop into his
hands like mama from heaven, as he had al
ways dreamed it would, was it strange that
for moment Sims spirit wavered2 But he
turned again to the shoemaker, and straight
ened himself until he stood almost erect
IF you've got job for me, l calkerate I'd
better tackle it right away. Folks seem to
think I'm goin' to Californy sure, Jest because
got letter from an old friend, invitn' on
me. But faint every invite that comes along
that's mans chance. Aman of interleck he
discrimernates."
Sim and his chance and the return of Gym
thy Jane we're the subjects of nine days
wonder in Greenhollow, but Sim was disap-
pointingly reticent, and he kept persistently
at work. contrary to the prediction of every
body in town, and was seldom to be found at
his accustomed pastime of "settin' in the
store"
Everybody who had ever heard Of Cynthy
Jane called upon her and pronounced her "in
a decline, and wondered what would become
of those poor children left to the care of "that
aoif
He Was working now, but he Couldn't be-
come a steady working man any more than
the leopard could change his spots"
But Cynthy Jane seemed TO make up her
mind not to go. Instead of growing worse
with the fall of the leaves, as everybody had
predicted, she grew better. The children
were we'll fed and clothed, and sent to school,
and Sims humble domain began to take on an
air of thriftiness and comfort. One day Sim
came home with something on his mind.
"Cynthy Jane, he began, shuffling to and
fro in his most excited manner, they're say
in down in the village-you know it comes
kind O. nat'ral for Greenhollow folks to talk
about other folks affairs, and they don't mean
no harm by it, neither-they're a-sayin' that
you n d better git married. know aint
fit for you, Cynthy Jane, and never was; but
when woman can git stiddy days works out
of a man that he never s'posed was there,
why, IL BIG NOulu OIluB ueI56n 10 DC 30 aC-
commodatin' as to have him, seems as if it
would be the maxim of him."
why, Sim, believe you've forgiven me-"
said Cynthy Jane, blushing as brightly as
when she was young.
And the upshot of the matter was that Gym
thy Jane and Sim went to see the minister
1t was about five years afterward that Sim
sat in the store one evening with about the
same group that had been there when his
ll laNN IN.lsF
''Did you ever hear again from that friend
of yours in Californy that was goin' to give
you a chance to make your fortin, Sim ?" said
jim Durgn.
Yes He made pile of money, and lost
it, and then made more ag'in, and ! don't
know jest how it is with him now" said Sim,
rather indiferently.
Them minin' fellers has their ups and
downs" said Uncle Zach, with the manner of
one who knows all about it. "Seems as il
that must have been your chance, Sim, seein'
no other one haint ever come along" he add
ed.
81 don't see as Sim has anything to COM
plain of, " said Elijah Wiswell, the storekeep-
er industrious as any man in Greenhol-
low, and growing forehanded every day, aint
you, Sim? guess twas Cynthy Jane COM
ing along in the stage that day that was Sims
chance"
"Well, there is sometimes a thing comes
along that seems to be a mans chance and il
aint, and then ag'in there's thing that don't
seem to be and is. I've always said it took
man of interleck to tell when his chance has
come" said Sim, in his old oracular way.
"But this of yourn seemed to be a case of
heart more'n interleck, eh, Sim ?" said Jim
Durgin.
Sim hung his head sheepishly
''Well, now, there's that chubby-faced boy
unahha batli oif nH