Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-04-26

want q team t9run away, or anything
to happen that will rouse US one mo-
ment, Aunt Mercy, those boys will
begin to drlnk-or do anything that
viii give q new sensation and bring q
sense of lIfe-and by and by there will
be one or two or three reckless, swear
Ing, lounging creatures like the Carsons
In the other village, ! have begun to
believe villages like this are doomed 10
destruction, and that New England will
turn to New ireland unless something
Is done to make them places where
some real life eau be found, Aunt
Mercyy
well, childf'
DO you know, | took up an old
county history to-day Forty years
ago there were five hundred more peo-
pie here than nov. Every man has
gone West except these old ones who
arc almost ready for tho next world,
and just u few who hold on because
they were born here, and whose sons
will get away as fast us they can. OF
course the mill brings u certain class
but their lives are as joylcss rs life in
q trcadmill. And yet, here is the love-
ly country, and these farms that ought
to be homes, and not prisons. Now,
don't you suppose it is possible to stir
up some sense Of pride, some patriotism
If that is the world-somcthipg that
will make these boys willing to stay,
and will give them something to think II
bout? Aunt Mercy, | have new
plan. Now listen to me and see what
you think
Tea first, child, and thee may talk
aftcrward. Thee should be hungry
Il believe | am, Ruth said, as
Linda, the servant, who, with her
husband, George, was relic Of the
Dysart property -opcnd the door and
showed the small round table laid for
two and almost lost in the great room,
which, however, with its open fire and
the soft light of the student lamp held
its own cheer
Miss Ruth, she's at her old ways,
Linda said, as she went presently into
the kitchen. I've been q wondering
what she'd find to take up, but she's
got her hands full now.'
No good wont come of.it,' George
answered, discoutcntedly, as Linda
ended her summary of what she had
been able to CLEAN from the CONVERSE
ton. Longs its beggers and riffraff
you don't so much care but this just
a lettin herself down to low people
that won't know but what she's always
done it. I'd speak to Miss Dysart.
Miss Ruth don't sec.
It's past all time for speakin'.' Lin
da groancd, as she ripped off the waf-
file iron. Its cut and dried. Laws
l was sure there could be no mussing
here, but it's begun, and Miss Dysart
she'll be spending all her money, shure
as you're born
George shook his head and contnved
to shake it as he moved about, but the
opposition from the kitchen did not
reach the parlor.
Ruth devoted the evening to looking
over vast collection of photograph and
stereoscopic views, and to asserting
them in carefully numbered and marked
piles, while Aunt Mercy made various
changes in the contents of an old-fash-
ioned book case in the corner Of the
dining room. The south parlor where
they always sat iu the winter, had two
deep recesses filled with books, Ruth's
special favorites being in her own room
overhead. In fact, every room they
inhabited became the library tempor-
arily, for Ruth and Aunt Mercy had
fashion of looking up any question that
interested them, and bringing to bear
every encyclopaedia or reference book
which could throw the slightest light
upon it, and their library was not only
we'll filled with standard and general
literature, but had a range of authori-
ties seldom found outside the walls of a
professed students armory. The temp
tation had been too strong to loose her
self in this society and forget human
claims, and Aunt Mercy, who had
mourned little that this remote vii
lage would swallow up her child just
when most eager and most ready for
work, smiled as she saw her absorption
and child herself for forgetting that
something always waited the ready
hand.
Sam Sherburne walked moodily out
of the tavern, smelling of very strong