Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-04-12
VOL. 77.-3939. NO. 27.


went on Mrs. Weeks. "And, moreover,
think it's my dooty to let the bank folks know
what think about it. don't want 10 hev
our bank took in, no way"
wouldn't you wait bit, and talk 10 her,
mabbe ?" interposed Miss Eunice Pell, the
village tailoress, who had not an exalted
opinion OF Miss Weeks, having more than
once suffered from her hasty Judgment.
Z" dunno; mabbe | won't go tomorrow.
II he's got an extension they can't help it
now. / think / will have talk with her
she had ought to see the error of her ways"
Gland |" sighed Miss Eunice.
But not on Monday or Tuesday did Mrs.
Weeks deal with the offender. Unexpected
company kept her at home. Wednesday was
sewing-society day. and Mary Barber ap.
peared at Mrs. Weeks house where IL con-
vened, dressed in her black silk, sponged and
pressed over till it looked like new, and
trimmed with the handsome lace distracted
from the gray silk among Georgys dresses
and wraps she had found little box of
French flowers, and cluster of blush roses
at her throat fastened the pretty tie that was
also gift-one of her wedding gifts indeed.
Mrs. Weeks was filed with new horror, and
Mrs. Brooks opened her green eyes to their
fullest extent.
"Did you ever Just see that lace on her
gown. It's real thread; know tits. Cost
dollar yard if it did penny. Inever didl''
II Mrs. Brooks had known what the lace
did cost perhaps her eyes never would have
shut again. Georgy Lasalle never gave
thought to the cost Of her dress that was
left to the dressmaker whose bills were paid
by her father without question. Nothing
was too good for Georgy in his eyes, and to
consider what she was giving away when
her father lay dead never entered her mourn
ing soul. Nor did Mary know any better.
She had not been brought up in the knowl-
edge of laces any more than Widow Brooks,
who had made lucky guess indeed when
she suggested thread lace, without an idea
of its price,
Mrs. Weeks did not make successful
call at Mrs. Barber's on Thursday she
began wrong. She said at once on taking
a seat in Mary's tiny parlor g have come
TO say a few warning words Of advice, Mis-
Barber, on the subject of your dress"
Mary had temper of her own, which long
control had merged into dignity. Excuse
me ~ she said, coldly. II must decline to
discuss such personal subject with mere
acquaintance"
dWell |" exclaimed the astonished visitor,
|
to admonish a backslider in the church,
specially one as young as you be :"
"No, don't" said Mary, quietly. al
decline to receive admonition except from my
husband, or my pastor. If had done you
any harm or wrong, Mrs. Weeks, it would
give you a right to talk to me on that sub
| ject. / cannot and will not receive unkind
criticism on trivial private affairs from you"
| "Trivial well, mabbe you won't find
they're 80 mighty trivial in the end ont u
and with this back-handed thrust Mrs. Weeks
departed.
Mary was indignant, but at last began to
see a ludicrous side to the affair, and re-
solved not to tell Augustus about it lest it
should annoy him, for she knew he was
anxious enough without hearing her small
troubles. But Mrs. Weeks did not delay her
work. Her nephew was general clerk in
the little Barton b INK, and was as frugal as
an anchorite in his own expenses, because he
had to be. Only last Sunday he had glanced
across the church at Mary Barber in her ele-
giant dress and bonnet, and sighed as he
thought how such graceful attire would be-
come his own dark-eyed wife, looking doubly
sad and tired in her well-worn Sunday suit,
turned and freshened, and dyed over for at
least six years.
He was quick to take the alarm and to
spread it before his employer, for it was
private bank, this little nucleus OF the mon
eyed interest in B srton, aud Mr.. Short who
. was at its head made up his mind to give
, Barber no further extension of credit.
! His son owned the -four mills at Coventry
where b .rber dealt, and received hint K
, send in his bill, which as matter OF cour
= tesy he had not pressed.
Mrs. Weeks related the upshot OF her visi
: to Mary Barber at the counter OF the couu
try store where she met Mrs. Brooks, AM
, the storekeeper overhearing it thought
; the part of wisdom to present his accoun
I and give hint to the butcher, who was hi
= brother-in-law.
= So the ball rolled on not in days did i
!. gather force enough to crush its objects, bu
I, in the course of months it increased AMI
n grew mighty. Just as Mary Barber held Il
\ her breast fair, frail little baby, new-bor
= to the world of deprivation and distress tina
4 awaited it, her husband failed hopelessly
J, Mrs. Weeks said, trinmphantly al toll
. you sol" | always told Deacon Weeks tina
my Judgment of folks was worth havin.
ia can see through stun wall as well as an.
n body"
e But while she plumed herself on her judi
K ment forgetting its results, Mary Barbe
n hearing the story from her husbands Liz
e which she had read first in his face, lai
" down her whirling head on the pillo
y v too weak to fight against the fate that hs
y come upon them. She and her baby WEI
~ home together to the land where we shs
:, know as we are known. Aud her broke
= down husband left Barton forever, driftir
y. away with the crowd of homeless and hop
Al less men who people the waste places OF Il
:, | land living no man knows how. diving
~ man knows where. And all the result
If If one woman's hard, ignorant, uncharitat
judgment of another.
IA "Well she's judged herself, now p sol
ID oquizsd Miss Eunice, as in her turn 81
a paused beside the coffiu to look at the rig
10 face of the dead Mrs. Weeks years aftt
q "Wonder how she likes it Anyway ht
"a "a marciful eff she want" And yet as 81
bt turned away an echo in her mind whispere
I'd I'd " For with what judgment ye Judge ye sh
iv be judged."-Selected.