Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-02-20
The Vermont Cousin.

father should insist upon inviting that
Yankee cousin to come and stay at
our house and go to school | don't
see for my part how he came to have
such countryfed relations, but since
he has, l think he might let them
stay up among their own green noun
tains, instead of bringing them down
to mortify us in the city with awk-
ward ways and nasal twang?"
Thus spoke our Miss Julia Acton
to her younger sister Helen, after
they had retired to their room one ev-
ening, during which the expected ar
rival of the Vermont Cousin had been
one theme of conversation.
II am sure I have more reason to
be mortified than you," answered
Helen, 'sfor I shall have to walk tGs
and from school with her, and Of
course I cannot conceal from the girls
that she is my cousin, and l know
they will all ridicule her and make all
manner of fun of her. Brother Ned
stopped there last year, when he was
travelling through New England, and
he says they all say meow 'abaout,'
and dew tell and [ am sure | shall
sink if she talks so before the girls.
''Well, I think no one has as much
reason to dread her coming as [
have" answered Julia, ''for what do
you think Herbert Ferguson will say
when he finds we have such Yam
keefied set of relations he has such
a horror of anything unrefined, /
should not wonder if he should de-
sert me altogether, after she comes
to the house, rather than be brought
into contact with anything so vulgar.
He has been more than usually at
tentive too, lately, and mamma says
he is the greatest catch in town."
''Well, now, 1 have heard that
Herbert Ferguson cares only for in
tellect, that he thinks nothing of
looks in comparison.
II can tell you, you are mistaken,
Miss Helen, if he has no regard for
looks, as you say, you ought to know
what he said to me lately; but no
matter, l won't tell, | only wish fa-
ther wasn't so obstinate, and mamma
is quite as much vexed about it as we
are; why! even the servants will
laugh at her, / know; Thomas is so
excessively genteel."
"Well, well, it can't be helped.
Father feels under great obligations
to Lucy's father; the brothers all
agreed that father should be sent to
college, and the others all remain at
home and work on the farm and pro-
vided the means for his education,
and now he thinks he ought to assist
them in return. But one thing
would suggest, Miss Julia, and that
is, that you have your party over be-
fore she comes; of course she will
not 90 out, as she is only school
girl, but know father will insist up
on having her in the room if we have
company at home"
"Well thought of, Helen; lets
see, am engaged every night for ;
week to come / certainly cannot ge
an evening till the latter part of mex
week; oh | am so afraid she will
come before that time; it will jus
spoil all my pleasure, and I expected
so much"
The invitations for Miss julia
party were sent out, and the eXten
sive preparations were proceedin!
most swimmingly when the very ola,
before that on which the party was t
be given, stage laden with trunk
drew up before the door of Acton
elegant mansion. From this, in th
first place, alighted a stout, sunburn
young farmer, who was immediatel
followed by slender girl of abor
) sixteen years of age; this latter bt
ing none other than the much-dreat
ed Vermont Cousin.
"Well, if this isn't a little to
much !' exclaimed Miss Julia, wh
had been drawn to the window by tt
. hustle; ''here is clod-hopper of
e naa1e-cousin come too; this is rath'
7 more than we bargained for; d
|, clare,' she continued, half cryir
with vexation; eff that man stays
will pretend that | am sick, and coul
!. termand the invitations to my party
Cousin Arthur Holmes proved
+ be very diffident youth, and Oh
F? dinner among such fine folks as Il
e Actions was all he could stand. E
K was on the way to Yale College, b
uncle having, from his own observ
ton, and from what he had heard
Il the young man, been convinced ths
e. to keep him laboring upon a farl
u without the advantages of educatio
al would be to hide under a bushel
: light, which if trimmed and fed, al
. suffered to shed its beams, mig
or shine forth for the illumination of
own and future generations. A
m with this expectation he sought a
S gained willing consent from his
ID der brother, to his proposed plan
taking the education of Arthur und
- his care.
er AS | said before, Arthur was 1
ct at all at ease among his fine relatio
l." who, with the exception of his unc
H. took no pains to make him feel ;
- - and therefore, to Miss Julia's gre