Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-12-13

TRADE, as before II was finished NJ
Stillman faw tho basin 10 tho hired
mans hand and also freshly ifOhed
towel on tho roller, Rachel came "
with lhe water, aud In q lev minutes tho
family were seated around tho we'll
spread table,
II toll you" remarked Mr., siillman
after u Few moulhiala OF the sayory food
had apparently put him In q better
humOr III think the weather will be
plenty cold enough for hog killing nett
week, and never had finer lot OF hogs
either"
20 father" sid Margaret, "eouldn't
va butcher this week 7 NEXT Friday IL
Chris mas and
"Well, wat OF that = interrupted
her father angrily, "lIayen't | always
done NY buicht ring Christmas week Y
"YeS," answered the girl, her thin lip
trembling IN spite Of her effort to con
trul herself. "bui, father. we never yet
enjoyed tho holidays, aud ! thought
maybe this ore yon would
~ will manage my own business this
year" broke 10 tho father, las l have
always done, ] suppose" giving his
wife glpnce. that made her shrink a.
from u blow, "this IL one oi your moth
er's p aus, TO give you girls a chance to
CAD pbou'."
When, on this evening Of which We
write, the father had PROVED his author
ity, bis daughters rose quietly from the
table, aud taking buckets aad cups, pro
ceedcd to the barn'yard, where eight
COWS awaited the milking process II
was almost dark, and biiter,cOld, but no
complaints were uttered, indeed no
words were spoken except to the dumb
hrntos until tho task was completed
TEcn, Ns they ncared the kitchen door,
Rachel said, "Nlargaret, l mot jim
Lansing to-day, and ho stopped mo and
asked il you would be at church Sunday
"Hush,' said her sitter, "hther
might hear, and then / would be sure
to stay at home"
While the three girls attended to the
milking, Mrs. Sli Imam and Snsy had
cleared away the supper dishes, and
now the mother and daughters entered
the sitting room, large room adjoining
the kitchen, used AS bed-chamber by
the mother and father, aud as q gather
ing place for all Tho family In TACT
Mr.. Srillman allowed fire kept in no
other room in the house, so they were
perforce compelled to sit there or
freeze.
Mrs. Stillmnn sat down in corner,
knitting in hand, occupying as little
pace as possible. L iz,beth and Mar
garet brought hinge basket OF cut cur
pet rags, aud proceeded to sew the
strips gether. Ton, Rachel and
Snsy We're studying their lessons at the
table, near which their father read his
newspaper. For some time the 81 once
was unbroken. Then having his paper
down, Mr.. SIillman said to Tom in u
pleasant voice.
"WelI, how did you get along in
school to day?"
"Oh, first rate" answered the boy.
'Bu' Rachel was called mp
"How was that, Rachel ?" said her
ather, sharply. Poor girl! deep in her
arithmetic, she bad not heard Toms
cnwardly tale, and she looked up inquir.
inglv as her name was spoken.
"What were you called up fer to-
day?'
With an angry glance at Tom, she re-
piled:
"I was reading little in the Pill
grim's Progress, Mary Young brought
it to read at noon, and -
"That's enough" said her father,
"you let that book alone. send You
to school to get your lessons, and ]
don't want to hear Of your touching any
but your school-books.
80 father" she begged, edo let me
finish it. l will not read in school
hours"
"You heard me, miss. Any more Of
such doings, and You stop school fol
good. l can find yon work enough"
The child bent her head over be,
arithmetic, and struggled bravely to
stem the tide of tears that would come,
hut IN vain; they fell in spite of her,
and then sob broke forth.
"Clrar out to bed this minute,
Rachel" said the father angrily. 81
want no sniveling about here"
Up stairs, in the cold, dark room
what bitter thoughts surged through the
the childish brain.
Jim Lansing, lhe son of widow
neighbor who managed good sized
farm and two sons with equal skill, VEN
tured oftener to call than anybody else
but then he generally brought his m othel
along, and while she with ready wit en-
tertained mir. Stillman, he and the girls
and the carpet rags escaped into the
kitchen. But sp ing was near, and
thought margaret, he can't keep us ou
of tile spare room 10 warm weather, and
besides we will have all out OF doors.
June came with her blue skies, he1
singing birds, her wealth of beauty. Bu
there was no time at Stillman's to en-
Joy it. A bigger crop than usual hat
been put in, extra hands were employed
Net at the house. Why, there were five
women. .years.old Susy, and pool
delicate Mrs. S'illman included, and
there no extra help was needed, al
though washing and cooking must be
done for all the men. You see 1t vas 1
good deal cheaper to board the hands
and wash for them, and what else die
the women have to do? Tr1e, mother
was not sick at least she did not com
plain. She was only little paler; she
could not vel be any more quiet, and
Mr.. Sriliman told the girls to stil
round themselves and not let mother dc
all the work.
80 DEAR said Margaret, one morn
ing as she and Rachel bent over the
tubs. doing the weeks washing, while
Elizabeth, mother and Susy got tn,
dinner, churned the butter, and cleaned
up the house.
Summer is here.
Twelve O'Clock came. Dinner for ,
dozen hungry men was on the table
and still the mother rested. She hat
e1ten nothing, although several timei
the girls had tried to tempt her. Wher
the men sat down to dinner Rache
stole to her mothers bedside. finding
her, as she thought, asleep. But in ,
moment her eyes were opened. Rache
had never seen them 40 bright before
and then the flushed cheeks, the rec
lips, the hurried breathing.
30 mother" she said. "you are Sc
Z eiot What will uo do -
| Her ,,o,ber drew the friohtened fac,