News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-07-13
APPLE BUTTER.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.


fro on the bottom step of the back porch
of Squire Baldwin's big red brick house.
ooh, dear oh, dear I am distracted ~
"What is the matter, Peggy ?" in
quired the squire, looking over the
balustrade, with his pipe in his mouth
sBe you suffering from any gastric per-
turbations? Them green apples amt
none too salubrious and L saw you eat
a peck of 'em last night.
vhe squire thought it necessary to
use fine language in these days, when
election was approaching, and the eyes
of his fellow-townsmen were fixed upon
him as future candidate for office.
''Oh, no, sir 1 wish it was the
cholory," sobbed Peggy. ''Pd a great
deal ruther it would be brownskeddles
in my. throat, or the smallpox and
marked with it. Silas is took up"
''These here dispensations is for our
good, said the squire. "What did he
hev?"
''He didn't hev nothin'. He never
touched one of EN-" sobbed Peggy.
carn't say, Peggy, as I actooaly
comprehend your diagnosis" said the
squire.
Oh. Mister Baldwin, you know I
don't know French like the young ladies
does, said Peggy. "Why do you talk
it to me ?"
" That ART French, Peggy said
the squire; "but no matter. What
was the matter with Silas How did he
die ?"
He amt dead. Lsrd forbid p said
Peggy. "He's took up for stealin'.
Him that is jest as honest as a minis
ter"
"I thought you meant took up to
Heaven" said the Squire. "Td Jest
been reading about Elijah for the morn
In chapter, and my thoughts were of
spiritual natur. That's dreadful news,
Peggy. Tell me the partickerlers ?"
"That nasty, horrid, hateful Mr.. |
Moses Parker says he's got a purse full
of gold money" said Peggy doubling
her fists. Essays he stole it. cen a
most afore his eyes. One comfort,
Silas knocked him down and left him
black and blue but there he is in Jail,
and we was to have been married in
month as missus knows, for she's give
me the beautifullest light blue poplin
and trimmings. Oh, Squire Baldwin,
you that's the greatest lawyer, and the
highest eddicated ssentlszao4a n ssoin'
can't you see Justice done to my S1fas
81 rather reckon l will, Peggy" said
the squire, with dignity "You haven't
made any mistake in coming to me. 1
rather reckon do know more than the
majority of my Teller townsmen about {
most things. And l say boldly, l don't !
believe Silas Tucker is thief. I'll go d.
over to Parker's and see about il. y And |
IN five minutes more the so uire, wit l
his head in the air and his wide coat I
skirts Tapping about him in the high
wind, was seen marching over the COM {
mon toward Moses Parker's store.
GOOD morning, Squire. Glad to see
you," said Mr.. Parker, who, with a :
black eye. fast growing yellow, was
waiting behind his counter. "Any-
thing 1 can do for you, sir ?" 7
well, just stepped over to inquire I" !.
into this confederation of circumstances l.
twixt you and Silas Tucker, Mr.. :.
Parker" said the squire. "My
domestic, Peggy Porter, has attempted =,
for to give me some idea of its ramifca-
tions, but her agonies of mind seems to
have superinduced hysteria, ard there :,
amt no penetration to the root of the
matter; so I've come to you"
"Well, I'll tell you all about it,
Squire, said Mr.. Parker, as the Ioungers I"
about the store nodded to each other =,
and looked at the squire, as much as to :
say that there was a man who would do u
honor TO the town if placed in promi-
1ent position. "Here's the butter,
Sissy. Don't let it slide off the plate. eff
It's hard as ice. John, show Miss Per-
l1ns them brooms."
"Why, the story, I'm sorry to say,
squire, is just this Silas Tucker has ri
Helped himself to seventy dollars of my rl'
noney-all in gold. You see, I'd been OF
cling my hay-seventy dollars worth be
and they paid me in these here gold Or
agles. Seven ten-dollar gold pieces on
here was, and I put EN- into little sh
aller silk purse keep for change, and on
ust dnaer-time when NJ "k etiD. II was ize
md Sllas and me were eatin' our dinner ia ia
ogether, Just got through, and took
nut the purse. if,
That looks like resumption of spe- Ci
he payment, don't it p 1 said. sWa'aI hi
does, said Silas. Il hain't had gold sn
or SO long that 1 don't like to spend Fl
:, said Il feel like hoardin' il mn an
nd then L put the purse down on the
able. and was lookin' at it and the gold he
inning through the meshes, when nv ha
Id woman called to me out of the cook Lee
Dom: I'M
E" Moses, come and keep an eve on Eli
MS apple butter; I've got to go down fie
eIlar' n,
snow the kitchen is here and the am
there; open right one into the
'ch other. Twasn't four steps, and I of
N out and took the ladIe and stirred wa
way; and all of sudden 1 put nv gy1
md into my pocket and felt there {
asn't no purse in it. mo
'Silas, called out, keep an eye on bac
y purse enr
" There aren't no purse here said sne
las. You took it. saw you put it on
to your pocket
"And with that he got up and went A
t. Wife came in a minute after. and Uni
} searched high and low. Nobody "w
d been into the room but Silas. and 7 whe
eulated he'd hid it somewhere 10 iaare
ire me. That he'd stolen it, I couldn't J Sii9i
NIX. But the critter stayed out until Gov,
Give o'clock that night, and he'd had con
} much hard cider when he got in. the
1 he was purity sassy when | spoke shol
mt the nnrsa And - - r ket.
I says: Fl
Hired help is all alike. Moses ilylr
Il reckon it is, Betsy l hea
And up and told SiIas Jest this; s Snee
md over the purse and I'll take no pape
's about it. buy