St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-07-21
Cerinthy.


bought the old Capt. Jones place ~
said Aunt Nabby, as we sat at supper
in the old kitchen.
'What makes you think so Y was
the general inquiry.
"Well, | went by and saw all the
windows open, and Seth Jones he was
up on the roof getting ready to shingle,
and Aunt Mehitible Perry she told me
somebody had bought the place and
was goin' to fix it up"
II wonder now if Sam Lawson won't
know" said grandmamma, retlectively.
"Think it's likely said Aunt Lois.
''Sam always knows about what's none
of his business it's pity he don't
know more about what is"
II kind o like to have Sam round"
said Aunt Nabby. ~ don't see any
harm in knowing about things"
"No danger but he'll be in" said
Aunt Lois ''if there's a new shingle
on anybody's barn, Sam must be there
to see to it and get all the particulars" ="
"Well," said my grandmother, 'Tm
glad for my part somebody has bought
the Capt. Jones house. hate to see Il
good handsome place like that all shut
up and going to ruin. | should like to
know who's coming to live there. I'd
really like to ask Sam about it.
wonder if he won't be in
And, in fact, that very evening, Just
as the supper things had been put by
and the circle formed around the fire,
Sam Lawson's slow foot on the door
step and his leisurely work on the door
scraper heralded his approach.
''GOOd-evenin', deacon gOOd-eve-
MIN, Mis- Badger" he said. give jest
been up lookin' i'll on Tim Dexter that
was down with fever,-he's gettin'
pretty well over it,-and comm by,
see your winders a-shinin' so bright,
thought I'd jest stop i'll Il SPELL
''Well, we're glad to see yOu," said
my grandmother, while we boys, one
on either hand, led him to the warm
seat in the chimney corner and Off
ciously offered to go down cellar and
draw pitcher of cider. We were re-
solved that Sam should have every
assistance to start him in the conver
satiOnal line.
''Well, now, Mr.. Lawson, we were
just wondering about who's been buy
ing the Capt. Jones place." said Aunt
Nabby.
''Lordy massy, Miss Badger, know
all about that are to be sure | do
that are house has been bought by
Capt. Eb Sewel, i know him like Il
book. He made all his money tradin'
to the West Indies-his father is Dea-
con Jabez Sewel lives down in the
deestric' o Maine. | know the hull
family they're sort q related. Capt
Eb's great -grand'ther was third cousin
to my great grandmother.
''He's well off, Capt. Eb is.
"He and his brother Tim Sewel used
to have grocery in Bath, and Capt
Eb he traded to the West Indies car
ried over lumber and salt Goldfish and
hay and sich, and brought back mo-
lasses and sugar and rum. Now he's
, done seafarin' he's got a son old
enough to run the schooner, and he's
bought in with Jake Fellows the hal
of that grocery business Dea. Ketchun
| used to own fore he died"
+ 'Oh, that's it p said Aunt Nabby
II was a-wonderin' who'd take til,
5 deacon's place"
( "He's fore handed, Capt. Eb is h,
belongs to a real smart family. know
all about his folks and the way they
made their money. Their father, ole
Dea. Jabez Sewel, was pealer, | cal
tell you. There's a story about him il
:, the late war times that you boys wOulC
like to hear and | was knowing to i
ut the time"
go Sam, do tell us ~ we exclaimed
eagerly,
oval, We see, one summer | wa
- down in the deestric' loOkin' round
spell, and | went and staid to Dea
Jabezes his wife she was Jerusha Pea
body, minister's daughter at Wells
She was real sort o. mOtherly to me
IL. LOrdy massy, she had so many boy
in one more didn't seem to make n
$. count, and so | staid and worked Ion
~ with the boys-there was nine of 'em.
IS "Nine of them ?n said Aunt Nabby
Or dropping her knitting inquiringly.
''Ies, nine of 'em and all good, tai
siXfoot fellers. The old man used
'd say that he had fiftyfour feet of sons
and one daughter"
;, "Well, I'm sure I'm sorry for her,
an remarked Aunt Lois.
If oval, she wouldn't a. thanked yo
VI for yOuI sorrow, Miss Lois" said San
'.for there warnt no crowned quee
oa Ta made more on than Cerinthy was anon
nd all them fellers. She was bright ON,
ls Cerinthy was, and there couldn't ne
/ body beat her at her book.
in "She was a great scholar, and he
mother said she should have advanta
ges, and she went year to the acadt
my at Bath, and learned Latin an
Greek enough to a gone to college
she'd a been a feller, cause when
;, girl does take to larnin', she'll beat tn
fellers all hOller, and she warnt b
. 10 Sal- f.,t oil lnf.
Is in
"She and her mother used to hav
all the washin' for all them fellers ou
on the line by daylight Monday morn
ms. BY two o'clock in the afternOO
the ironing would be pretty much done
| tell YOU, there didn't no grass gro
s. under their feet. Everything was II
to tune and time in that house. Wor
u went off to Yankee Doodle there, | ca
ey tell ye.
es "'Cause We see, Dea. Jabez Sew,
y" was one of them men that's born dow
there in the deestric' that has the 90 i
'em, and everything he put his hand
had to go.
n "He went to sea cabin boy riz rigl
up to he second mate, then fust mat
then captain; and when he'd made 81
- vOy'ges and brought home money ever
time, he bought this ere big farm an
settled down and married and took {
raisin' sons and it did RELY seem 4;
if the Old Testament would be abol
used up in namin' the deacOn's famil
''There was Timothy and Eben an
Noah and Nathan and David and ODE
and Salmon and Heber and Jared, a
stout, healthy fellows never had
days sickness among 'em.
every one of 'em had his gun al
his axe, and could hit bird fiyin' or
deer on the jump, and could cut dow