Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-12-29

strength we're done. With what magnificent
grace these men moved now who were so
awkward in the house aud how jim Barker
hated young Winkle for shouldering an i'm
mense log with such apparent ease
Once in while couple of the youngsters
got into wrestling match. Then rest was
declared for Eve minutes to watch the throw
During the nooning there were several Of
these, and jim Barker had set.to with young
Winkle which was more than half in earnest.
II had leaked out somehow that the former
was very much Interested in the new family,
or in part of it at least, and Winkle had iok-
ingly offered to 'cut him out" Now jim
was in that miserable state of uncertainty
when the mere suggestion Of such possibili-
ty made him wOfully unhappy. And it may
| be doubted whether Winkle ever got such a
toss in his life as Jim gave him that day-al
in sport, though, of course.
When night fell, the circuit preacher,
Methodist South, declared that the field was
ready for the Lords vineyard. Nothing but
few stumps remained to impede the course
of the plowman. The underbrush was burn
ing from a dozen fires. In single day, in a
hearty Western fashion, work had been done
which one person must have labored at for
months. In the house the gossips had had a
session of rare comfort. When all came to-
gether ut supper it was a season of great mer-
riment. But after a while the young people
began to get restless. There was good deal
of whispering, and some half.suppressed Be-
cret seemed on the wing. When the preach
or rose to 60 there was a general expression
Of regret. The whole assemblage escorted
him aud his family to their wagon. But he
had not driven three hundred yards before
there was an unmistakable sound of dance
music in the air. The good man wavered a
and tbap 1rayA gfraiubt bofua and
never heard it.
The wind had changed to the south early
in the day, and the rain now began to fall.
But in the loft Sandy Ballou was mounted on
a nail keg, and was fddling rs if his life de
pended on his zeal. What pigeon. wings were
cut What pressure OF hands was exchanged
when Sandy authorized "alamande left -
What maddening when he called, Swing
partners, ~ The rain came down in torrents.
1t seemed as if the reservoirs of the heavens
had given away About twelve o'clock a wa.
gon-load who had started for home came back
and reported portions Of the road cavcd in by
the creek The darkness was almost palpa
bic It was unsafe to venture out. There
was nothing to be done but to make night
of it. Sandy Ballou started in afresh to fiddle
till daylight. A new relay of candles was
lighted. Some of the older folks went to the
house, and took turns at getting little sleep.
But the younger heels knew no rest. Antique
country dances that had not been sesu for
generations were reSuscitated. Sandy was
king, and his brain seemed store house Of
forgotten figures.
During the afternoon jim Barker had pick
ed a bunch of delicate nemophilas and hand
ed them to Alice Winthrop, saying, My fate
goes with these flowers"
The senior Barker had observed this action,
and was not slow to draw his own conclusions
when, later in the evening, the fair Puritan
appeared with the dainty offering on her bo-
som, and Jim had an awkward expression of
uncontainable happiness. A little after four
o'clock horses were harnessed, and Jim
helped his father into the wagon, the latter
said, nterrogatively, "Well?'
But Jim kept his eyes rcsolutely toward
the east, and answered, The dawn is just
breaking"
Whereupon Uncle b lily whipped up his
horses, and responded, qrizzcally Yes, jim,
s'pose It So Hdrper's Ndgdziae