The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-09-26

causes, both past and present. He finally
concluded that Elizabeth would be likely
to remember all without his indexiDg
events and influences, and that the short
est letter would be the best one. So he
wrote only the following words:
Dear WIFE Il hope you are satisfied with
my settlement Of the Manchester property. |
received the money to-day, and forward
cheque for the amount named in my last, de-
Quoting only the regular charge on the convey
ancing, etc. This money have retained, be-
cause shall not be at home again for two
years. | shall begin tomorrow morning an
apprenticeship to Samuel Yorke, cotton spinner
and calico printer. intend to learn the bust
ness in all its processes practically. Ihaveliv
too long upon your bounty, for have lost yeur
esteem a. well AZ my own, and think de-
serve the loss. Please God, will redeem the
past, and with his help make a man of myself.
When am worthy OF your love, worthy to be
your husband yon will respect me- and until
then, think as kindly of me as you can"
While he was writing this letter, Eliza
beth was reading his previous one, and
congratulating herself upon her husbands
clever management in Manchester. There
was a vague feeling of regret in her heart,
and suspicion that, after all, she had not
given Joe fair chance. When he came
home she would do different indeed, she
half determined to tell him so, for though
proud, self-willed woman, she was, as
such characters often are, essentially just.
She expected him the following night,
and she went herself to meet him. Of
course she was disappointed; but she sent
the carriage to meet the late train. The
coachman only brought her Joe's letter.
She took it indifferently, and opened it
with almost a feeling of anger at his un
necessary delay. The contents smote her
on ever side of her nature. She left her
supper untouched, and locked herself in
her bedroom.
What would the neighbors say2 And
all her social equals and friends She
would get the blame: women always did.
These were her first thoughts but
more uDselfsh ones soon followed. The
very brevity and humility of Joe's letter
were a mighty eloquence to her. Fine
touched her; they would, at least, have
reused her to defend herself. Joe had
not blamed her; but her conscience did.
Every hour it said harder things to her.
Joe struck the noblest chord in her ma
ture. In taking his destiny so calmly and
resolutely out of her power, he had sud-
denly made himself her master. Her old
admiration for his beauty, his sunny tenn
per and kind heart, returned with tenfold
force. She had never been as much in
love with Joe Brierley as she was in that
he had left her to regain the prerogatives
of his manhood.
Early the next day Benjamin Brierley
was amazed to see handsome carriage
drive inside his mill gates, and beauti
! full, richly dressed woman alight from it.
"That's our Joe's wife, I'll be bound !
Now, whatever is she up to, coming here ?"
He retired at once into his private Of
fee; he made up his mind in moment
that he "would not be bamboozled by
any woman" And while he was thus
thinking, the door opened and Elizabeth
entered.
Her stately beauty, her rich silks, and
the faint watt of some delicate perfume
that came in with her quite subdued
Benjamin. She looked at him with eyes
full of tears, and said, "Father !"
"Eh Certainly, ma'am. Why, yes,
thou'rt our Joe's wife, suppose. Sit ia
down."
She sat down in Benjamin's own big
chair, and covered her face with her
hands, and began to sob,
"Oh, father father Oh, Joe Joe p
Berjamin's first thought was, "Now,
our Joe has been up to summat wrong,
and he's sent his wife to git round me.
She'll be sharp as needles, if she does"
But he tried to comfort her, and the more
he tried the more sorry he felt for her
sorrow.
"Whativer is it, my lass ? Tell me
all about it. If Joe hes done aught I'M
kind to thee, I'll pay him for it mesen."
"Joe unkind On, no, father 1t is
me that is to blame. Joe is the noblest
fellow God ever made"
"I'll not believe that-niver Come,
what is it ?"
Then Elizabeth told Benjamin all their
domestic troubles. He had hard work
to keep straight face while she did so.
Elizabeth did not spare herself she con-
fessed to all her authoritative ways; and
it amused Ben amin very highly to think
of Joe, who would not submit to his own
father, having to beck and bow to his
wife. Ben had been an autocrat in his
household and that man should be any
thing else to his women-folk seemed a
most preposterous state of affairs to him.
Elizabeth's revelations affected him as q
comedy might have. But he soon re.
Elected that it was doubtless judgment
on Joe for his disobedience to him a very
fitting retribution, indeed, it seemed to
the offended father.
But when Elizabeth told him I" Joe had
gone" that was a different thing His
first private sentiment was one of ap-
proval. Being his son, what could he do
but sooner or later cast eff any rule but
self-rule? Then she gave him Joes let
ter, and his surprise was complete.
"Why, there's summat in T. lad after
all, Mrs. Brierley.'
"Call me Elizabeth, father"
Gay, l will. like what he's done.
It's t most sensible thing ever knew
him to do-except t marrying O. thee, y
he added, admiriDgly.
"Father, l have 30 much to say to you,
and am not able to say it to-day. Will
you come Saturday and take dinner with
me2 The mill looses soon on Saturday,
does it not ?"
"I'll come, Elizabeth. What time ?"
/" As soon as you can. What time dc
you like dinner ?"
81 like it at four o'clock"
"Oh, father, how nice it is to have men
say just what they want, without apologies
and nonsense -
Than ba ap,uaad and a,oa,aJ all b;e