The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-12-26

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she had anticipated it with girlish eager.
ness. But when her father spoke OF
the advantage the proposed arrangement
would be to him in his work, and limited
at necessity for retrenchments, she
yielded at once, with her usual "sweet
reasonableness !" aud the younger ones
were too well pleased with the novel pros
pect of q winter in the country to think
of raising an objection. For myself, |
must confess that, though l tried to give
nv consent cheerfully, | was somewhat
appalled, at the outlook, for in my youth l
had spent several winters in an old New
England farmhouse, and we'll remembered
how drearily the time went by. Still, in
looking back, 1 could see that the dresri-
ness was due to the people themselves
rather than to the place and season, and
mentally resolved to profit by the expe-
renee.
at is tentative undertaking." said
Jonas, "and very likely we may all be
sick of it before the winter is half over
but if we can manage to keep busy, l
hardly think we shall find the time hang
ing heavy"
Busy Tom and Ben exchanged one
of their telegraphic glauces-hadn't they
enough planned to keep them busy for
the next three months, at least, If only
the weather held fair2
But before a week passed, the weather,
as If to show us what was in store for us,
took sudden turn the skies darkened,
an easterly wind set in, and day and night
we could hear the thud of the breakers
on the Bridgehamptou beach. BY the
third day these premonitory symptoms
had eliminated in a raging storm and
then came the problem-how shall we
make sunshine indoor when the outer
world is gray and cherries ? Fortu-
nately, our Annie is something Of a
heliostat, holding store of sunshine in
reserve for just such days; and though
she kept the children rigidly to their les
sons during the appointed study hours,
she was as ready as the children them
selves for any merry-making the moment
study hours we're over. To see her filling
the role of teacher, or sitting at her faith
er's elbow, patiently giving him the bene-
fit of her German in translating Professor
Karl Won Steuklenberg's prosaic letters,
one would scarcely have believed that this
clear-eyed, PRACTICAL looking young person
could enter so heartily into the juvenile
pastimes of her brothers and sisters. To
us, who knew how great was the disap.
pointment she was bearing 80 bravely,
her sunniness was a daily wonder and,
thoroughly as we had sympathized with
her, we began to feel that the discipline
of the winter was in some ways more than
compromising her for the loss Of season
in society.
One of the conveniences of our farm
house was a spacious attic here we es-
tablished a gymnasium, and on days
when the weather was such as to keep us
indoors we usually spent an hour or two
with the beau-bags and dumb-bells, max
ing sort of family frolic of it. We had
feared that the place would be too cool for
comfort, but we found that, with the
vigorous exercise, fire would have been
uncomfortable. A box of tools and scroll
saw furnished additional entertainment
for bad weather; small room, opening
from the kitchen, that during the sum-
mer had been used as laundry, serving
for workshop.
But the weather had to be at its worst
to keep Jonas and the boys indoors for
more than half a day at time.
"Why be afraid of dash of rain or a
puff of cold air ?" said Jonas, one morn
ing, when 1 expressed the opinion that
the day was not very propitious for a
tramp. elf we accustom ourselves to
the changes in the weather, we shall be
less likely to suffer from them. 1t is not
to be wondered at that the people who
breathe the overheated atmosphere of most
of our dwelling-houses, stores, and offices
shiver at the thought of facing respecta.
BILE breeze; no wonder they have sore
throats and pneumonia and consumption.
The only wonder is that any of them sur.
vive the winter. But this house is in nc
danger of being overheated, and l am
glad of it."
No though Annie and had that very
! corning been listing all the doors, il
was not likely to be overheated. We had
not realized, until the November winds
began to rampage, how many cracks and
crevices there were in the old house; but
no one seemed to suffer any i'll effects
from this free ventilation. On the con
trary, | think we were never more exempt
from colds and headaches. Still, our ex
empton in this respect was no doubt
partly due to our frequent walks; for
except when the weather was such as tc
make walking out of question, Jonas in
sisted that the girls and l were not to be
left at home when he and the boys started
out for a constitutional. Beth, who, on 6
cold day, likes nothing better than tc
snuggle up to the fire with a pleasant
book for company, was sometimes dis
posed to object to this arrangement; she
could see no use in being dragged out
rain or shine; but, if there was no alter
native, why not ride
"Because, my DEAR" said Jonas, "ir
cold weather, as rule, people ought neve
to ride when they are able to walk. Car
riage-riding, at the best, is an indolen
way of taking the air, and in winter on
wants not only air, but action. There il
nothing like good brisk walk to set thu
blood in motion.
There were days when |, too, was in
clined to protests the country was so un
inviting at this season of the year, and i
was such trouble to put on ones wraps
just for little walk But, the habi
once formed, began to find that witbou
my walk the day was sadly incomplete
And l had never imagined that white
Landscape could possess SO many attrac
tions-the marvellous tracery of leafes
limbs and twigs against the wintry sky
tho atOrnu fourn m anita Of tho clOudo m