Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-08-08
along without him, as well as he car

in her braids, with pretty conscious.
ness of coming success, which, although
it might not be authorized, was GER
tainly very becoming. And so Bella
Barlow thought, for he added, conclu-
sively;
"That's sOp'
But love and youth can afford to he
generous. And 50 the two young
people went into cousin Jacobs sick
room, to bid him good-by,
"Soyou're really going to be married,
be you?" said cousin Jacob, who look
ed as yellow and withered as so EN-
elderly mummy, among his pillows in
the semi.darkened sick room. "0n
these rheumatics-rheumatics! Oh, OH"
THAT'S what we're a thinking Of"
said Mr.. Barlow. "lt's well now as
eyer.'
"Yes, yes, l dare say" said cousin
Jacob. "But don't shake hands with
me, pleased 1t hurts, What was we
talkin' Off Oh, | remember now!
Gettin' married. It's all folly and non
sense, think, and there amt no sort
of doubt but you'll both come to the
pOorhouse. But Polly there's good
girl enough, and so | mean to give You
weddin' present, for all you've used
me so bad!"
He paused here for second, to grOan
over the sudden twinges in his elbow
joints.
Bella Barlow's vision pictured pair
of stout working oxen, at the very least.
Mary's imagination depicted black
silk dress, or set of willow-pattern
china.
"And So" went on cousin Jacob,
an give you six of them new gladoly
bulbs from New YOrk-them as was a
dollar apiece, and can't be duplicated
at no price now. There"
Bella Barlow was seized with a sud
den fit of coughing.
Mary Jennings answered, meekly:
"Thank you, cousin Hopper
And Mrs. Jennings went out into
the back kitchen and cried.
"IIetty Boonell give 'em to you,'
said Mr.. Hopper, complacently.
''They're wrapped in a paper on the
shelf where the garden tools are. And
mind you take good care of 'em. It's
Just the time o year to plant them out,
and eff they do well, money can't buy
EN-"
And Mr.. Hopper sank, alternately
groaning and chuckling, back among
his pillows.
So the young couple were quietly
married, and went to live in the little
yellow farmhouse behind the black
smiths shed.
Hang the gladiolies!' said Bella
Barlow. "I'ye Il good mind to feed
'em to the pig"
"Oh, Bella, don't" said Mary. "Giye
'em to me. I'll plant 'em in the little
south border. Cousin Jacob meant it
in all kindness, you know"
"But what do we care for gladiolies ~
persisted Bella.
Never mind" said Mary; "I'll plant
'em, all the same"
In the meantime, however a storm
was brewing at the Hopper homestead
Cousin Jacob, who had by this time
recovered 50 far as to hObble about
with a stick and pair of rpet.slip-
pers, did not relish his dinners as he
used to do.
"D'ye call this an onion stew :" said
he. "Why, there amt no sort O flavor
about it."
And Miss Boone, who had Il chronic
catarrh, and could not taste anything
declared that the flavor was excellent.
'IIumph! humph" growled Jacob
Hopper, "l'd as soon eat SO much
stewed rags, Put it in the pigs barrel,
Bring on your pudding. a man must
eat something"
The pudding--one of the variety
known as "b'iled injin"-was brought
on, and luckily it proved to be tolerably
palatable
So that, after the midday meal, old
Jacob went out to look for his bulbs
on the shelf.
"Im late a-plantin' en- said he.
"But that's somethin' | never could
trust any one else to do. But, dear
me, this 'ere's most onaccountable
circumstance. Where be they?'
Hetty Boone was summoned from
her dish-washing to solve the problem.
"Gladioly bulbs!" said She 81 don't
know nothln' about 'em. How should
II"
But they were on the shelf herew
said old jacob. "ln flat, yellow pie
plate. Six of the Royal Princess
variety, at dollar apiece"
Miss Boone turned livid.
81 guess the rats has got EN-" said
she. "Or, hold on, cousin Jacob-you
give 'em to Bella Barlow's wife your
SELF
"Them was in blue pie-plate"
shrilly cried Mr.. Hopper. "Where are
my gladiolies, Hetty Boone? That's
what l want to know. Twelve dollars
dozen! Varieties as can't be replac-
ed not for the mint itself"
Miss Boone wisely got behind the