St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1883-02-16


company all gone, the baby asleep in
Louise had time to look over their
presents.
Mr.. Carter was one of the kind of
men who get dressing-gowns and slip
pers made for them. Mild, proper
men look well in gorgeous, palm -leaved
dressing gowns; men with very prop
er opinions can wear blue cashmere
with salmon facings beamingly.
Mr.. Carter received on this eventful
evening, nine dressing gowns, ten pair
of slippers like Joseph's coat of many
cOlOrs, three mufflers for wet or cold
Sundays, mittens, blue and white, nit
tens like Mary's little lamb, with fleece
as white as snow, tea-cOlOred mittens
with short wrists, copper -cOlored nit
tens with long wrists, but all for the
minister. None for Tom who had to
cut wood and tend the stable while the
reverend gentleman was taking his
morning nap or for Phil or Ned who
were always ont at fingers and toes.
eve can ravel some of them out and
knit them over for the boys" said Mrs.
Carter to her daughter, cOnsOlingly.
"Yes, after we dry all those apples" !"
she returned with sarcastic laugh.
"We can't eat all those pumpkins un
less we dry them for winter, too"
~ say, sis, where's all your cake 7
Pm as hungry as a bear" said Tom,
who had had good evenings work
caring for the horses of their guests.
"Such a mess as they made. l shall
have to work smart to neat up the
sfo TO ,irrh Y,,afhar. - ha
"There isn't any cake left, Tom, nor
much of anything else that our friends
brought for the table but L can get
you lunch of bread and butter and
cold meat, if you wish" replied Louise.
"Oh dear ~ Mrs. Carter stopped in
he1 tour of the rooms before the ruin
of what was once a beautiful and cost
ly vase. 1t was one of her wedding
gifts from a loved friend, and it was
hard for the tried woman to keep back
the rising tears. A large rent in the
parlOr carpet, a torn curtain, and a
broken chair, did not encourage her to
further investigation that night, but
Louise informed Tom privately that
two of the best china cups were broken,
also a preserve dish, and the best glass
sugar-bowl Phil and Ned were great
ly disappointed when, on inquiring,
they found they had been forgotten by
every one but little Tommy Glass, who
brought Ned a mischievous pup called
Jip.
"Tom Glass is the very bestest fell
low of um all, and l think Jip is jolly"
declared Ned, when his mother discOv-
cred Jip surreptitiously supping the
babV'S beef tea in the pantry.
''Tm glad one is pleased" exclaimed
Louise, vigorously securing the best
knives.
"Why, amt father ?" asked Phil
with wide open eyes. "Gracious
don't | wish Ned and | could wear
those gowns ?"
"Will you wear them if | will make
you suits of them 2" exclaimed Louise
suddenly, with mischief in her eyes.
The boys hesitated, but Tom offered
inducements in the shape of jack
knives, and they promised.
"Ill do it, TOm," said Louise, as they
parted for the night, or rather morn
ing, for it was three o'clock a. III. be
fore Louise had washed the dishes and
cleared up comfortably after the party.
"Father," said Louise demurely, the
next morning, "what are you going to
do with all those dressing gowns ?"
'1-I should like to reserve the blue
one fDr certain occasions, but you may
do what you please with the Others"
Tom winked knowingly across the
table to little Phil, who trod on Jip's
tail, intending to communicate his de-
light to Ned, who did not seem to take
the hint.
81 have received an invitation to
exchange with the Rev. Elisha Stone
at Brattleboro, and as have the means
now | think | will accept. l might as
well spend the week with my friends
on the road" said Mr.. Carter the next
day. Louise assisted in the prepara-
tions for his journey with alacrity
she had some plans of her own to ex-
ecute while he was absent.
Mr.. Carter would have enjoyed a
trip to Europe very much, or even a
summer at the White Mountains, but
if he could not have it he would be
content with a visit to BrattlebOro will
the contents of Deacon Weeks hat,
which was passed around at the dOna,
ton, in his pocket.
"He's as blind as bat to our pov-
erty," said Tom once, more forcibly
than elegantly expressing the truth oI
the case.
All Plainville was electrified the neXt
Sunday, by seeing Louise march VI
the broad aisle TO the front pew, the
minister's pew from time immemorial
with two Enthusiastically attired children
following her. They were Phil and NeC
clad in blouse waists and Knicker.
booker pants made of two of thOs,
dressing gowns The groundwork o
Phirs suit was seal brown, but til,
orange leaves, shading off to scarlet
nearly covered it.
! Ned was more gorgeous, if possible
in light blue twilled cashmere will
its enormous high colOred palm leaves
Louise was not at all particular il
matching in making up the little boys
clothes, and the effect was startling t.
say the least. Tom came a few minute
later with the Rev. Mr.. Stone, and OF
his hands he wore pair of those nit
tens.
81 never heard of anything so alb
surd," said Mrs. Weeks to her husban,
after church.
) perhaps they hadn't anything t
wear, you know the little fellows have
; MT been to church lately. VIII
knows 7" said he slowly.
Mrs. Weeks thought of what she ha.
said to Louise with regret.
~ wish you had voted to raise NJ
' Carter's salary" she said timidly.
Deacon Weeks was a dull, ploddine
honest, kindhearted man, very set i
1 his own way, but when an idea ono
entered his brain it worked like yea,
t until something came from it. 1t wa
| so with his wife's remark. He thougl
E about it.
D Something else happened before I'll
minister got home. Louise had a pa
; tY She invited old and vnnnn fro