The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-01-16

could have knocked me over with one of
your hairs when the Squire says, as per-
lite as luke says he 4: Miss Tryphena,
| regret to inform you that the mortgage
has not been paid off Twas away from
home on the evenin' your brother called
Well, declare, Thomas Henry, l riz right
up from my chair, an | says: Good land
Squire Flint, where under the canopy did
that six hundred dollars 60 to, then p An
the Squire says, lookin' as solemn as
when he passes round the plate Sundays,
says he 'Well--ahem l--Miss Tryphena,
you know your unfortunate brother was
so unwise as to stop at the tavern, on his
return, and it may be that he-gambled-
ahem l-or, perhaps he may have been
robbed. He was considerably under the
influence of--ahem l-.of Intoxicating drink,
and, as near as l can learn, there were
some pretty rough fellows there that night.
Anyhow, pray be convinced that the mort
gage has not been paid off, for, see, here it
is, and he took out roll of papers tied up
with pink tape, an he drawed out one
an showed it to me. | seen it was the
identical mortgsge-the same red seals to
it, an the very big blot l made when l
signed my name--bein' kinder nervous,
| an, besides, you was walkin' acrost the
table jest then, Thomas Henry, an nearly
tipped over the ink-bottle with your tail.
Well, SEEM is believin land there want
nothin more to be said, 30 | come away,
the Squire bowin' me out with fine
words-but fur all that | know he amt
| the kind to show any massy when the
mortgage comes due, an I'll have to git
out from under this roof Jest as sure as
gospel truth l''-and tear rolled down on
Thomas Henry's silver-gray fur.
eyes" wMiss Tryphena continued, ris-
ing and going to the window, 81 s'pose
to-morrer Il be the last New Years day
I'll spend here. P'raps l hain't been
thankful enough fur my blessin's-I know
many's the time I've grumbled at bein' 30
alone an at havin' to work hard, an
land o. Goshen what's that hangin' on
the pear tree :" Miss Tryphehs took off
her spectacles, wiped them carefully, re-
stored them to the bridge of her nose, and
then proceeded to take good look out
through the gathering gloom.
Dwell, 1 declared" she finally ex.
claimed; otis the rooster It's Romulus,
as sure as live / know him by his
WALLER legs-Remus's is dark colored An
| uC obhlh uDdAy JOO-l Cdu tOll ny buC Sblll
way he hangs Who could have done it2
It's them Chauncy boys, I'll bet anything
The pesky little wretchesi They killed
half last summers brood, what with
stonin' of them an settin that mean little
purp O. their'n to chase 'em. An they ct
my strawberries, trampled over my onion
bed, dug up my pansies huntin' fur grubs
to 60 fishin' with, an, besides, they was
enough to drive anybody wild what with
their whoopin' an hollerin' from morn till
night like passed. of Apaches But this
is the worst caper yet An they shall
suffer fur it, sure as my name is Tryphena
Higgins Pm glad, though, that they
took Romulus while they was about it he
was little stiff in his legs, bein' caught
between the pickets when he was chick
an meant to kill him fur dinner to.
morrer, an keep Remus iustid. But,
land now must 60 right out an chop
off that critters head-he won't be fit to
eat 'nless blood runs,"-and slipping on
her rubbers and thowing a shawl over her
head, Miss Tryphena hurried down to the
pear-tree. There hung Romulus, sure
enough his feathers cleaning like gold
from out the fakes of white snow. A pa
per was pinned to his plump breast, on
which was written in sprawling hand:
"My name was Romqlus
And was twin
Let 80 much corn
l couldn't git thin
Bat eSud sy Sn %b II s ssis Ssn
In the year 1888"
"Sassy critters |" was Miss Higgins
comment on this doggerel. "But III &c
over this very night an tell their ma about
it. IF she don't tend to their case III
see what there is in law / won't stanG
sech capers, no howl"
But Miss Higgins was not a revengefu
woman, and 80 by the time she had Rom
illus decapitsted and his feathers plucked
her ire had somewhat subsidized.
al kinder hate to complain to the wild
der, too," she said to Thomas Henry, a,
they sat down to their superior be il
known that this remarkable feline Away
J occupied high chair that, years ago, hat
been filled by "Brother Ebenezer." Yes,
, Miss Tryphena continued, al hate to com
plain, still the Bible tells US to 'admonist
one another Is'pose the widder'l fee
bad-she does take it to heart when then
! boys do anything wrong. AS for the lad
themselves-well, theirs them that's worse
They're chuck full of mischief, but
never give 'em credit for bein' 30 cruel a
: to treat poor animal as they did Romu
!, lus The Old Nick must have got int
them But there have been times whel
they was real good. Now, last April
when had that bilious turn, Bobby i
was who spent half day in diggin' yal
ler-dock and dandelion roots for me, ant
Roger brought me three or four messes o
fish, too Well, don't know "-hesitat
ingly-" but do believe I'll try a new tacl
J with them boys. l won't say nothing abou
, their pranks, but will jest invite 'em al
: over here to dinner to-morrer. Maybe it,
foolish, but anyhow, it's the last day o
| the old year, an somehow | don't feel lik
: bearin' malice. My own trouble ha
, made me feel as meek as a smashed Jun
, bug. P'raps the boys'l be more sorr,
) than if went over'n give 'em a jawin'
. Scripter bids us heap Goals of fire on GU
, enemy's head, an guess I'll try an Sc
how it works in this case. Scat Thoma
Henry There you be with your whis
\ kers in the mug of milk Hain't you NJ
manners latter all my trainin', too i"
. While hunting for her wraps in tn
closet, preparatory to her call on tn
T Widow Chauncy, Miss Tryphena hap
pened to take down an old coat instead O
T the waterproof. "What's this ?" she NUT
; tered, bringing it out to the light. "Oh
Ebenezer's old coat--the very one he wor