The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-07-23

was the aunt you see, she didn't like him;
she'd heard ever 80 many stories against
him, and she couldn't any ways hear that
| Susy Beach should marry him she done
her best to stop it, but Sue was an orphan
and real independent, and finally she and
he was married but from that day she
never spoke word TO Maria Hall, nor
never writ to her, nor never see her face
excep' once, to her grandfather's funeral,
old Squire Hall that was.
"Maria was most killed by it all what
she done, she done for Susy's best good,
but girls don't never see what's for their
good when there's q young man concerned
in the matter, leastways if they like him.
| I've always noticed they was real biddable
if they didn't care about him. Natur', |
suppose. But Cyrus Brooks turned out
better than Maria thought for he had
some means, and soon after he was mar
ried somebody that was kin to him left
him quite fortin and house in Dysart,
about ten mile from Endicott, so he went
there to live; twas beautiful place l
heered tell, and he had some business in
a mill or somethin' and they settled down
there for good, but Susy wouldn't have a
word to say to Maria, all the more be.
cause her husband had turned out 80 we'll
after all. Susy had been in Miss Abbott's
Bible class, and Miss Abbott set a sight
by her; so she did by Maria, too; and
after Susy was married nothing would do
but that Miss Abbott should make her
| visit; so she did, and for a few years went
to and fro considerable.
"That was all the way Maria ever had
| to hear about her niece, and 'twould make
anybody cry to see the hungry, pitiful
look on her face when she'd come up to
Miss Abbotts after her comm back from
Susy's, full of longin' to hear from her
| dear girl, as she always called her. see
her over and over, when was up there to
work, and / tell you my heart ached for
her. Well, after spell Susy fell into
decline like, and then it did seem as
though Maria would go distracted; Brooks
he'd got his back up as we'll as Sue, and
wife at no price, and finally she got so bad
they took her off to Floridy.
"By-an-by Miss Abbott got letter
sayin' that Sue was comm home in the
spring and then they should go right off
to Colorado; but she didn't, she was real
low and one day heerd Maria Hall say
to Miss Abbott, 'Marthy,' when shall you
60 down to Dysart? 1 don't feel as if l
could let Sue be so i'll and not hear from
her,
"Well, DEAR says Miss Abbott, Pm
going just as soon as the right time seems
to Gomez
"Miss Maria looked at her hard, and
somehow the text kind of shot acrost my
head, Now is the accepted time but |
didn't say word.
ITO make a long story short, Miss Alb
bolt never had an indication of the
right time, though Maria KEEP acomin' up
with her sofrowful face and trembly voice
and wet eyes to see what she'd heerd, or
if she'd been to Dysart for Maria had
made up her mind to take her life in her
hand, as you may say, if Susy should be
very low, and 60 down an see her. But
she never see her; word come that she
was dead, an Miss Abbott had an indi-
cation to 60 to the funeral, expect, for
she went. Maria Hall never got over it,
nor never will b'lieve she tried honest
to forgive Miss Abbott, but she couldn't
never feel just the same to her again.
"Still, Marthy Abbott didn't see into
herself yet; It's sight easier to hear
other folkses troubles than our own and
she had to be fetched nearer home before
she see that instead of waitin' for voice
from heaven to tell her when to do this
an tother, she really was waitin' till she
felt like doin' of 'em.
"She had an aunt over to hartford, who
was a real invalid woman for years and
years; one of them that die daily, though
not in the Scripture sense. But she'd been
miser'ble for long time, and folks had
thought she wasn't goin' to live 80 long
that they finally made up their minds that
she wouldn't never die. But everybody
does die sooner or later, and folks keep
gettin' older every day, and flesh and
blood will give out with years if they
don't with ailments, so the time come
when Mis- Hodge truly was like TO die.
Now Miss Abbott had always set by this
aunt dreadfully; she thought the most of
her of any kin she had, and indeed the
wasn't but few of 'em left; but twas
quite journey to hartford, and big,
noisy place when you got there, as ever
was, and change of cars, too, on the
way. Marthy used to 60 to her aunt's
once year reg'lar, though, and 'twant six
months after her annoosl visit when she
heered how that Mis- Hodge was honestly
afailin' fast; the doctor said So
al heered her tell Parson Pitcher that
one day comm out of meetin'; and Mis-
Pitcher, who was nosey little woman,
sharper'n a gimlet, and never thought
askin.breath was wasted, as the sayin' is,
she was to the parsons elbow, and she
piped up and says, And when be you
agoin' to see her p
"Miss Abbott looked round as calm as
a calm, and says, 'Just as soon as it seems
to be the right time, Mis- Pitcher
"Then the parson he turned and looked
at her, and spoke out real solemn, Work
while it is called to-day, my friend, for
the night cometh.' But it didn't seem to
fit her case, somehow, she was so sure she
was waitin' on providence.
81 knew we'll enough that she wasn't
overly smart herself, and house-cleanin'
time was near by, and they'd got hold of
a real interestin' missionary to the sewin'
society, whose wife had writ on from the
fur West that her nine children hadn't
got rag o. spring clothes, and Miss Abbott
was the greatest hand for such things
she'd rummape evarvbodv'a oarrat and