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

will show you where she wishes III put De-
fore we CO."
every we'll, papa, will see to it," re-
piled Roger. "Do you wish me to stay
at home to receive it 2"
"Oh, no not at ALL" said Mr.. Bolton
ait may not come to-day, and if it should
you can attend to it any time before six
o'clock"
It has been suggested by humorous
writer that certain inanimate objects are
possessed by total depravity, and most of
us have had experiences which incline us
to agree with her. A barrel of cider-vin-
egar is, intripsically, harmless thing,
but it worked woe in one household that
day.
Roger and his friend took long walk
after dinner, beguiling the way, after
they reached the woods, with various
feats of strength and agility, and reaching
home about five o'clock, pretty thoroughly
tired. The barrel of vinegar had come
and was standing meekly in the side yard
by the cellar door.
Halloal' said Roger, as they entered
the gate, " the vinegar has kept its en-
gagement. l rather hoped it wouldn't.
There's no use in your coming to the
works with me, Duff you look ready to
drop now; 60 in and make yourself agree
| able to her ladysbip, while l go for the
men. Or, see here do believe, if you'll
lend hand, Just to sort of steer, as it
were, that can do it myself, and save
the walk"
Mr.. Duffy professed his entire willing
ness to lend hand, but at the same time
he said, little doubtfully:
"Do you think we can do itP tie
very large, and / should think it would
be heavy"
ooh, bosh |" said Roger, impatiently.
elf you don't wish to help me, of coure
I'll go for the men; but l see just how
it can be done, and all you'll have to do is
to hold it back and steady it little. I'll
manage the rest"
Thus appealed to, Mr.. Duffy was, of
course, profuse in offers to help, and
Roger, forgetting his fatigue in the ex-
off for Mehetabel and the clothes-line.
Mehetabel had serious doubts of the wis
dom of the undertaking, and tried to per-
suade him to 60 for the men but all she
said was as fuel to the fire of his ambi-
ton, and finding remonstrance useless, she
told him where to find the clothes-line
and followed to the seat of war.
Roger fitted slip.knot around the bar
rel and rolled the latter to the cellar
doors; then he brought long plank,
which happened to be in the wood-house,
and laid it carefully down the middle of
the steps.
Hadn't you better double the rope,
dear ?" asked Mehetable; adding, anx-
iously, ait isn't very strong, you know,
and the stairs are Steep"
"There will be no strain on it worth
mentioning" he replied, a little pomp
ously " it is merely by way of precaution
If you and Duff will hold it, and keep the
barrel steady, can manage very WELL"
He took his position two or three steps
down, as he spoke, placing foot on each
, side of the plank.
"Now," he said, Duff, you take hold
of the rope, and Bel, you take hold farther
, up and stand behind; you'll both have to
help me little to get the barrel started
and l will push up on it to keep it from
, going too fast, and you can just pull back
a little, not enough to hurt you, and well
have it down in no time"
f Rogers words came true with startling
9 literalness. The weight of the barrel was
q Aoi SiCuoCi uuou hO hdu lCdilLCuj duo 90
/ by Mr. Duffy's suggestions, small piece
s of board was inclined so that they easily
: rolled it on the step and started it, Rogel
s was unpleasantly surprised to find it gain
r ing on him in an alarming manner.
Q "Hold hard he shouted, as he stag
), gered from step to step, and his ASSIST
i ants frightened the rope; it did not stant
+ the strain for moment, and as it snapped
l. Mehetabel and Mr.. Duffy sat suddenl,
8 down, and the avenging barrel, now FREE
= from all control, relentlessly pursued it
h foe. Roger struggled bravely, but tn
@ fear of being rolled as fiat as the ginger
a bread man decided him to escape Will
t he could, and he gave flying leap acros
:. the cellar, closely followed by the barre
which, landing with bang upon tn
l. brick floor, started every stave, and tn
# vinegar spurted Sin straight lines and a.
> directions" Mehetabel and Mr.. Duff
n had sprung to their feet in time to Sc
the grand finale" and now sat down O
e the top step utterly overcome with laugh
O ter.
y Roger did not even smile; his Who'll
mind was concentrated on saving part G
8 the vinegar. He dashed wildly down tn
passage which led to the basement-kitcheI
10 returning in moment with tin PAL
n which ha placed under one of the jets.
re was fui in very short time, and, to
Or much excited to know what he was abou
t. he carried it halfway down the passag
y and left it there while he went for SOM
thing else to catch the torrent. He cam
10 running back, this time with large ii
t. pail, but just before he reached the pal
W he stubbed his toe on loose brick an
ID fell with his whole weight upon the III
n lucky pan. He was stout young ma
for his age, and when he arose the pa
TO had assumed the appearance of a lare
ID pie-dish, and all the vinegar which it hs
re contained, with the exception of tn,
i'd which his clothing had imbibed, WI
ut trickling in various directions over IL
lie bricks.
ut BY this time the spectators of the ira
edy had laughed themselves weak, an
n. were quite incapable of coming to his a
#, sistance even had it occurred to them
y, do 80. The torrent from the cask had b
is gun to subside, and one scant bucketfl
d. was all that Roger saved from the wrec
ID He placed two or three slaves from I'll
Dr. cask across the bucket, and then retired
i'd change his clothes, not appearing agai
n until the tea-bell rang.
al "You are a pretty pair l' he said, 8