Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-05-16
A GENUINE ANTIQUE.


The gentle spring sunshine had proved
wonderfully persuasive. 1t had coAxed the
grass TO put up its head under the kindly
shelter of the old stone wall it bad wheedled
the cat into leaving her snug hearth for the
warm side of the woodshed it had even fat
tered Simon Powers into the belief that lit
tie air might do him good. IF you wrap up
warm" his wife had said anxiously; "remem-
Der you're not a well man yet" Yes, he re-
membered, poor Simon Powers as he walked
slowly up and down before his door. He
leaned heavily on his cane, and drew his fad
ed gray shawl more closely across his shoul-
ders. He felt little kinship with the sun
shine. The season seemed in merry mood
in which he had no heart to join. Three
months OF lingering fever lay behind three
months of slow climbing back to health lay
before and in the meanwhile the butcher,
the baker and the grocer to be kept at bay.
This was not what he had promised his wife
in those far away days when he wooed her
this was not the father he had meant to be TO
his children. Had there crept forth that day
feebler or more useless thing than he
Just then a little boy, rolling his hoop, sent
1t suddenly against the sick man. Simon
started painfully, and with a cruel sense of
feebleness that was once strength. The boy
grinned and said;
scat +! 1eIe SCAT easy.
moment later, Smith, the grocer, passed,
with a hearty "How are you Powers Look
in pretty peaked yet, amt ye? Well must
be of Time and tide, you know"
Simon felt bruised and hurt and turned to
enter his gate, when the sound Of wheels
caught his ear. The carriage stopped.
II wish you'd step here, SIR"
Simon turned and saw two women in q
handsome carriage.
won't you step here, sir ?" the voice re-
peated with increasing decision.
"Do you live here ?" said the elder of the
two ladies, as if she we're examining wit
ness.
"Yes'm, live here, said Simon, patiently.
Every well, I'm going to get out. They
tell me you've some very good bits Of old fur
niture. want you TO let me see them"
Simon offered no resistance, and they pass
ed in. The elder was an imposing matron,
with heavy tread and sweeping trail the
younger a slender and limp damsel whose
dress suggested the age of Perices and who
was ususually spoken of by her protectress at
"a gifted gyurl"
isn't that knocker delicious ?" said Mrs
| Punderson.
isn't it2 Too deliciousl !" echoed Mis-
Violet Varnes.
Every easily taken off,"
| Very easily, am sure"
Poor Simon Powers felt his strength fas
leaving him, when, to his great relief, his wifi,
| appeared on the scene, hurriedly taking of
her apron as mark of respect to her visitors
Good afternoon" said Mrs. PundersoI
promptly. "We've come to look at what olC
furniture you have 1 may want to buy some
thing of you"
"Why, ma'am, I've only a little my mothe
left me-a few old things I've no desire t
part with"
Mrs. Punderson had, meanwhile, scanned
the room, but found only two objects suh
ciently venerable to be worth q second glance
One was the little old grandmother, noddin
over her knitting; the other she proceede
to investigate.
whats that desk ? That's not bad, sh
added in lower tone TO her companion.
mo, not bad at all, said the gifted gyurl.
"That desk" said Mrs. Powers, a littl
proudly, "my husbands father willed hin
and when we're gone our son Robert is
have it,"
"Ah, ha! an heirloom" said Mrs Punde
son, greedily. thought we should discove
something. A genuine antique. What
you call it worth ?"
"What it's worth in money, l can't sa!
ma'am, though it's the best of solid mahog
ny. 1t isn't handsome, ma'am; but it's stOC
in that corner since the day 1 was marrie'
Somehow it's home, that desk is-that DEF
and few other things"
''You say it isn't handsome, There 1 diff
from you," said Mrs. Punderson. 81 call
i exceedingly good. Violet" said she to h
young friend, who stood in an attitude by Il
7 window, "you remember the one at Sypher
: Sypher would put this in excellent order"
: "What does she say?" asked the gran
mother in a shrill little voice.
'She says she thinks Simon's desk is han
8 some," shouted her daughter-in-law.
= 81 don't wonder. guess l hain't forg
the day grAn'liher brought it home, aud he
% used to tic the children to the legs of
It when they was naughty. / member the til
& Simon eat the middle out of two squash pie
is "WOn't you let me see the inside OF it
Is said Mrs. Punderson, trampling quickly
the old lady's quavering "reminiscences.