The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-08-06

Uncle Jotham's Summer Boarder.

Uncle lothian came to the conclusion
that he would keep summer boarders.
He had mountin," "clear-runnin'
brook and "plenty of gardensass." To
help out his stock in this business, there
were glimpses of glorious scenery to be
enjoyed from Uncle Jothsm's windows.
He lived on the borders of Maine and
New Hampshire, and looking beyond the
forests in the valleys one saw such noble
mountains lifting toward the sky their i'm.
perial shoulders of delicate azure-a row
of kings in all their majesty. "Shag
Mountain in the rear of the farmhouse,
"Swift Brook " on the other side of the
road, a garden crowded with vegetables,
and those mountain monarchs in the dis
lance encouraged Uncle lothian to think
he might keep summer boarders.
Opposite the house of lothian Needs
lived his brother John, Uncle john" as
the neighborhood knew him. The two
were very unlike. lothian was man of
immense will, and it was also his boast
that he had will enough to keep him out
OF wrong. He was not religious man,
and it was his brag that che was as good
as professors round him, and asserted if
they had "more will and gumption, they
wouldn't be all the time a-mournin' over
their tumblin's down and gettin's up.
They would stand" On that slim diet,
professors failings, he would chew
contentedly all day. "Uncle John had
as much will by nature, but it had been
broken by much cross-besring. He was
man of lovable temper, and that was the
reason why he could and did live in peace
with the man across the road. He was
as prominent in the church as lothian
was out of it, He had gift in prayer
that started very low, like bird from a
nest on the ground, but went up swift
winged to God. Uncle Johns wife, Nabby,
asserted that if she did say it, only the
minister could beat John at prayin'."
Uncle Jotham's determination to take
boarders occasioned some discussion in the
neighborhood that had thus far opposed
all such innovations, and especially were
the women interested. Nabby, though,
did not care, for didn't she have both
summer and winter boarder, and was
she not satisfied Rev. James Stronghold
was the unmarried inmate of the home of
John and Nabby, staying summer and
winter. Uncle John and his wife were
"real minister-folks," aud, having true
Levite in their house, they were happy.
Sometimes, Uncle John was little vexed,
though he said nothing. 1t might be at
table, which his wife piled up with choice
eatables for the parson, and if she de-
tected a more toothsome bit than John
might have put on the minister's plate,
she would cry, "Give him that, John,
there's more meat on it," Such an eagle.
eyed guard of the minister's interests pro-
voked unintentionslly in Uncle Johns
breast the feeling that he was very remiss,
and the daily meal was kind of penance-
stool for him. Having such boarder,
why should Uncle John and the rest of
them be critics of Uncle Jotham's inten-
ton? They refrained from any remarks
on the course of the latter. Others were
not 80 abstemious.
There" said Elias Perkins wife, Ma
tilds, to stout Mrs. Priscilla Plympton,
who kept the post Office, they say Uncle
lothian is sot on havin' boarders, and
they'll come bringin' their city ways and
a-makin' remarks about US, Prissy."
GET" said Mrs. Plympton, with look
in which Solomon's wisdom was conferred
and emphasized, "ef, Tidy, Uncle Jo-
than is sot that way he can't be upset.
He's one of the kind that have an iron
rod in their backs"
"You've hit it there, Prissy, and you
see his wife. Jane, she don't say word
about it. Meek as Moses and alters was
Of course there are mo children to say
word agin it,"
This last sentence was the opening of
a. gate into a long lane.
"You forgit, Tidy
"About the children Oh, we'll, there's
one, but she is not at hum. That's Ann"
"Do you know all bout that, bout
Ann?"
al know suthin."
The desire, though, to know all was ire
sistible. Tidy "hitched" her chair
nearer Prissy; and this act meant, "Now
tell me all you know, and if you tell me
leetle more than you know can stand
it,"
1t was an afternoon in nature that in
vited to close conferences in society. All
day the clouds had covered "Shsg Noun
tain with the gray cap; the wind had
been mumbling all sorts of threats at
door and window and several times there
had been furries of crystal rain against
the panes. Few people came to the little
office to inquire if there were any mail
for them, and, with little fear of disturb
ance, the two women bent towards each
other. If one was all ears the other was
all mouth.
You see, Tidy, this was secret told
me by Mary Jenkins that was Slower,
but of course you won't tell"
ooh, no-nol"
"Mary Jenkins was a-visitin' in Bos-
ton and there saw her that was Ann
Needs, Uncle Jotham's daughter. That
was two years ago and she's been married
twenty years. AIMS name now is Way.
land and she told Mary this Il spose,'
she SEE, you wonder l don't 60 home, but
do you know fether won't allow it Oh,
he has an awful will, and when married
my Stephen, he was dead agin it. He
said Stephen was shiftless-but he isn't
and that got to Stephens ears, who was
up there a-visitin' with me after my mar
riage. That got to Stephens ears and he
jist tried to set fether right about it, and
they had it with their tongues hot and
heavy. "Well," SEE Stephen, al 'spose
my absence is better than my company"
and fether SEE, "You s'pose jest right"
and then what do you think he SEE to me
SEE he, #" You may choose tween me and
Stephen. You may stay here and I'll
make you comfortable. Eff you 60 with
him, goodbye" and will you b'lieve it,
4.