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

tomorrow ?"
"Well," replied his mother, medita-
lively, d" can get shin of beef for fifteen
cents that'll make lot of soup. And
with the rest I'll get some apples and
spice, and we can have some dumplings."
"Dumplings Hi That'll be jolly,
won't it, Bob ?"
"Hush I" said his mother, warningly
somebody knocked"
GOOD evenin', Miss Chauncy,' said
Miss Tryphena, entering. "No, l can't
set down-must hurry back. Left all the
draughts turned on my stove, an it'll be
pipin' hot N less n half an hour. / only
run over to bring you this coat, thinkin'
you could fix it for one of the boys.
Oh, yes land I'd like to have you an
the boys come over an take dinner with
me to-morrer-New Years, you know"
Mrs. Chaunoy looked fustered but
highly pleased, while the boys skunk
sheepishly into the corner.
"To be sure we'll come, an many
thanks to you, Miss 'Pheny," said the for
mer, at last recovering her wits. otis
very kind of you, I'm sure-very kind, in
deed !"
Early next morning Miss Tryphena
was busy at work. Soon her CHEEKY little
kitchen was redolent with roasting
chicken, plum pudding and spicy pies and
cakes. At two o'clock the widow and her
boys arrived, all with faces as clean and
shining as soap and water could make
them. Clearly attired, too, although their
garments were patched and worn.
"Say, Miss 'Pheny," said Roger, in
low whisper, as he hung his cap in the
entry, "please, Bob n l is awful sorry
'cause-cause we hung Romulus. You
see, we was only playing that he was Gui-
teau, an we didn't think we'd kill the
critter-no, not one bit But before we
knowed it he give one squawk an flop, an
then he was gonerl Then some of the
school-boys come along an they drove us
away an put some writin' on him, then
they went away latin as though they'd
bust themselves. An we was too 'fraid
to tell you what we'd done, but says to
Bob last night, says / l hahn tgoin' to set
down to the table an eat with Miss 'Pheny
till she knows what we've doneP So,
Miss 'Pheny, if you want to send us home,
1 jest do it right away-it d serve us right
Only" with little choke in his voice
"only, please let ma stay-she don't git
anything good to eat very often"
"Send you homer Indeed won't I"
said the hostess. "I'll let bygones be by
cones this time. But, Roger" gravely,
"you an Bob must try to be better, for
your poor dear mas sake, if for moth
in else"
Of course the Chauncys enjoyed their
dinner They hadn't had anything so
nice in a long time. The widow felt quite
impressed by the china tea-cups with pink
roses on them, and the spoons of real
solid silver with ct. H." So aristo-
cratic - she thought. After the things
were washed up and the boys went out to
make snow man, the women sat down
to their sewing.
"You see brought the coat along, Miss
'Pheny," observed the widow, and she
added, alphabetically al wanted to get
it fixed as soon as could, for Roger needs
it like everything The weather took
sech a sudden turn"
"That's so; he needs it now if he ever
does" said her hostess. An as l hain't
nothin' peticular to do this afternoon, Tll
jest set to work an help you.'
Working on one garment generally
makes women sociable, and ere long Miss
Tryphena and her guest were in a high
tide of mutual condolences. The former
was just giving most interesting account
of her interview with Squire Flint, when
sudden exclamation from the widow
caused her to pause.
"Good gracious sakes alive What's
this slipped down in the linin'? thought
fust it was chunk of cotton waddin' but
land Miss 'Pheny, faint waddin', it,
money-yes, money and with eyes nearly
the dimensions of the blue tea-saucers
Mrs. Chauncy held out a roll of bills
Gland O. Goshen " screamed Miss Try
phena. "It's Ebenezer's money-tht
money he had to pay off the mortgage
with An he didn't gamble it away, an
he wasn't robbed What a mercifu
Provi-" here poor Miss Tryphens
tainted away for the first time in all hel
J sixty-fve years.
When she came to she found hersel
lying on the chintz-covered lounge, will
Roger pouring a tumbler of cold watel
down her back, Bob pressing the camphor
bottle against her left eye, and the widow
holding bunch of burnt feathers to he
nose, while Thomas Henry-the migrate
. full wretch taking advantage of the con
fusion, was climbing up the window cur
tain in vain endeavor to catch the canary
"The money p Miss Tryphena gasped
cts all right, poor dear. So lucky
too, that l didn't snip it to pieces with tn,
shears" said the widow.
ats massey that didn't sell it to tn,
,, ragman |" feebly. "I'm so glad changed
my mind and had you here to dinner
oh, dear mel it's Goals of .fre-coals o
fire"
"No, faint" hastily interrupted tn
widow; it's only cold water Rogers pour
ing down your back. Stop, child Dom
J you see she's come to Jest drive dow
that cat Bobby, dear. There, Miss 'Pheny
drink this. You'll be all right in min
ute or two. I'm 80 glad 1 found tina
money You've made Us such happ,
New Years that it is no wonder the Lort
: thought he would make yours happy too I
Mrs. Mary E. Brush, in Christian a
Work.
WHEN an. old-fsshioned merchant il
New Jersey came to look over an orde
made out by his new-fashioned clerk, tn