Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-05-02
4 STRANGE ROOLNG.

january. FOR days nobody mad stirred out
unless compelled by necessity, and I've no
doubt our dear mother had longed many
times for change which would allow her
noisy children to exercise their lungs and
muscles out of doors
At last the change came. During the fore
noon the thermometer indicated rising tenn
perature, and about mid day "the old woman
up in the sky began emptying her feather
beds"
Thick and fast the downy snow flakes fell,
wrapping every tree and shrub in a garment
Of pure white, and making even the stake
and rider" fences, the log barns and corn
cribs, things of beauty which were too truly
'joys not to last forever"
Hastily we children we're clad in coats,
cloaks, scarfs, mittens and all the parapher-
MALTA OF outer garments which loving moth
ers provide and insist on being worn, despite
the protests Of the wearers.
At last we were free, and out upon the hill
near by, where there was grand sport, slid
ing, snowbslling and making snow men.
The afternoon slipped quickly by, the snow
ceased falling, and the evening was settling
down clear and cold, when upon the opposite
hilltop there came in sight farmers box
sleigh, drawn by a span of bay horses Very
hastily we drove our sleds to the foot Of our
hill, and we reached it just in time for
hitch.
The driver Of this establishment was not
visible.
The hand which guided the team seemed
not hand but a huge wad of buckskin and
yarn, and it proceeded from a sort Of tower
of bedquits, blankets, buffalo robes, COM
fortcrs, surmounted by a head-piece envelop-
ed in Il green and red bay State" shawl
There was a little crack that was undoubted-
ly left for the eyes, but no eyes could be seen
by us.
Elging around a very little, but probably
as much as circumstances would allow, the
roll Of dry goods and furs inquired if lyon
house was Squire Black's?"
We replied affirmatively, and settled down
to the enjoyment of a ride TO our own door,
during which We exchanged many whispered
speculatons as to vino the stranger might be.
When the sled stopped, committee of us
reported the arrival at the house, while the
remainder watched the tying and blanketing
of the horses, and then formed a voluntary
escort.
In answer to a mufied rap, father opened
the door.
Squire Black, suppose ?"
'Yes, sir come in. Getting quite cold
outside, said my father, eying his guest Gu
riousy.
"Well, yes, we've had fearful spell o.
weather and I've been on the road for the
last two days of it. 1 see you don't know me,
Squire, and l swan, my eyes were 30 full
o. frost that hardly knew you; but reck-
on you'll see who am when get this tog-
gerry off,"
From the moment our visitor had stepped
inside, be had been engaged in unwrapping
one garment after another, process for all
the world like peelng an onion.
At last thore stood young man Of four
and-twenty years, six-footer with broad
shoulders face bronzed by exposure to the
weather, but u goodly face to look upon,
with its rather square jaw, ruddy cheeks, full,
smiling lips, brown hair curling over broad
forehead, and blue eyes, which answered my
fathers questioning look by very merry
| twinkle.
In a moment father extended both of his
hands, and grasped the strangers most cor
daily.
you are one of Aunt Annals boys"
A hearty laugh preceded the reply.
81 wasn't Rfeerd but you'd git 1t right,
Squire, if give you time enough. I'm the
same little Joe Tolon you taught long-divis-
| ion to-"
We knew Aunt Anna was former land
| lady of fathers when he was pedagogue
that she lived forty or fifty miles from us
great distance in those dRys-and our inter
est began to flag after mother came in from
the kitchen, and the conversation was con
tinued about old neighbors, of whose exist
ence we had been ignorant, We betook our
selves to the kitchen, where mother soon fol
| lowed.
Presently, while Joe was caring for hi
team, father came in, and, all unmindtul o
the old adage about 'little pitchers" said
with an air of one who must be very circum
spect lest his risibilities would betray him:
Il -LnN 4 Ioa hQu nNYNl
for ?"
I'm sure / don't know" replied mother
composedly stirring another handful of mea
into the boiling mush which was to be tn
piece de resistance of our evening meal.
He has come for wife"
"a wife ? didn't know he was acquaint
ed around here"
"He isn't. He wants me to recommen
him to some girl who is strong able and wi
ling to work, knows how to run house
and" K (hesitating little as he saw the yer
contemptuous curve Of my mothers nose an
mouth, } 'and-Tve spoken - about =
Jane"
esquire Black I" exclaimed mother, en-
phasizing her words still further by dash {
the pudding stick which sent the mush fly
ing over the stove.
Jane was farmers daughter, who worke
for US summers, and went home winters
help 10 up the spinning, weaving, and th
like. A mutually satisfactory arrangement, {
James services were needed more at home
= the winter than in summer, and moth'
= thereby saved the board and wages OF gi
during the winter, when the work was not {
= heavy Moreover, mother often said tn
Jane put the work ahead so when she wi
|, there that she could not keep her busy Il
year round.
2 Ah, help was help in those days But
return to the kitchen. Father had change
his position getting little out of the way
another charge from the mush pot, whe
the beating was going on vigorously.
l. After pause, he began again:
y "Well, ma, Jane is not bound to marry il
Q unless she wants to. But perhaps she'll ne
r er get another chance as good. You kno
IS yourself that any one of Aunt Anna's boys
+ bound to mako good man and smart one
o "None too smart if he thinks to get wi
this way" snapped out mother.
'Let him try, ma, if he wants to let hi
n try. 1t won't hurt him to have the conc
d taken out of him."
n No reply, but the mush was stirred as ne
II er mush was before.
= 'You know, ma, Jane has been keepi
company with that triling Dan Marcy"
"Why doesn't he marry girl who kno
is him, if he wants to get married" inquir
i my mother; but the pudding-stiok relax
10 its vigor, somewhat, and father venturet
r little nearer the speaker.
''He says the girls up there are all squav
and down by his mothers they have too hi
Ir. notions"
al "Well, it's heathensh, Frenchifed "
Is of courting a wife," replied mother, land
To- he we're to come about me that way, If l w
10 Jane, I'd empty bucket of water on him.
nd "Maybe she will, maybe she will, chu
u led my father who probably would have
he ioyed that termination of the affair as well
is any one.
l.. IT. "But ma, you know Jane is terribly hon
III ly, and"
an What further he would have said was
RS short by the entrance of Joe, bearing
ow and package.
IRE Mother sends these to you with her &C
M pliments, Mrs Black"
ho Mother, who knew the flavor of Aunt
m mas cheese and honey of old, was somew
las mouided by these presents, but she remaii
ne rather sulky all the evening; even when
in- filed her wood-box, piling her sticks as ev
"" ly as laths in bundle, filed the water pa
d. cut the kndling, and did the milking bri
~ ing the pail in as clean, she eondeseendec