Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-02-04

mas the least lQeo WneTe- -Sne Is aSOlu
to live, although she's agoin' to her
sisters at Pinewood for spell; but
she has got family of her own, and
of course she can't be expected to
provide a home for a widder and two
children
Mrs. Muggins was terribly indig-
nant. and so was every one to whom
she told the story, and it was thought
best to have a meeting of the Union
Sewing society the next day (al-
though it was not the day for the
meeting) and see what could be done
about it. The meeting was held at
the presidents, Mrs. Murch's, who
lived directly opposite DIR. Holmes
residence. 1t was we'll attended and
never did Union Sewing society show
more united spirit than in denounc-
ing DR.. Holmes and expressing SYM
pathy for the unfortunate widow.
The Widow Sharp boldly proposed
raising money by subscription (of
course, being a widow herself, she
wouldn't be expected to pay any
thing) but the other ladies', after
making some mental calculations,
concluded that it wouldn't be best !;
"Widow Benson was a dreadful high
spirited woman and might feel af-
fronted."
So there seemed nothing they could
do after all except to free their minds
but they did that thoroughly.
1t was perfectly scandalous, they
declared, for DIR. Holmes, the richest
man in town and not child or chick
in the world, to Cypress the widow
and the fatherless.
''Such a good woman as she is in
sickness, said Mrs. Taylor, whose
children had had a run of measles !;
"and dreadful tasty, said Grandma
Newton, wondering where her pretty
caps were to come from now. "But
nothing gaudy; you never saw her
rugged out in flounces and furbelows, "
added Mrs Joel Clark, with a side
glance at the ruffie on Mrs. Muggin's S
dress. "And an amazing good hand
to mind her own business was the
significant tribute paid by the black
smiths wife. There were but two
dissenting voices; Mrs. Bean, whose
husband kept store, said "widders
hadn't ought to buy what they could
not pay for" not as she afterward ex-
planned, because she "blamed the
Widder Benson, but she wanted to
hit the Widder Sharpe for not paying
her grocery bill"
Miss Fudora Piper, who was af-
--1icted with nervous headaches re-
marked that she chad always found
DR.. Holmes most gentle and affec-
tion-"and then stopped suddenly as
if she had said more than she intend
ed to, although everybody, and es-
pecially the Widow Sharpe, knew she
hadn't.
''There is the doctors hired man
harnessing his horse" said Mrs.
Murch looking out of the window,
.tand as sure as I'm alive that's a
bran new kerridge, and what big
one for just one"
ma, ma yelled Toby Murch,
tumbling over the doorstep in his
hurry to tell the news, "Will Benson
says his mother was married last
night to DR.. Holmes and he is going
to call him pa, and they are all going
| to Plnewood to Ihanksglvln
True enough the doctor put the
two children into the carriage, and
helped their mother in with the most
lover-like devotion.
"He sort O does pear affection
ate" said the Widow Sharpe, look
ing at Miss Piper with an exaspera-
ting smile.
"There's no fool like an old fool, -
snapped the fair Eudora.
cd id you ever?" asked the presi-
dent, as the carriage rolled past, and
as she turned from the window and
gazed upon the members.
And the members admitted thai
they "never did, really, although
they had mistrusted it all along"