Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-09-05
A TASTE or HONEY.


stone steps led up the terraces. They were
covered with green slimy moss, and little
ferns and weeds sprung out of every crack.
A walk of fiat slate stones led from them to
the front door, which was painted green,
sagged on its hinges and had a brass knock
or on it,
The whole yard and the double banks were
covered with tall waving crop of red timo-
thy and herds-grass and red and white clover.
1t was in the height Of haying-time.
grassy wheel track led round the side Of
the house to barn dashed with streaks of
red paint.
on to the left stretched some waving pas
ture-land, garden patch marked by bean
poles and glancing corn blades, and a long
row of bee hives showing in the midst of it.
A rusty open buggy and lop-eared white
horse stood in the drive opposite the side
door of the house.
An elderly woman with green cotton UNI
brela over her head sat in the buggy placidly
waiting. She had on fattish black straw
bonnet with purple strings, and wore a dull
green silk shawl sprinked with little bright
palm leaves over her broad shoulders.
She had large, smiling face, crinkly gray
hair, and quite thick white beard cropped
close on her double chin.
The side door stood open, and young
woman kept coming out, bringing pals aud
round wooden boxes, which she slowed away
iD the buggy, in back and under the seat.
She was a little round shoudered, her face
with its thick, dul-colored complexion was
like her mothers just as pleasant and smil-
ing only with a suggestion of shrewd sense
about it which the older woman's did not
have.
When the pals and boxes were all in the
buggy, she locked the door, got in herself,
and drove carefully out of the yard
The road along which they proceeded lay
between waving grain fields. The air was
full of the rattle of moving machines this
morning nearly every field had its broad
furrows where they had passed.
The old white horse logged slowly along ;
the two women sat behind him in silence, the
older one gazing about her with placid inter
est, the younger one apparently absorbed in
her own thoughts. She was calculating how
much her butter and eggs and berries would
bring in Bolton the large market town to-
ward which they were travelling.
Every week Inez Morse and her mother
drove there to sell the produce of their little
farm Her father had died three years be-.
fore ever since the daughter had carried on
the farm, hiring very little help. There was
a siI-hundred-dollar mortgage on it, which
she WAS trying to pay up. 1t was SLOW work
though they saved every penny they could
and denied themselves even the fruit of their
own land.
Inez had mild joke about the honey
which her bees made. She and her mother
scarcely tasted it; it all went to the Bolton
markets.
I'm tell you what It's, mother" Inez used
to say, 1.-THE day the mortgage is paid off well
have warm biscuit and honey for supper"
Whenever her mother looked wistfully at
the delicacies which they could not keep for
their own enjoyment, Inez would tell her to
never mind-by and.by they would eat their
own honey. The remark grew into a sort of
household proverb for them.
The mother felt their privations much
more keenly than the daughter. She was one
of those women for whom these simple ami
NAL pleasures form great part of life. She
had not much resource in her mind. The
payment of the mortgage did not afford her
the keen delight in anticipation that it
did Inez; she was hardly capable of it,
though she would be pleased enough when
the time came. Now she thought more about
eating the honey. However, she had never
grumbled at any of her daughters manage
ment In her opinion, Inez always did
about right.
When they reached Bolton, Inez drove
about the village from house to house, sell
ing her wares at the doors, while her mother
sat in the buggy and held the horse. She had
a good many regular customers; her goods
we're always excellent, and gave satisfaction,
though she had the name of being trihe ex-
acting in her bargains, and asking as much
as she possibly could.
To-day one of hef customers in making
change did not give her enough by cent
Inez, when she discovered it, drove back @
- -, Al a 1
The woman looked amused and a trife con
temptuous when she asked her for the miss
ing penny. Inez saw it. "You think it i.
queer that came back for one cent" said
she, with slow dignity, but cents are my
dollars
"Yes, suppose so, assented the woman
hastily, changing her expression.
Inez, driving through Bolton streets, look
ed at the girls of her own age whom she me
in their pretty street suits in grave feminine
admiration. She had never had anything
but the very bSrest necessaries in the way Of
clothes herself. Lately a vain desire had
crept into her heart for bright ribbon bow
to wear at the throat, as some of those girl
did. She never dreamed of gratifying the
desire, but it remained. She thought of i
so much that, before the knew, she mention
ed it to her mother on their way home.
Il
with long ends like those girls wore would b.
pretty for me, wouldn't it?"
Her mother stared at her in amazement. Il
did not sound like Inez. Real pretty
child, said she. 'pd hev one eff was you
you're young, and you want sech things
had 'em when was girl
"Oh, no. mother" cried Inez, hastily. 80
course l never thought of such thing really
l only spoke Of it. We've got to wait ill
the mortgage is paid to eat our honey, yol
know"
That evening, after the mother and daugh
ter had eaten their supper, and were sittinI
in the kitchen in the twilight, there came
Inoz answered it. Willy LinAeld stOO,
there.
How do you do, Willy ?" said she.
''Pretty well, thAnky, Inez."
Then there was a pause. Inez stood look
ing gravely at the young man. She wonder
ed what he wanted, and why he did not to-
his errand.
mice evening"" said he, finally.
beautiful"
Then there was another pause. The youn
fellow stood on one foot, then on the Other
and got red in the face.
lnez could not imagine why he did not tel
her what he wanted. At last she grew def
perate
"Did your mother want to buy some egg
Willy p she asked.
MOO" he faltered, looking rather takel
aback. ''I don't-she does-leaBtways sh
didn't say anything about it."
"Was it butter, thenr"
'No-I guess not. l rather think she
got plenty"
In nez stared at him in growing amazener
what did he want
He was a fair-complexioned young man
and he looked as if the blood was fairl
bursting through his face
Good night, Inez," said he finally.
"Good- night, Willy, she responded. The
ne walked off.
Inez went into the kitchen, entirely myst
fed. She told her mother about it. "Whl
do you suppose he wanted ?" asked she.
Mrs. Morse was an obtuse woman, bl
Inez's father had come courting her in b!
gone days. She caught the clew to the my
terry quicker than her daughter.
"Why, guess he come to see you, Inc
most likely"