Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-07-13
Ingratitude Revenged.

The two old men were sitting upon /
wooden seats, which were placed on !
either side of the rustic porch, that :
formed kind of arbor entrance to |
the front door of the dwelling.
The speaker was spare little man
with dark hair, thinly sprinkled with
gray. He wore swallow-tail coat,
adorned with brass buttons cordu-
roy breeches, fastened at the knee;
thick. blue worsted stockings encas-
ed his legs, and pair of low shoes
covered his feet. His visage had a
placid expression as he glanced first
at the well-kept garden, with its rows
of potatoes and other vegetables, then
out to the little paddock adjoining,
where two COWS were grazing; and
next over the wide, undulating mead
ow land beyond, his eyes resting fin
ally on the far distant hills. He put
the end of his long clay pipe between
his lips, and watched the wreaths of
smoke slowly ascending from it.
Mr.. johnson was noble looking
man, his snowy hair and long white
beard gave him a patriarchal appear
ance. His countenance lacked that
acute intellectual expression which is
SO often stamped upon the visage of
middle-aged 'stown-man." His
eyes were thoughtful, but gentle ; his
whole bearing spoke of innate good
ness. The few wrinkles, which had
gathered on the white, placid brow,
had been gradually traced there by
times relentless fingers, and not sud-
denly cut by a keen, sharp sorrow.
He smoked silently for few mo-
ments, and replied to his friends re-
mark:
"You're right; this is neat spot.
But I'll tell you what I've been
thinkin' on, Hayes. You know my
Jennie's agoin' to be married to Rob-
ert Meadows. She's my only child,
so of course she'll have all my be-
longings when I'm gone, but I've
been a-thinkin', that, soon after she's
settled, I'll have a deed drawn up,
, and turn everything over to her then
there'll be no proving the will, and
all that fuss; and the lawyers won't
have plckin' out O. my bit O. prop
erty. ] shall live here, and be mas
ter just tbs same. What do you say
to that, friend Hayes?"
:, The old man put hand on each
knee, and gazed into the others face,
with an expression which said, "Don't
you think it's very brilliant idea?"
His friend took the pipe out of his
mouth and shook his head obviously,
then replaced it between his lips, and
gazed fixedly before him for an in
e stant ere he answered; then he said,
slowly and emphatically:
81 don't like it."
He shook the ashes from his pipe
and began leisurely to fill it again
with tobacco.
81 never seed play but once" he
began in low, measured tones, ssand
that was years ago, when l was a
young man. / was in London, and
my friend got me to 60 to the theatre
e to see a grand piece that had been
made up by a great man hundreds of
e years ago. Well, l went, and the
sight O. the lights, the gay dresses,
and the flash folks, l shall never for
;, get. But it was the play that struck
me. There was good old king who
had three daughters, and he thought
;. he'd divide the kingdom amongst 'em.
They were pleased; the eldest went
> down on her knees, and swore how
she loved him better than anybody
else; and said as how he was the
= kindest, noblest, and best father that
ever Gved-or words summat like
them. The next said about the same,
$ only a great deal more, but thought
both on 'em looked too big and hand.
: some and wide-awake to stick to theil
e VOID. The third daughter said very
it little; but l thought she was the MIC
est-looking of all the lot. The king
d was huffed because she would not
% own she loved him. So he divided
g the kingdom between his two eldest
daughters. | thought he was a silly
'e old fellow to put the reins into them
: spirited-looking creatures hands
But he did it. They used him very
we'll at first; but after time they
!. began to change. and let him know
+ that he wasn't master. Well, one
night they turned HIM out of the cas-.
=, tie, when there was such dreadful
ye storm that it was not fit to turn q
}" dog out, and he who had once been
er king, had to roam about like beg.
gar. The poor man was nearly Graz
S ed. / almost forget how it ended
J. but they were all killed at last"
r
"And what has this to do with
" what | was saying?" inquired Mr.
9' johnson, testify. 81 was talking
I deeds of gift, and not plays
The other began to smoke-puff-
k puff. After few minutes the full
r, meaning of his friends words dawned
r slowly upon his mind.
:; "Well, l was thinking as how
= when Jane got possession of the
= house, she might, maybe, after bit
,s turn you out, as the kings daughter
turned him out. Keep the reins il
A. your own hands, man-you can draw
re them tight or let them loose, wher
l0 Won plaaSe. hnt don't o,vo thon mr.