St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-12-17

the hour for counsel was past she
could only "weep with them that
weep" and betake herself to the next
call on her list, for Mrs. Brown was
doing parish duty this afternoon.
Mrs. Tibbetts was very glad to see
her.
"And how are you all today % ask
ed the minister's wife.
ooh, we're reasonably well, all but
Nelly she got thrOwed down at the
rink, last night, and sprained her ankle
real bad. I've expected all along
something like that would happen to
her."
"Don't you think it is a bad place
for girls to go, anyway 2" asked Mrs.
Brown.
Gland, yes But all the young folks
are possessed to go, and you can't stop
'em. L wish to goodness the men that
built that rink had been further !
There's all sorts go there, and they
talk to everybody, and get familiar
like with folks you wouldn't have them
know no more than nothing. Theirs
about as much harm to a rink as there
is to rum-hole, but it makes about as
much money so you can't stop 'em;
nobody can't"
"Why do you let your girls go
there 2"
"Mercy 1 can't help 'em goin'.
Girls is as headstrOng as pigs; the
more you pull 'em one way the more
they go t'Other way. I've always
wanted my children to have a good
time whilst that they was young /;
there's troubles enough ahead of 'em,
so I've let 'em run, and 'tisn't to ex-
pect that can up an stop 'em now"
There was no cOntrOverting that
point, so Mrs. Brown said no more.
The next house was Mr.. Meeker's.
Mrs. Meeker stood at the window,
watching with anxious eyes her oldest
son, who was experimenting with a
new bicycle.
over her shoulder, "cOme in, do; L
dow, I'm so afraid Charley'll fall and
cycle, and Mr.. Meeker didn't know how
to get one for him-they're real costly
and | begged and begged him not to
buy one, for l knew we'll l shouldn't
have a minutes peace while he was off
with it; but the boy wanted it, and
that's enough. What he wants he's
got to have. We're behind with the
taxes, and Pm fixing over my old
clothes, rather than ask John for a
cent but Charley's got the length of
his fathers foot, as folks say, and l
do'no' why he shouldn't have. Boys
must be boys, you know, and l never
did believe in making images of 'em,
to do Just so and be prim and proper
all their days. Oh, oh, there |
thought he was off that time, but he
wasn't. l do believe my nerves will
be worn to ravelin's with that bicycle.
Don't gO!"
~ won't stay now, Mrs. Meeker. L
know you want to watch Charley. T'll
come some other time"
So, quite unattended, Mrs. Brown
found her way to the door, and went
on to the next house, where Miss So
phronia Packard lived all alone and
took in sewing. Mrs. Brown made the
usual civil inquiries, and then Miss
SophrOnia opened the conversation.
az see you come from Mis- Meeker's !;
we'll, do pity that woman she hasn't
a minutes peace for them children /;
and here's Mis- Bunnell, next door, is
Just as bad, though she hasn't but one,
but her May is headstrong, now tell
you. Why she goes all the time if
'tisn't dance, it's picnic, or ride,
or sail. She's as impudent as bum
ble-bee and as bumptiOus as a wren,
but she isn't of no use in this Twin
world, as | see, but to plague her ma.
WHY, t'other day Mis- Bunnell found
out that May was goin' over to Nor
walk in buggy, with young Teller,
at eight O'Clock in tn evening, calcu-
latin to come home by moonlight, be-
twixt one an two in the mOrnin', and,
naturally, she sot down her foot that
May shouldn't go. She didn't know
the Teller, but she knew real we'll 1T
wasn't seemly for a gal of fifteen to go
off that way with any young man, and
so she told May but, if you'll b'lieve
it, Mis- Brown, that piece jest put on
her sack and bunnet and walked right
out of the door, and off with her Teller!
If I'd been her ma she'd have got a
locked door in her face when she come
home"
go Miss Sophronia, do you think
that would have helped the matter
A fathers house ought never to be
closed on a child, any more than our
Fathers, least of all, when the child's
faults are the result of the parents fol-
ly and weakness"
"Well, mabbe there's something in
that, but it does seem to me that some
thing had ought to be done when a
girl flies right in her mas face like
that !"
'I'm afraid it is too late to do much
at Mays age, but pray for her."
Gland you don't suppose Mis- Bun
nell thinks May needs prayin' for
Why she thinks she's about as nigh
perfect as they make 'em; she's clean
set up with that child, all the one she
ever had. If you should so much as
hint about prayin' for her, l guess
you'd raise a muss right of"
Mrs. Brown tried to control her face,
but found it hard. Miss SOphronia's
air of fine scorn was irresistible. She
changed the subject by saying, 81 am
sorry Mrs. Phelps has gone away, 1
meant to have called on her."
"Well, you can if you want to; she
amt gone," said Miss Sophronia, in an
acrid tone.
''Not gone Why, she mad wanted
so much to see her sister | thought
nothing would hinder her."
"I know it, she hadn't seen Mis-
King for three years, but Marian went
and asked two girls and the brother to
one of 'em to come this week and stay
till after the Fourth, and Mis- Phelps
wasn't goin' to leave 'em there alone
to raise hudy besides that, her hired
girl amt competent to do for compa-
ny but that's the fashion, the children
rewl nowadays I feel thankful to
goodness every day that l WANT never
beguild into the married state, and
haven't got no youngsters waikiki
over me, and making door-mat of