New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-06
NEW-ENGLAND SKETCHES.
@ Stamford HE"


grafton. be persuaded to stay twenty-iour noulS IA
the cottage without masculine protection cue
cou1d not s,eep a wink without no man III tno
house. she was les as nervouss she could De- u I'll
folks suffered with their nerves she oo WIN
ber,n. they'd know how TO pity her; so there:
Mr. Needer was cousin to the Rimers lie was
va. What wonld be described as an energetic man.
ua was dark of hair and beard, aud light OF eyes
combination to be feared. He was yonhglsu
man Int he walked about heavily WIN H''
,houlders hunched up and his hands very deep III
his pockets. He was Ignorant in the extreme ou'
he was that kind OF a person who can instruct 20"
IN orv tonic from farming or raising hehs mp to the
government of the Nation He would look at you
Inllv ont of fsby eyes, and tell just how 'nlns
oncbt N he done. Bat he never did it himself ho
did NOT want to work. and he had line pos t'oh
now since Mrs Rimer died. TINS Situation an 4;9
him because his cousin julia was Vi e"I -
ratnre that she cOuld not stay alone Win n0i
Cloro R,mer resented the idea that theIe was any
mora danger to them In their snug h't'e hoo' ~
their mother was dead. than there was ooio'0
The two girls had to work hard at tue s"'" i
ona Clara thought that perhaps they neeu hot
-, .booselves with the support of this great
brlkinq relative If anything OF this nature was
binted 70 .Julia she burst into tears; she sooDeu
1urionsly and said that was Jes like CiaiJ'
everybody thought she hadn't got no nerves oau'
abe was fat; when she knew she was chucN 'ui
nerves N the doctor had told her so when sDe vas
a child N had such threats that nooouy 'nous".
she'd live from one day to mother olaiS Hn's"'
talk. and the whole world might talk pnt IL o",n
81 ho shonld 90 away she should jest die OF irlght
She WAS willin' TO work her hnge1s 10 tnc o"iio
nobody couldn't say she warnt willin to WORK. Dut
Stamford he'd got to stay + longs they lived IN that
house."
So she went on weeping with the eXasperat'hg
righteousness of a child; and Clara would Try 10
soothe her and say, "Of course Sanford lie in"sV
stay" %
On one occasion a neighbor had the boldness 10
hint that Mr. Meeder might obtain Work IN straw
or iewery shop in neghboring village anu
still be able to protect the house during inc "aiN
hours and help earn his bread >,
TO this remark Julia's only reply was hail-
spnpressed snhle and a vigorous use of the hand
lorcbief The whole neighb0rhood here was ro1sed
10 acuts interest in the case. Everybody sympa-
+bize1 with Clara and wondered how sue ala
manage 20 Kit along
Suddenly it was nOlsed through the community
that Sanford had got jorb oyerln slackV'He'
and he had got chance to ride back and iorth win
Deacon Reed who worked there; he'd carry MS
dinner and be ter home nights"
There was great rejoicing. Clara was cohera'u-
lated Now this precious cousin would be able to
Nuts But the congratulations were hardly spoken
before we all knew that Sanford he had cut Oh by
e,d oi machinery an ininitesima portion OF the top
Of one of his fingers. He instantly gave up his
aiorbp and before having worked one week was
hack again in the settin'-roOm" at the Rlmers.
There he sat day after day over hot stove: 1t
was in winter time now. What dld he dof Ills
finger healed very soon. but he guessed he
wouldn't 90 back to work II didn't agree with him
frst-rate TO be shut up in shop"
81 s'pose il agrees with the girls nv sister said
sbarnly. when he made the above remark.
He looked at her with vacant stare and then
answered in his self-satisfcd drawl: Yes guess
a acrees with 'em. They're tough pine knots,
tell ,em I cen'ally mean to hey the tea-kittie on
fore they Git home then faint much work for EN-
Der git supper"
q You might get the supper," ventured to say
mildly.
He pulled one hand ont of his pocket to stroke his
beard "'rant mans work" he SAID
Aftcrward Julia told admirngly how Sarn-
ford he most always put the tea-kittic on; N he
meanter draw the water when Clary dluh uo IL
fore he cot ready"
! When the winter was half over Mr.. Mceder calIed
one day to borrow a book.
"Some.hin' kinder lively, but not too lively;
interestin', We know"
He said he had already read one book since he
had been there, appearing to think he was quite
literary character. He got the volume from the
Sunday-school library of the Baptist church IN the
village and il was rutheT of a fine work. lie he'd
read better an he he'd read wuss."
We gave him Jane Eyre" after he had I'M
Willingly acknowledged that he had never yet
bernsed IL In two days he brought it back.
alt warnt Jest the kind OF thing he was used to
readin' He wanted more instruction, and teette
more liveliness. If he'd known this writer he
coud er given her hint or 40 so she could er
done better He'd got as fur's page 3. and then he
made up his mind twas waste OF time, and jest
stopped"
a suppose you are rather hurried over there
said.
sYes." he replied, q what with keepin' the water
nail full, and putin in coal, and kinder clearln'
round. don't hev much spare time"
He seemed really to believe what he said This
nosition of protector was evidently precisely
suited to his temperament. wondered if he knew
how the Indignation of the people about here was
growing and if he would. ever understand what it
was about The girls were up in the mJrnng long
before light for by half past they mist start
down town to the shop There a wagon, a
team" lett this Deigh0orhoOd every working day
10 take half a dozen people to Che straw shop
which place they must reach by z. At they
came home, not arriving until half an hour later.
II plain there were spare hours for these two
girls.
iOf course every person within five miles knew all
abont Sanford MeedeT. 1t was his custom to DO
supported by some member or members of the
weaker sex. He was not bachelor; he had WHO
over IN Downsbury. also child. For number of
wears his wife " had took boardcrs" and supported
herself child and husband, trying meanwhile to
make sanford stick TO a lob when he Lad one,
ana trying Intellectually. At last III desperation she
announced that she would support HIM no longer.
She made IN leave their home IT Is likely that It
Was then that he strOlled over to Ransome ana was
indicted into his present office.
For nearly ten hours each week day he sat by a
coal stove in a carefully closed room lie did not
care 10 read and he did nothing with HE hands
He inst sat VERY likely he ha0 his feet IN the oven