The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-07-30

self with hatchet and nails, she mount
ed the barrel and prepared to drive
the first nail, when the barrel cover
slipped, ard splash she went-into
whatp
1t seemed that Giles and Jabe had
been there before her, and in getting
out some cider barrels, had changed
things about in such manner that
the barrel of soft soap stood where
the pork should stand; and she, in her
haste, not noting the change, had
mounted the former.
"Land O massy! What won't that
man do next, I'd like to know?"
Making plunge for the top of the
barrel she tried to eXtricate herself,
but each successive attempt proved
only a failure.
What on airth's body going to do
in this fix? Martial Martha Ann.
What can that gal be about that she
don't come when / Call her? Hang
ing on the fence, l warrant, a-talking
to that Tom Ryder. will Tom Ryder
the hull lot if l ever git out of here!'
just at this moment Martha came
through the hatchway.
"Where are you, motherP"
Where be |? l should think you'd
ask! Go ask Tom Ryder! Mebbe he'll
tell you-that's all you think on-and
leave me to git along alone"
"Where are you, mother? l didn't
hear you call. was washing the
green's
Here be, tell you. in the soap
barrel. Where do you s'pose?"
"ln the soap barrel?" queried Mar
tha.
One glance was sufficient. Convuls-
ed with laughter, she seated herself
on a stone jar to recover sufficiently to
render the needed assistance.
martha Ann Stutson What do
you mean? Haven't | learnt you
never to laugh at other folks calami-
ties? And here you be a-laughing
right in your mothers face"
but, mother, never saw you in a
soap barrel before"
"'Taint noways likely you ever will
again if git out of this one. Go out
into the lot and call your father and
Jabe to come here quick as their legs'll
fetch 'em. But you needn't tell them
what's happened; they'll find that out
quick enough when they get here"
Martha, once out of her mothers
sight, enjoyed another hearty laugh
and ran for the men, who, dropping
their rHkes, hastencd toward the house.
Martha waited at the top of the stairs,
trying to compose her countenance
before entering the presence of her
mother; at least she led the way for
,Jabe, saying:
"Mother has met with an accident
down here"
Peering through the darkness, hon
est Jabe exclaimed, on beholding her
mothers situations:
''Iow did you get in there?'
ITS none of your business how l
came here. Pm here, and have got to
be got out some way or luther. Where's
your manners, Jabes IIovey, that
you'll stand there and laugh at me in
this perdickerment! -
"Perdickermentl ] should say it
was soap barrel, if was any Judge"
"What if It's? DO you think I'm
SO big a fool that ] don't know what
I've got into? Martha, where's your
father? Why don't he come along3
"lle is coming"
"Yes, SOS Christmas. l'sposo if
the house was anre he wouldn't hurry
mite quicker"
"Why, Judy" said Mr.. Stutson on
entering the cellar, "where on arth be
ye, any way?"
"Where be L? Cant you see moth
ing? Better put on your specks and
look in the soap barrel. Wal, | de-
clare for it! Ef hain't got to stand
here and wait for another to haw-haw
and giggle! For my part | don't see
nothing to laugh at. What are you
thinking on, Giles Stutson, a-standing
there laughing like that at me? What
kind of use is it for me to learn Mar
tina Ann to be respectful when you,
her father, don't show no respect"
"Cone, come. mother, don't scold,
if you could see yourself as we can,
you'd laugh yourself; you couldn't
help it."
"But how came you to get in there,
Judy? Guess you must got foul of
that cider barrel"
"Giles, what do you mean a-talking
so when you know | was one of the
leading wimmin in the temperance
cause, and the ideel accusing me right
afore my own child of doing sich a
thing"
"Wal, Miss Stutson, how are you
going to get out?' asked Jabc.
That's what I'd like to know, Jabe
you get that wash bencll around here
so that can have it To step on to; and
! you take hold of this side, and Giles
here, you take tother. and when you
two hist me up, Martha Ann car
scrape off the soap. Here, Giles, you
amt good for nothing! Ye never