Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-12-11
STEVEN HILANDS WOOL.

dora Read GOOidie IN Independent.
---=
STEVEN HILANDS WOOL.
Steven HIand was an avaricious man.
Miser was stamped on every feature of his
weather beaten face. II lurked in his small
gray eyes, which never opened wide to take
q clear, full look at the world in his lips,
closing tightly over his large, yellow teeth,
az his fingers would close over piece of
gold. Even his nostrils we're pinched, Hs IL
they grudged the very breath its right Of
way. His whole life, and he was past three
score, had been one long continued effort TO
save. He had toiled early and late, had de-
MED himself every comfort, taking no time
for rest or recreation, spending money only
for the bare necessities of life, and that
grudgingly. When young, he had married
woman whose greed was second to his
alone. Together, they had worked and ac-
cumulated, year by year, until he became
much the richest man in the little country
town where they lived Such penuriousness
was sure to overreach itself sometimes. His
'fatted' cattle never brought the highest
price, because he could not bring himself TO
feed them generously. His half-starved
horses and oxen could not perform half the
labor they might have easily done, IL better
fed His hired men, indignant at being un-
derfed and overworked, had a way Of leaving
at the most inconvenient times and seasons.
Mrs. Hiland was equally penurious in her de-
partment. "Wilful waste makes woful want,
was her fsvorite motto but she, too, often
went far beyond the bounds OF careful thrift.
II she invited guests, which occasionally,
though not often, happened, she was sure to
spoil her cake and pies through economizing
in some Of the necessary ingredients. Her
own and her chiidrens clothing always had
meagre, scanty look because she had
bought too small quantity Of material, or,
having enough to make the garment proper
ly, insisted that the cTessmaker should mot
cut 1t all up, but save q good piece to make
over with by and by" Her neiRhbo said
'she even starved her rats"
To one person only did Steven Hiland's
heart ever soften. For one alone was he
willing to spend his money. This was Mary
Anu, his eldest child, hopeless invalid, suf-
fering from one Of those vague complica-
tons OF disease common among the women
upon New England farms, of which the one
thing certain is the utter impossibility Of
cure. Upon this daughter Steven had spent
money with au almost phenomenal lavish
ness. He had summoned the best medical
advice in the state, had bought low, easy
carriage for her use and horse, gentle aud
safe, was kept for her to drive. His other
daughters we're married, gone to sordid
homes of their own and the only son, worn
out by his fathers niggardliness, was living
iu the far west.
The spring of 1861 will long be remember
ed for its anxiety and dFeary forebodings to
our people. Steven Hiland fretted and fumed
constantly at the prospect of civil war, and
its attendant expenses, entailing, as he fear
| ed, high taxation. When the first call was
made for troops, and among those to respond
| at once were his two hired men, whom he had
| engaged for the season, their patriotism be-
| ing stimulated no doubt by suudry rec.
elections OF short TAtons at Mrs. Hiland'l
table, for Abel WestgAte said, "A man might
az well be shot as starVe, ,"-Steven's indigna-
tion knew no bounds. Evening after even
ing be sat in Mary AIMS room, pouring his
grievances into her sympathizing ears.
"'Tain't right, he would say. "Gov'munt
hain't no business to spend the peoples mon
ey a gittin' back them seeded states. Lei
'em go. That's what | say. They aim
wuth the money that's goin' to be spent fight
| ing EN-"
But when he had replaced his hired mel
and saw his spring work going on more hope
fully, he grew calmer, although the prospect
of heavy taxes still loomed before him and
he was not always the most pleasant of com
panions. At last, it began to appear to hin
that in the new condition of things ther,
were chances to make money and, this fac
once impressed upon his mind, he grew quit,
cheerful and his loyalty could no longer be
| called in question.
MARY Ann" said he coming into her room
abruptly, one summer evening, II amt q 60
in to sell my wool Jest yit."
"Why, father, how you startled me, com
ing in so sudden like" answered his daugh
ter. "Wall, why amt you goin' to sell ?"
II guess wool IL a-goin' to rise. Tain
wuth nothin' to speak of now. It's gooC
time to buy. l guess I'll buy some, and holt
on to it a spell. You see Zeb. GorshRm pait
his mis- note tother day, and the moneys ly
in idle. don't know any real good plao,
TO put II aud I've about made up my minC
I'll buy some wool, and hold on TO il"
."You hain't got no good place to keep 1t
hev you, father 2" asked Mary Ann.
"Wall, I've been a thinkin' about that, too
I've got some lumber lyin' up at Freeman
mills. meant to hs' fixed up the long bari
with it, but that kin wait another year. Thel
there's jim Bryant. He's a good hand a
such work, and he owes some on that not
o. his'n. never should ha' let him had III
money, II PaschAl Fuller hadn't signed will
him; and now Fuller, he's all petered out
You can't collect nothin' of him. Jim said
t'olher day, he'd be glad of a chance to pa
the note in work aud guess I'll have hir
come and fix up some kind of a store-houst
What do you think about it2"
II don't know but what it's good enougl
idee," said Mary Ann, ''if you kin make
, work. Miss Penniman was in here to-day
and she said Jim Bryant bad riz half dolla
day on his price, on account of the har
times"
The very reason he'd no business to rails
his price, said Steven wrathfully. How
folks going to get the money to pay hiu
when times il so hard shant pay him n
r two dollars day"
Couldn't you git him 10 take his mea
i here while he's doin' the job2" suggeste
Mary Ann.
"That's good idee. I'm glad you thougl
0 ont. Yes, wen make him board it out.
8 guess we can trust mother not to make h
D meals cost moren half a dollar a day" Al
Steven ohuckled grimly.
Q James Bryant was q hard-working maj
I with sickly wife and several little ohildreI
o The foregoing winter he had borrowed q Ii
3 tie money of Steven, giving his note, whiC
{ Paschal Fuller willingly signed as secuTil.
8 He owed Bryant double the amount of Il
! loan and he said, a. he wrote his nam
i I'll pay this myself as soon as l get sou
Q money, I'm expecting most any time now.
l. Doubtless, he meant what he said but
y was speculating heavily, aud the depressio
! Ia business which followed the breaking o.
= OF the war caused his financial ruin. jam
4 Bryant found that he must pay his debt
o Steven Hiland himself and, worn out vii
the constant dunuinR which Steven kent nj