Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-01-09
BRATTLEBORO VT, FRIDAY JANUARY g. 1885


life and death, and no physician or friend
could be found to give either aid or compan.
ionship. No neighbor within miles, and
sickness or death in every house. How he
watched her day and night, 80 lovingly, yet
30 ignorant of what to do.
And then that night when he toiled here all
alone for she was lying unconscious Of ev-
erything around ner, and by her side lay the
dead babe, for whom he, the lonely, stricken
father, was making, by the Pickering fire.
light, the tiny coffin in which to bury it, in
the solemn darkness Of the night, out Of the
sight of the mother, who could never after
recall anything save one glimpse Of it's large,
blue, wondering eyes, that opened for one
moment upon life, and then, as il finding IL
too cold aud dreary, closed them, and went,
Alone-so helpless and little 10 90 anywhere
alone-out into the great unknown.
But the mother did not die then. Slowly
she came back to life and all its hardships,
and grew more and more silent and sad
Fevers and sgues had robbed her cheek Of
it's English bloom care and privation took
from her form it's roundness, and from her
step its elasticity, and at last, when the little
Bethuia was eight years old she lay down,
Just over in that corner, in that bed covered
with the counterpane her own hands had
made-just over there she lay down and died.
Yes, it was hard to bow 10 the DEGREES Of
Providence, and he had not bowed-he had
rebelled he had grown hard in heart, cold
and unsympathetio in manner to all, even to
his little daughter who, with her feeble
strength, had taken up the burden the wearied
mother had put down, and who all these long
years bad been his faithful housekeeper, pick
ing up her knowledge of household duties in
the careless manner OF inexperienced child
hood, and never failing, though in q careless
and slovenly way, to care for her fathers
physical welfare. He had repaid her by
teaching her to read, to "cipher," and to
speak and write better English than their
neighbors. He, however, taught her nothing
of manners or morals. All the little ameni-
ties of life which would have been remem.
bered had the mother lived, we're forgotten.
They lived so very solitary that she had
seen little OF the world. A few participa-
tions in an "apple pairing" or "husking-bee"
had been the extent OF her glimpses into So
ciety, 30 that with the correct speech and in
tonstion of lady, she had the gducherie of
the veriest rustic. Wrapped in the cloud Of
smoke ascending from his pipe, and in the
memories evoked by the preachers words,
Israel King had almost forgotten the strang-
er's presence, but the harsh voice broke in
upon his musings with the words:
mice, likely gal. Hope she's agoin' tew
git q good man. Is he your hired msn?"
"He works the farm with me-"
"Oh, he works on sheers, l s'pose. Waal,
that's good way. But amt he a-gittin'
more'n his sheer when he gifts the gal?" in
quired the preacher in manner intended TO
be jovial but it failed TO touch any humor.
Gus chord in the old mans breast, aud he re-
mained grimly silent For almost the first
time in his life Mr.. Dundy had failed to meet
a response to the kindly meant outpourinRs
Of his thoughts. He shifted from one foot to
the other uueesily
"why don't you sit down ?" growled the
old man.
"waall," replied the preacher, with little
laugh, "rve had abort as much settin' to-day
as keer fur. l must "a rid twenty five
miles, sure, n I'm glad of a chance to stand
up and grow better. 'Spect the garll be back
soon, aud even as he spoke she entered.
1--WE brought your horse around and given
her some fodder" she said to the preacher.
STOPPING as she spoke and scraping the GOALS
from the lid of the bake kettle, she lifted the
lid with a long hook, and a fragrance of
johnny cake pervaded the room.
The hungry stomach OF the preacher gave
a throb of delightful anticipation.
II 'spect the feller won't be long a-comin2"
he asked eagerly.
Hell be here in q minute" replied the
girl, busying herself among her pots and
pans.
There he comes, said the patriarch, tax
ing vigorous puff at his pipe. Then, taking
it from his mouth, he knocked the ashes out
on the floor, and laid the pipe in a groove
made for it on one side OF his stump chair.
The bridegroom entered. q stal lwart young
backwoodsman, in true pioneer dress Of COW
hide boots engulhng the lower part of his
trowsers, linsey-woolsey 'wa'mus," and q
broad brimmed coarse straw hat
Walking up to the preacher, he held out
his hand, saying in hearty fashion;
I'm all fired glad you've come, passon.
Me n Bethule's had the wust luck ever was
a-tryin' to git merrid."
"Come, BethuliA," he continued, turning
to the girl, don't keep the preacher waitin
a minnit or suthin' else'll turn up to disap-
pint us. Hurry up, naow no time to put
on any fxins-come jest as you are"
The girl had her hands in the dishpan, en-
gagged in washing the skillet that it might be
employed for the second time in the prepare.
ton OF the meal. Ooedient to her lovers
summons, she took her hands from the dish
water and wiped them on the skirt OF her
dress but, instead of taking her place by
his side, she went to an ancient chest, open
ed it, and took from its depths a little box.
20, let your furbelows go !" exclaimed the
young man. impatiently.
Come Bethulia, said her father, ''we're
waiting"
Bethulia turned her black eyes saucily to-
ward both father and lover as she replied
I'm going to put on this neck-ribbon or
won't be married at ALL"
And so, perforce, the three men waited
while Bethulis, in her bare feet and soiled
homespun gown, donned, not a clean apron
for aprons formed no part of her wardrobe
but a green and red plaid neck ribbon, fas-
tening it with brooch of green glass. She
must have been the bride of whom our chill
| dren sing:
''what do you think the bride was dressed in7
A gay gold ring AID green glass breast-pin."
But, after all, was not that little touch oi
barbsric adornment little peeping out of the
| feminine nature, that, not trained by mother
| ly love and care to habits of neatness and or.
der, yet could not let pass that one supreme
moment of a woman's life, the hour of her
marriage, without some recognition of its
importance and sweetness. Better that little
touch of personal pride, over soiled dress,
grimy hands, and bare, brown feet, even
though pointed at by unkempt locks, thar
that there should have been no attempt al
| wedding fnery, no evidence that this poor
motherless girl felt that this was the las
touch OF personal adornment her nader
hands could ever give.
The ribbon was adjusted, the gay brooch
clasped, and Bethulia went and stood at hel
lovers right, while the preacher doffed hi
broad -brimmed hat and donned his sanctimo
nious wrinkles, and made ready to bring oui
his most solemn tones.
"You amt on the right side," whispered
the groom.
eyes, am" responded Bethulia.
"You amt nuther. The left's the righ
side"
Bsthulia giggled at this, but the groom
reaching with his left hand behind him, seiz
ed her arm and drew her around to his lef
side then, taking her right hand in bis, he
solemnly awaited the momentous ceremony.
my dear brethering and sistering," begaI
the minister, in tone and manner as If address
ing a vast congregation, I'VE are gathered to
gether on this solemn and momentous occa
sion to witness the j'inin' of this man ant
this woman in the holy, connubial bands o
matrimonial wedlock."
Rhetorically speaking, tautology was tn
Rev. Caleb Dundys strong point.
Bethulia, whose knowledge of words, unde
the tuition of her father, had progressed ia
beyond that of her lover, snickered aloud a
this, but received an admonishing "hunch
from the elbow of the groom, who was deep
ly impressed with the sonorous roll of poly
syllableE.
The preacher now advanced a step, and
placing his mouth to the ear of the groom, Il
a loud whisper asked, whats your name
and then applied his ear to the mouth of tn