Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-07-29

IN tlllS Tx MaTlnaI MdTlna Aun.
What can that gal be about that she
don't come when | Call her? Hang
ing on the fence, / warrant, a-talking
to that Tom Ryder. | will Tom Ryder
the hull lot if | ever git out of here!
Just at this moment Martha came
through the hatchway.
"Where are you. motherf"
Where be |? should think you'd
ask! Go ask Tom Ryder! Mebbe he'll
tell you-that's all you think on-and
leave ue to git along alone"
Where are you, mother? l didn't
hear you call. l was washing the
green's"
"lIere 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 Il stone jar to recover sufficiently to
render the needed assistance.
"Marlha Ann Stutson! What do
you mean? Haven't / learn you
never to laugh at other folks calami-
ties? And here you be a-laughing
right in your mothers face"
"But, mother, l never saw you in Il
soap barrel before"
"'Talnt noways likely you ever will
again if git out of this one. Go out
into the lot and call your father and
Jabc 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 rakes, FASTENED 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
Iabr, saying:
"NIother has met with an accident
down here"
Pcering through the darkness, hon
est Jabe exclaimed, on beholding her
mothers situation:
"lIow did you get in there?'
ITS none Of your business how |
came here. Pm here, and have got to
be got out some way or luther. Where's
your manners, Jabes IIovcy, that
you'll stand there and laugh at me in
this perdickermcnt!" :"
"perdickerment | should say it
was a soap barrel, if l was any judge"
"What if It's? DO you think I'm
50 big a fool that don't know what
I've got into? Martha, where's your
fatherr Why don't he come along?"
ale is coming"
eyes, SOS Christmas. | spose if
the house was afro he wouldn't hurry
mite quicker" J."
"Why, Judy" said Mr.. Stutson on
entering the cellar. "whure on arth be
ye, any way?'
"Where be L? Can't you see moth
ing? Better put on your specks and
look in the soap barrel. Wal. | de-
clare for it, Ef haint 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"
"Come, 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 1 was one of the
leading wimmin in the temperance
cause, and the idee! accusing me right
afore my own child Of doing sich a
thing"
"Wal, Miss Stutson, how are you
going to get out?' asked Jabe.
That's what I'll like to know, Jabe;
you get that wash bench around here
SO that | can have it to step on to; and
you take hold of this side, and Giles,
here, yOu take t'other, and when you
two hist me up, Martha Ann can
scrape off the soap. Here, Giles, you
amt good for nothing! Ye never
was knee high to a toad. If ever
git another man, I'll git one that
won't have to stand on u sheet of
paper to reach soap barrel "
After numerous attempts, Mrs.
Stutson was partially outside the bar.
rel, with one knee resting on the top,
| ...l.nr r.,lanh rha ,unnt lnalr n1niI.