The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-06-24
Selected Storm.
Jack Playne's Story.

Playne. He was very different sort
of fellow from me.
His mother was the Wilder Hennings
His father had been dead six or seven
years when this history begins. They
came to Greenbush for good many
summers before he died, and after that
the wilder made up her mind to stay
there. You see, Hennings didn't leave
much-just couple of thousands on
life insurance, and the cottage and acre
in Greenbush. All the rest was used
up in settling the estate.
But you'd never guess, not from her
talk, that she didn't own a private
bank. She talked about the conven-
ieuce of fixed income: Gone could
calculate so exactly how far it would go
and never be disappointed" And she
would groan over the income tax when,
poor thing, it never came nigh her.
You see, she came of an excellent
family. In early times one of her an
cestors was governor, and a great uncle
had been senator, before it was " low"
to be senator. That is, she used to
say so. l don't know about it. I've
always had to work hard and live plain,
and there was always the taxes hot and
heavy, whatever else happened, and
senator " always looked high enough
for me. And in most all the families
of her connection the boys went to col
lege and the girls to boarding-school,
and spoke French and played the piano.
Not that have heard of there being
much money in the family, but they
paid their way and studied hard, and
got to be lawyers, or doctors, or preach
ers. Never none of 'em downright
worked hard with his hands for living.
One reason the wilder stuck to Green
bush was the school, The teacher was
excellent, and as it cost nothing, moth
ing could be better for her son, Horatio
c'Rash," for short "until," as she'd
say, "he's ready to prepare for col
lege." Seems to me as if | could see
her now. The same black satin dress,
winter and summer. In winter,
threadbare black cloak; in summer,
net shawl, darned in some places very
nicely, and black mits and the same
black satin bonnet, made over and over,
once year, through it all. She had
some lace she could put on when she
went out to tea to the DOCTORS or the
'squire's and set of jet or gold orna-
ments, which were very old, to fasten
the lace and swing in her ears. And
the Wilder Hennings was splendid
woman! tall, straight as an Indian, and
head set well back on her shoulders. l
often watched her go up the broad aisle,
and thought I'd like to have tested her
with plumb line, she was so straight.
But Eliza says Pm forever carrying the
o1, CHI
full high, hooked nose, and eyebrows
that arched over her black eyes like the
front door of the old mansion house,
and hardly gray hair in her head.
Must have been an awful cross for such
a fine-looking woman to give up dress,
and all the pomps and vanities of this
world, to live in such a plain way in
Greenbush.
Dear heart! she never kept no help,
only once a fortnight BERTHE Doolittle
did out the heaviest of her washing.
The little things, such as handkerchiefs
and collars, she did herself, and called
it her " fine wash" 1t looked like a
doll-baby's washing day.
The cottage itself was cheaply-built,
plain finished affair, with common
woodwork; but / often found time to
do little jobs for her in slack times; and
what with the garden, and the interest
on the life insurance, and the water
to the 'squire's wife and the DOCTORS
daughters, she got along.
She often made presents of embroid-
cry to brides and babies, and presents
were made to her. Once she got bar
rel of potatoes, once barrel of winter
apples, and often bushel of pears, or
something like that On the whole, she
got along. If anybody came in while
she was making her crocheting, or her
tatting, or her embroidery (nOt an inch
of which she ever used at home), she
would talk about how much more lady
like it was to have nice underclothing
and plain dresses than outside show
and rags" Eliza used to say the things
on her clothes-lines were mended till
they were real curiosities. However,
they were better than debts, and didn't
tangle her steps like mortgages, for the
place was clear and her own. For my
own part, / never could see the sense
of such a common sort of a person as
Queen Victoria living in such style and
such natural born queen as Wilder
Hennings working so hard and faring
so plain.
But as for Rash. Not but what he
was the best of sons, ready to help in
everything she wanted done. And
didn't he put into lessons, when he
found how his mothers heart was sot
on his learning! And how good and
patient he'd listen while she'd tell of
the old governor, and the senator, and
the teachers, and the professor, and
how anxious she was to have him study
hard! She'd been well dedicated her
self, and taught him some Latin and
French, and he wasn't bad scholar.
But, whatever he got it from, il
didn't seem to be what he'd choose
He'd study hard and keep up in his
classes; and every spare minute he got
he'd be fussing round in my shop. He'd
pick up bits of half and quarterback
stuff, and notch and whittle, and carve
and fit, and turn out the neatest little
toys, chairs and tables, and such like
that you ever saw. He gave one to my
little Bess the winter she broke her leg
she's got it yeti It's like chair
once saw in church-carved gothic
back and arms, and table to match
Sometimes it has been all l could do tC
get him to give enough attention to his
books, he'd be so busy with his work
/ kept strict lookout for that. I've
got such a little learning myself that