The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-09-30
Old Hillacre Home.

cts rediklis," declared Aunt Mel
zena Mellen.
Perfectly awdacious, agreed Uncle
Simeon.
"Does the gal expect to live on grass
an YARDS, like the cow-brutes?" grum-
bled Cousin Gideon.
"She better of took the $500 Squire
Stafford offered her." said Uncle Sim
con, sagely. It's more'n the ole place
is with, half rocks, an the rest growed
up with mullein-stalks an hoarhoun'
an wild chamomile.'
"An' $500 would of sot her an Steve
Kimble up real NICE" pursued Aunt
Melzena, briskly stirring away at
huge kettle of soft-soap.
And so the chorus went on among
the Mellen and Hillacre relations, far
and near, and all because Mollie Hill
acre, self-willed girl, refused to part
with the old homestead and it's twenty
acres of sterile soil, which had become
hers, on the death of Grandpa Hillacre,
some months previous.
Among all the clan there was no one
to take Mollie's side of the question
but old Uncle Dabney Mellen, who oc-
cupied the adjoining farm.
Mollie amt nobodys fool, / kin
tell ye," he would say, nodding his
head wisely. can eff she hangs onter
the old homestead she'll make it pay,
one way or anuther, or my name amt
Dabney Mellen."
But the other relatives only shook
their heads forebodingly, and declared
that "a willful woman must have her
own way" and they washed their hands
Of her entirely!
Gas she makes her bed, so she must
lay in it," declared Uncle Simeon,
tritely. g AM if she comes to grief
she needn't spect us to help her out"
"Of course not" echoed the rest
But still Molle persisted in "taking
her own head" in spite of their predic-
lions and representations.
Even Steve Kimble, Molie's affianced
lover, sided against her. He was
distant cousin on the Mellen side.
What could we ever do here, Mol
lie?" he argued. 81 couldn't make
livin' on the old wore-out ground!
Tain't fit fur nothin' but black-eyed
peas. Why, it wouldn't grow bushel
o. wheat to the acre An look at the
ole sheep-pastur'. The amt skeersely
a blade o. grass on it all summer But
IL VIC idu GcoO l. COulu ocU up IL SlOTC dU
the crossroads, an we'd soon be a
gittin rich"
"But love the old place, Steve"
persisted Mollie. " l was born here,
you know, and"
"Shucks! what if you was" inter-
rupted Steve, impatiently "Well, you
kin have your choice, Mollie. If you
think more o. the ole place than you do
of me, why keep it. But you can't
have both, that's ALL"
"Steve," cried Mollie, edo you mean
it,"
eyes," returned Steve, sullenly, 81
do mean it,"
"There's your ring, then" said Mol
lie, quietly, "and good evening""
And she walked proudly up the grass
grown walk to the house, while Steve
slung himself angrily away.
Here was fresh food for the gossips,
for the news of Mollie's broken engage
ment soon spread abroad, and the
tongues wagged and heads were shaken
more vigorously than ever.
But Mollie paid no heed to their fault
finding.
" l must contrive some way to make
a living" she told herself, {" and why
not try keeping boarders! If the place
is worth $500 to Squire Stafford, its
worth that much to me. The old house
has rooms enough to quarter regi-
ment, and if the furniture is old-fash-
toned, it's well preserved, and l must
make it do. ! think / can get grandpa's
old housekeeper, Mrs. Hull, to stay and
help me, as she has not made any en-
gagement yet. And now for the ways
and means. The place is rocky and
worn-out, to be sure; but I'll have the
old stable torn away-it's ready to
tumble down anyway-and take that
place for my garden, and shed will
do for the COW. can raise vegetables
enough, with little outside help, to
pay for most of my groceries, and the
old orchard and the berry patch
trimmed up little, will bring quite a
crop of fruit"
And having laid her plans like a
skillful general, Mollie went to work
with will.
Mrs. Hull's services were soon Sc
cured, and the old house put into
apple-pie " order. The windows were
secured, curtains taken down, washed
and ironed, and put up again. Carpets
were taken up, cleaned, and put down
again. The old-fashioned, ponderous
furniture was rubbed with turpentine
till you could see yourself in the tall
bed-posts and chair-backs, and the
mirrors and brass fire-irons were pol.
ished till they shone again. Uncle
Dabney Mellen, with his hired hand
came and pulled down the rickety
stable, chopped up the old logs into
fire-wood, and plowed and narrowed
the garden, besides helping Mollie tC
plant it.
And when all was ready few Judi
cious advertisements brought Mollit
fha ranuisita nuphar of hoo rdaro