The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-12-24

tinted ashes, she could bnt remember IN,
days when she had hoped Tor such . dif-
ferent life.
Iwss gal then. thoueAt Ms Grissos
II didn't sccm - II thers vAs anything
impossible. Well. veil. ] is'poss mos
folks are disspp 'ntsd jsst = bad y ! BE-
ef they live long enough
Ard then The poor widow won't 10 bed
70 keep warm; and Ill night long the yel
low moonlight flooded shs solitary room
where Aunt Mittabls hsd died. and . sol
itary crisket sang on Tho hearth stons
where The red ashes had long sinos faded
into the dust
The morrow davpsd Wild. bright and
windy, - March norniugs often come
rushing over tho bleak Connscsisut hill
crests. The uctionsssfArrivsd 10 ous
horse buggy from the village; The neigh
bors assembled from Ill points Of the
compass. For in Fsltviiis -Four OorAsr1
people entsFtAipsd the sane ssatinsat
toward an auction sale y New Yorker
fcsl toward = private view Of the Academy
OF Design. or . flower show u Madison
Square garden. Miss Ketchum was there
in her best dyed shawl, and the bonnet
which the irreverent youth Of the neigh
borhood had christened "Old Plymouth
Rock" from tue fossilized appearance Of
its feathers; Squire Dsgsett drove down
in his family carry-s yith the six Misses
Dsggett The psrson and the parson'i
wife we're there. punching pillows and in
specting holsters and counting cups and
saucers. A man who was vaguiy report
cd to be An emissary from an old CURIOSITY
shop in the city WAS prowling about with
memorandum book under his arm. Ev'
cry body was there. even down to the vii
lsge fool, who had been allowed 10 come
with his grandmother. under solemn prom.
ise Of mot speaking q word the whole
time" In her especial corner Abigail
Barton was whispering to knot OF eager
women with much excited gestilation,
and close by the high wooden mantel sal
poor Mrs. Grigson in her best gown, from
bling little, she scarcely knew why.
Ant Mittable always was partial ITO sue-
tion vendoos, said she to herself. 1t does
seem as Of she'd ought to be here.
And she thought Of the lonely grave nm.
der last years weedy MULLEN stalks ju the
neglected corner Of the church yard and
sighed.
I'll set rose O. Sharon there ~ soon ~
the spring opens. mussd she. Aunt Nit
table always liked flowers.
And the crowd around Abigail Barton
increased, and = sort OF intangible thrill
went through the rooms like an electric
current.
Is anything wrong? Mrs. Grigson
,ske, 7 nervously. Hev they heard any
news?
Iseeu it myself. she could hear Abb
gail saying: I've got it to hum in my
pocketbook, I've always heard that she
was quee,, una shonldn't wonder il that
v as the wa, she.. a boarded up.
Mrs. 0rigsou ro.se 70 the gronp; but
just then the su. tioue.r's voice drowned all
else in it's high iAy l,ong drone; Nov.
then, ladies and 6 'ntiem. ~ "you p'ea'e'
md the sale began in good S'ne'''
The breadths Of well worn 's 0',p.'
brought pitiful sum. but tho 70. ~.
10th "cheers" in the best psrlor, .. =
certain incorporating sofa Of the SAL
lippery material. realized $40 and the
wooden clock was bid up to $3.50 BY SQUIRE
)sgget himself.
He cant know that the mschinery's
lear worn out, hain't struck in six months
aid Mrs. Grigson. i don't know but III
~ duty to tell him.
Hold your tongue Naomi, whispered
rother Lyman. who with This hanzs in
is pockets, was fattened mp against The
all. |
! guess all the neighbors hspssbouts
now Ms much about Aunt Mittableb clock
you do, said brother Lyman.
Eight dollars for the old feather bod
olks must be crazy! said Mrs. Grigson.
nd dollar apiece for them worn out
edquiltsl IL the world a-conin' to an
I'D?
But when they came TO the stand Of
onse plants. Mrs. Grigson's amszement
cached its eliminating point. The stri-
ed monthly rose brought q dollar; .
umpy old lemon bush in = green tub, !
bich bad never been suspected OF the I
intest inclination to bloom ran up TO ive; ,
myrtle tree ascended the scale, and was
nally knocked down st ten and . half: d
, oleander was bid up TO three. half .
,zsu spindling 6sh gerAniums varied
ON so cents 10 dollar each, and 10 cal. q
9 and sickly cAruation we're bought by .
iss Dora Dagsett At rs cents each; and
10 surplusase Of paid primroses and .
ctus monstrosities vas lnmped al dol. i
Z TO Mr.. Tovs. whose door yard was Z
id ont 10 carrots and parsnips. and Who
d not know pokeberry bush from b
lily bush.
Be folks mad' said breathless Mrs a
rigson.
The proceeds Of the flower stand amouo- d
d 70 SIS. and the purchasers eagerly
lied their property and carried il OF, - q
unwilling to lei il 90 ont Of their sight. L
a the sale vent briskly on.
Well, Naomi. ssid brother Lyman,
uckling when the "vcndeo" vas over, n
~ much did you expect 10 GIT for Aunt q
ittabie's thingsi g
| did hope for go sll told, said Mn.
risson. Bat Miss Kstehnn said I g
i fool for calkilstin' any such amount