Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1886-02-08
Steven Hiland's Wool.


man. Miser was stamped on every
feature of his weather beaten face.
1t lurked in his small gray eyes,
which never opened wide to take
clear, full look at the world; in his
lips, closing tightly over his large,
yellow teeth, as his fingers would
close over piece of gold. Even his
nostrils were pinched, as if they
grudged the very breath its right of
way. His whole life, and he was
past threescore, had been one long
continued effort to save. He had
toiled early and late, had denied him.
self every comfort, taking no time
for rest or recreation, spending mon
ey only for the bare necessities of
life, and that grudgingly. When
young, he had married a woman
whose greed was second to his alone.
Together they had worked and accu-
mulated, year by year, until he be-
came much the richest man in the
little town where he lived. Such pc
nuriousness was sure to overreach it
self sometimes. His ''fatted" cattle
never brought the highest price, be-
cause he could not bring himself to
feed them generously. His half
starved horses and oxen could not
perform half the labor they might
have easily done, if better fed. His
hired men, indignant at being under
fed and overworked, had a way of
leaving at the most inconvenient
times and seasons. Mrs. Hiland was
equally penurious in her department.
"Wilful waste makes woful want, .
was her favorite motto but she, too,
often went beyond the bounds of
careful thrift. If she invited guests,
which occasionally, though not often,
happened, she was sure TO spoil her
cake and pies through economizing
in some of the necessary ingredients.
Her own and her children's clothing
always had meagre, scanty look,
because she had bought too small a
quantity of material, or, having
enough to make the garment properly,
insisted that the dress maker should
not cut it all up, but save a good
piece to make over with by and by.
Her neighbors said she even starved
her rats,
To one person only did Steven Hi
lands heart ever soften. For one
alone was he willing to spend his
money. This was Mary Ann, his
eldest child, hopeless invalid, suf.
ferlng from one of those vague com
plieations of -dieease common among
the women upon New England farms
of which the one thing certain is the
utter imposslbility of cure. Upor
this daughter, Steven had spent mon
ey with an almost phenomenal Law
ishness. He had summoned th'
best medical advice in the state, ha(
bought low, easy carriage for he
use; and a horse, gentle and safe
was kept for her to drive. His othe
daughters were married, gone to sor
; did homes of their own; and the onl
= son, worn out by his fathers niggard
Illness, was living in the far West.
The spring of 1861 will long be re
membered for its anxiety and drear
forebodlngs to our people. Steve
Hiland fretted and fumed CONSTANT
at the prospect of civil war, an
+ its attendant expenses, entailing, a
: he feared, high taxation. When tn
| III 81 Gail was iildpC lOl tlooPoj sfh
= among those to respond first were hi
|, two hired men, whom he had engag
ed for the season,-their patriotism
being stimulated no doubt by sundr
Il recollections of short rations at Mrs
: Hiland's table, for Abel Westag
said, GA man might as well be she
|, as starve, Steven indignatio
knew no bounds. Evening after e,
ening, he sat in Mary AIMS room
pouring his grievances into her syn
y, pathizing ears. "'Tain't right" |
$ would say. 'Gov' munt hain't L
business to spend the peoples none
IS a-git:in' back them seeded state
r Let 'em 90. That's what | sa,
t. They amt wuth the money that's g
in to be spent filgting 'em.
'' But when he had replaced his hire
= men, and saw his spring work goin
on more hopefully, he grew calme
d although the prospect of heavy tax'
e. still loomed before him; and he W:
lie not always the most pleasant of con
panions. At last, it began to appe'
he to him that in the new condition
- - things there were chances to NAL
money; and, this fact once impres
ed upon his mind, he grew qui
st cheerful, and his loyalty could l
e. longer be called in question.
"Mary Ann said he, comlr
III into her room abruptly, one SUNNI
:. - evening, Il amt a-goin' to sell n
ir wool jest yit.''
"Why, father, how you startl'
Is me, coming in so sudden like an
rt wered his daughter. .'Wall, wi
1t amt you goin' to sell?'
III II guess wool is a-goin' to ris
'Tain't wuth nothin' to speak of no,
i It's good time to buy. l guess l
in buy some, and hold on to it spe
of You see Zeb. Gorsham paid h
note t'other day, and the money
TT lyin' idle. | don't know any re
er ooo6 place IN mt If onI I,,-o o;,o