The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-03-04
WIDOW HEPsY's PUMPKIN.

~ Was tfA3tbf VctVptf hStAAeht y"
grass sll sparkling with hoar frost. ih
trees usvipg their red ieweled arms I
the snnshipe. and Eiiskim Ellis vas driv
ing sereneIy down May Hill.
! aiuta poet. thought he, but i ] was
] could write lot Of rhymes about morn
ing like this. Why. its poetry all The va.
through. Aaa- eh, -howS-wbst1 Who
thatf
II was the Widow Hepsy Hall, stand
ing at the door Of her little one-stsriel
house. and beckoning with her long lear
arms toward him. The farmer drew hii
rein.
Hold on. sorrell he apostrophized TO BIZ
steed. You amt never 10 hurry when
want yoa TO be; so calculate you car
stand bit now. Wall. Mis- Hall, whA
can ! dew for ye this morning?
I've got some pumpkins that ] want II
sell, said the Widow Hepsy. Drefful like
ly ones.
Pumpkins echoed Eliakim. Why,
bless your sonl. Mis- Hepsy, pumpkins ia
dreg in the market jest now. The pump
kin crop has turned out powerful good,
thank providence, and our folks is feeding
EN- to the coaws.
A shadow OF dire disappointment crepi
over the old woman's face as she stood
there unconsciously picturesque, against
the curly op-tondrils and crimson wood
bine leaves that garlanded the doorway,
The tears came into her dim eyes.
Then may as well give it up, said she,
in accents Of despair. For have nothin'
else to sell; aud Belindy had set such
store on my comm down this autumn
afore cold weather set in.
Eh2 said Mr.. Ellis, good naturedly,
You was a-goin' down to Belindy. eh?
| can't without no money, said the Wild.
ow Hepsy Hall. Aud was sort O. calcu-
latin' on them pumpkins. The corn
hadn't amounted to nothin', and the wea-
sells has tux all the poultry, and the dried
berries mildewod that last dog days wealth.
er, and the carpet weavin' business is aw-
full dull; so what be to do?
Can't ye put of your visit? said Eliakim
thoughtfully ficking the top off cluster
OF saucy ox-eyed daisies that grew close
to his wagon wheels.
Belindy's little boys got the Group,
said Mrs Hall, lugubriously. And her
husband has fell of a scaffold, and broke
his leg And il ever I'm wanted there,
it's now.
/ swami calculated honest Eliakim, as
ne ealized what the double meanin OF pow
srty Al d misfortune was. Fetch me them
Ill buy 'em anyhow.
I'll let yon have the lot for q dollar,
said the WIDOW Hepsy, wistfully. They're
est out in the cora lot.
Ain't gethered them, eh?
Bless me! who've got to gether emf
eproachfully retorted Mrs. Hall, and not
soui around the place, and rue with that
! iek in my backl
yliakim Ellis heart smote him. Who
as be to complain OF little extra ttrou-
le, when the Widow Hepsy was so much
'orse off than himself?
SO o alighted, and led Sorrel labori-
usly down the stony cart track toward
be corn field, WHARF amid the harvested
hooks leaned the rudy gold Of pump
ins innu merable.
Pumpkins! screamed Mrs. Ellis, when
Q husband drove into the door yard at
ptn. Pumpkinsl Why. Eliakim Ellis.
ha on earth are you bringing pumpkins
ere for? Amt we got the barn cham
,rs 1 ull and the lots full, and the very
title won't eat EN-? BE you gone clean
azy?
Mrs. L Ills was hilyh.cheek- -boned, red
lired fel nale, with projecting front teeth,
"a hard, .greenish eyes, like badly col
ed marbles. She was Que OF those who
orship gain as the fre-v-orshipers fall
,vn and wo, ship the sun. "Money is
oney" was her favorite axiom. And
Iiakim felt hi, heart sink within him,
be faced he.- stern, uncompr omising |
re.
They're Jest few he begun.
A few, shriIly echoed his wife. l'be
lgg,n is haaped full And We THROWN
'cm away evtry dayi That's jest a mans
lculatin'l
Jest few, said Eli skim. hitching des-
rately on to the fin It section oi ms
ecch, that I've brung do W. here 70 sell
Mrs. Hall. There amt rasa Oh any
'rket up that away. you kn ~. Lo'sy'
ID. he added TO himself, 'o'saes,
ows how glad I'd be to sell 'em i. aad
'hancel amt lyin' nohowi
hrs. Ellis gave prodigous snuff.
Don't you fetch that there truck inside |
the door yard, Liakim, said she, you
I dump EN- on. the roadside, and let the J.
ghbor's hogs eat EN- up as quick as "
y can. 3
But Mr.. Ellis took advantage OF tin :
ldler coming along on the other side !
The street aud engaged his helpmcets .
antion, 10 smuggle ia the load OF pump !
IS. -
won't waste 'em anyway. said he. If -
'body's hogs is to eat EN-. it may as !
i be mine. u
That afternoon when he came 10 TO y
per. thing happened which had new !, !,
before betallcn him in all his married y
Ie found the tea kettle cold, the grs- p
q gems unbaked, tho table unspread, v
bis wife crying piieously. ~
,hg said EliAkim blankly. What in b
--creaiion's--the matter nowi You 81