The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-08-25


enormous, suggesting an abundance of
lumber to which we in these modern
times are strangers. Many pegs and
nails were driven into them, from
which swung paper bags filled with dried
herbs--spearmint, boneset, pennyroyal,
all diffusing a pleasant odor through
the garnet, which Miss Cynthy thought
more agreeable than the huge bowls
full of steaming hot herb-tea which
Miss Sabra always made her swallow,
her feet in a pail of hot water mean
while, whenever she took cold. Two
large wooden chests stood far back I'M
der the eaves-so large that they could
never have been brought up the narrow
stairs, but must have been built where
they stood. In them were piles of old
papers, years upon years of Springfield
Republicans and Massachusetts Plough
mans, Old Farmers Almanacs for more
than half century; and there were
carefully cherished pile of "Journals
of the House," containing the doings
of the legislature when Squire Marcy
represented the town"
Miss Cynthy gave pitiful look into
a chest, and then sat down in basket
of neatly-sewn carpet-rags and began
w Vi - ~ hCdDIuj SuC SOuDCuj VIC
been used to seeing these things all my
heart to part with them. I've a great
mind to bring in bill"
"Cynthy," said Miss Sabra, " this is
foolishness. There's no use in givin'
way so. We can't help ourselves"
Well" said Miss Cynthy, extri-
eating herself from the carpet-rags and
wiping her eyes, " what shall we do
frst?"
An old spinning-wheel, which had
stood for years in its own nook, resting,
after long service in spinning yarn for
blankets and stockings to keep the
Marcy's warm, quivered little, as if
with grief at the coming change, and
the cradle, wherein all the little Marcy's
has been rocked, rocked gently once
more in a deprecatory way as the sis
tiers turned toward the closet, where
one or two trunks, more precious than
the rest, were kept.
I" l thought we'd better look over
mothers things first" said Miss Sabra,
opening the shutters and letting in a
flood of autumn sunshine. A faint odor
of camphor and cedar and pungent
spices filed the closet, for this was the
storeroom for winter clothing and
wraps in summer. The sisters cloaks
and wooden dresses hung on the wall.
Broad shelves, piled with homemade
blankets and patchwork quilts and COM
fortables, filled one side of the little
apartment, and in a bandbox in one
corner, carefully wrapped in linen and
packed away in red pepper and cam
phor. were the sisters furs, the one
spontaneous gift their father had ever
given them. For Miss Sabras and
Miss Cynthy's wearing apparel usually
represented sundry sacrifices of eggs
and poultry and fresh butter exchanged
at the village store for something to wear.
But once, when the old gentleman had
made an exceptionally good sale of his
fat cattle, he opened his heart and
purse-strings and presented his daugh-
tiers each with a set of gray squirrel furs,
more precious in their eyes than seal
skin or sable.
Well, Cynthy," said Miss Sabra,
this is the trunk of mothers things.
We'd better open it to make sure there's
nothing else in it, and then we'll take
it downstairs and look the things over.
guess they're all right, but tits three
years come October since we went
through Them
Miss Sabra knelt down before the
little hair trunk, studded with brass
nails, fitted the key in the rusty lock
and with some difficulty turned it and
raised the lid. The clothing, yellow
, with age, lay neatly folded, with leaves
Of 4" Sweet Mary" scattered through it
to give it a pleasant odor. But upon
the top lay a folded paper, long and
blue, with formidable air of business
about it.
"Why, sister," said Miss Cynthy.
"what is that?"
81 don't know" said Miss Sabra
there. Pm most afraid to touch it,"
But Cynthy, more impulsive than
Sabra, had already seized and opened
! it. She whitened to her lips.
' Sabra," she whispered, "it's a
J will"
: "Then," said Miss Sabra, I'VE
a mustn't look at it. We must go an(
give it to Mr.. Denison right away an(
y let him read it first. If we 90 right of
: now we can get there in time to SET
g him when he comes home to dinner"
r So the sisters put on their sun-bon
f nets ana went - cross lOtS through
=, the fields to Mr.. Denison's house
f climbing fences and opening heav,
h gates, taking with them the mysteriou
:. document which was of such terribl,
4 moment to them. 1t was duly delivered
i to Mr.. Denison and the story of its dis
~ covery told Z" And whatever coulC
y have possessed father to put it there i
4 more than l can tell, added Miss Sabra
r. But Mr.. Denison was already alb
. sorbed in reading the will and hardl,
$ listened to Miss Sabra's story. The,
n waited, breathlessly, trembling in ever,
g limb, wondering what was coming t.
h them, fearing the worst, not daring t,
v hope for good fortune. But present.,
= Mr.. Denison turned on them beamins
n face, saying:
8 This is all right. 1t is duly signeC
a and witnessed and l am the executor
You are given the use of the real estate
q for your lives, or until you marry
! Miss Cynthy blushed-" and the stock
+ and furniture and farming utensil
v are given you outright. Now wei
p have it probated right away. And
= must say I'm glad of this. It's just al
7 it should be-"
h Miss Cynthy broke down and CRIED
like baby, and Miss Sabra's ewes were