The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-04-04
Selected Storp.
SOphrOnia.

faded and dusty. A hinge of the gate
was broken, and the gate swung and
creaked hideously. The little patch in
front sorely needed attention. The
sewing-machine agent noted these
things without knowing it, as he jumped
from his buggy and walked toward the
front door, He was of an unbeautiful
Yankee type, blue-eyed, sandy-haired
and shambled somewhat in his gait, yet
YOU might look long in his lean face,
with its twinkling eyes and frequent
smile, before you could detect an UNI
Trustworthy lineament.
There was no bell, so he raped. No
answer He raped again. This time
footstep might be heard within and
presently the door was held slightly
aiar and then flung wide open, as if to
welcome long-eXpected guest. The
sewing machine agent was used to all
kinds of reception and did not lose
second in commencing his well-learned
lesson.
81 am representing the firm of Gus
sett q Hemm, sewing-machine manu-
facturers, madam, and would like to
show you one of the machines, unless
you have one already. Have you a
sewing-machine"'
No answer.
"i,We sell them for cash or INSTALL
ments and warrant them satisfactory.
! would like to show you Gussett e.
Hemm-coud bring the machine right
in and show you how it works. Did
you say you had machine?"
No answer.
"Or if you have a machine, and it
isn't quite satisfactory, we would take
it in part payment for the new one"
He looked at the figure before him-a
little woman dressed in black, her once
sunny hair streaked with gray and hid
den under a widows cap, her eyes, too,
hidden behind blue spectacles, her face
pale and worn. She might have been
thirty-fve or forty years old, the agents
own age, but time had laid heavier
hand on the woman than the man. He
noted that she trembled and looked
fxedly at him, and thought, in his
Yankee vernacular, Nervous critter--
afraid of tramps and peddlers, likely"
He rambled on in his usual fashion, eX
tolling his wares, and finally wound up
with, "I'll just fetch in the machine
and see how you like it."
AT this the woman found her tongue.
emo, DON'T" she said, breathlessly.
Did you say you had a machine,
MADAME" asked the agent.
Yes" she said; and then added,
hesitatingly, "but it is out of order.
Perhaps you could fix it for me-" and
held the door open wider as a mute in
vitation for him to enter. He availed
himself of it at once, walking straight
into the small front-room, bare, desti-
tute of ornament, its most costly fur
nishing being the sewing-machine, at
which he seated himself without loss of
a moment. 1t sung and buzzed under
the stress of his rapid foot and hand.
"Needs oiling," he said-whirr-
whirr. A new belt would be mighty
good thing on this ere; I'll take this
up a little ''-whirr, whirr. "Now I'll
tell you, ma'am, you'd better let me
fetch YOU a Gussett & Hemm. You'll
like it a great deal better than this one
and you can have plenty of time to pay
for it in"
"No, no." said the widow, hastily.
{" couldn't pay for another one. l
was two years doing extra work enough
to pay for this, and had to support
my child besides"
Sho.! you don't say So" said the
agent, with sympathy. "Paid a high
price, didn't We? Well, I'll tell you
candidly there don't seem to be nothin'
the matter with this except it amt
the newest fashion. Here's my card
Azariah Adams, with Gussett &
Hemm. I'd like to leave it, and if you
want any sewing-machine supplies,
needles or winders or anything of that
sort, I'll take your order now and bring
it when l come round to deliver ma
chimes in two weeks"
Bring me some needless" said the
widow, eagerly.
The agent took out his notebook
What name, MADAME"
I" Mrs. Twitchell," said the widow,
and seemed to look searchingly through
her glasses at the agent. He scrubbed
minute, thanked her, went out and
scrambled into his buggy with word
to his horse; then drove away, whistling
cheerily. Mrs. Twitchell dropped into
a seat, buried her face in her hands
and cried softly, but increasingly, until
her little daughter came home from
play. The child saw no signs of tears,
however; to her she was the same gen.
tie, care-worn, silent mother she had
always known, nor could the little one
dream that old memories were rising
and rushing within her mothers heart
like the spring floods, almost over
whelming her with their force.
When Azariah Adams came again
the summer had fairly commenced, and
Mrs. Twitchell set doors and windows
wide open that the sweet perfumed air
might fill the whole small cottage. Be-
side, she placed bouquet of the common
wild flowers in glass tumbler on the
sewing-machine. She herself retained
her former aspect, except that her
black dress was laid aside and a gray
dress and white apron lent her a
Quaker-like semblance.
Mr.. Adams gave greeting as to an
old and valued customer, with respect
and fervor, produced the needles, re-
ceived the few cents which were due
and took up his hat to go. But the
widow, in her usual hesitating way,
detained him.
Shall you be this way again soon?"
she asked.