The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-02-01
A Stewed Quaker.

"That child has dreadful cold, Mis-
Peeler. She ought to have some stewed
Quaker and go right to bed and take
sweatin'."
Mrs. Manly rolled up her knitting
and put her shawl over her head, as she
gave the above advice, and continued:
"Old Mis- Graves, she always said
nothin' went to the roots of a cold
quicker'n stewed Quaker. She had
used it for forty years, and would use
it again if it was for Queen Victory
herself. Nothin' like it, she said, and
you know Mis- Graves was a master
hand at doctorin'. Why, when Ena-
than Spears first wife, she twas
Eudory Brown, had that last spell Of
why, land alive! what ais that child,
to GO tearin' down the gardin' like mad
the road, with only thin shawl ketched
to her feet! l sh'd think you'd have
your hands full takin' other folkses
children to board; now haven't you,
Mis- Peeler?'
Without waiting for reply, the gar
rulous neighbor took her departure, but
at the door entered upon another
lengthy topic, urging Mrs. Peeler to
come over soon and see the elegant
crazy patches that "'Melia sent me all
the way from Iowa"
Meanwhile, who was the terrified lit
tie creature fleeing from the house as
if from pestilence, painting at every
step and thinking not of the frosty
air and her scanty wraps, but only of
those dreadful words, "a stewed Qua
ker!" Was that what she had seen
Jane McAllister lifting into the great
iron dinner-pot as she rushed through
the kitchen?
Oh, why had her papa sent her to
such place to board! How he must
have been deceived in Mrs. Peeler!
He must come and take her home, no
matter what the doctors orders were,
and she would telegraph for him The
telegraph clerk was greatly surprised to
see a small, weather-beaten child OF
eight, with a shawl over her head, and
wild blue eyes staring from below her
frizzled flaxen hair.
l want to send telegram to my
papa" she gasped.
What name, Miss?" asked the clerk.
politely.
My papa's name is Harvey Trask,
and he lives in Jersey City, 1904 Greene
street. l want you to tell him this:
Dear papa. DO come for me. They
eat Quakers here. Edith"
The clerk looked up astonished, but
gravely clicked down the message.
Twenty-Five cents charges, Miss"
The little girl burst into tears. "Oh,
l haven't penny. Can'tpapa pay for
it when he gets it?"
eyes, yes" said the clerk, sooth.
ingly, g can make that all right"
"Oh, thank YOU" said the grateful
little girl, and she fastened out. She
looked up and down the road, unde.
back to Mrs. Peeler's till her papa
McAllister should hold her down and
make her swallow the stewed Quaker!
She concluded to walk along till she
came to friendly-looking house, in
which she would ask permission to stay
till her papa came. If she failed tC
find one, she would go back to the tele
graph Office and stay with that nice
clerk. She was walking very fast
Her feet were growing cold and she
began to cry. She heard wheels APP
preaching; then they stopped, and 6
cheerful voice exclaimed:
Little girl, what is thee crying
about, and why is thee out without
suitable clothing?"
The child turned quickly at sound of
the thee " and saw rosy gentleman
well protected from the cold, sitting in
comfortable little buggy drawn by a
mild-looking brown horse. Edith
looked at him in distress.
"Oh, dear gentleman, you're one
Don't 60 near Mrs. Peeler's, or they
will cook you!"
TIE rosy old gentleman's face broad.
ened into smile, as he said: " | don't
know what thee means by my being
one but am quite sure nobody will
cook me.'
"She said-the other woman-tha
/ must eat stewed Quaker for my
co-o-old-and | saw Jane putting i
into the dinner-pot-and | telegraphet
for papa in Jersey City nd-and-l
dare not 90 back to Mrs. Peeler's-fo
! wo-wo-won't be a canniball Oh, oh'
The old gentleman's mystified ex
preston suddenly cleared; then grave
look came over his face.
MY little girl, there was shameful
time in the history of this countr,
when persons of my faith were yer,
cruelty treated, but l never yet heart
of one being stewed. Friend Marii
Peeler is most estmable woman, anC
think if | take thee home with mi
my wife Eunice can relieve thy anxiety
Jump in, little girl"
He bent down kindly to help her in
and she sprang up beside him with
grateful heart.
Presently the brown horse stoppe'
before low, wide, white house, witt
grounds swept clean of sticks, straw
and leaves, the windows shining an,
the old-fashioned brass knocker CLEAN
ing like gold. The old gentleman said
"Stand, Jerry, to the brown horse, an
then led his little quest into a large. It'd