The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-09-05
Selected Storp.
Friend Ruth's Prejudice.


bright blue eyes again and again, to
make sure that she was certainly and
Individually wide-awake.
"No, Aunt Ruth" said she, 81 am
not dreaming. Read the letter for
myself"
And Aunt Ruth, setting her specta-
the folded paper from Patience's hand
and slowly spelled out the words which,
heard from other lips, had such fabu-
lous sound.
Yes, it was true. Guarded about with
legal phrases, there was the intelligence
that she, Ruth Plumb, who wove rag
carpets for livelihood and contentedly
ate mush and milk when she could not
get beef and potatoes, was a landed
proprietress now of a farm up in Rhode
Island which had belonged to. one
Ezra Nuttng, third or fourth cousin,
whom she had never seen.
Little Patience looked eagerly at the
elder woman.
"Aunt Ruth" said she, isn't thee
going out to see it?-and mayn't l go
with thee?"
"Thee may 60 with me, little Pay"
said Miss Plumb, smiling; but as for
going out to see it railway journeys
cost money, and when we go we shall
stay"
Twill thee live there, Aunt Ruth?"
cried Patience, with sparkling eyes.
Miss Plumb looked pathetically around
the little chamber, whose one window
was bedimmed by a monster back
wall.
81 have always longed for a country
home, Pay" she said. "Thee has al
ways lived in the city; thee does not
know how person feels who has once
stood on the hills and heard the free
wind roaring through the pine-trees."
So the loom was stopped and the little
cupboard door locked, and the two
women went to Nebasset, near which
rocky promontory, on the edge of the
Sound, was situated the Nutting estate.
Not much of an estate, after all. A
queer little brown house, like a dis
colored mushroom, huddle of barns,
and stone cellar hewn into the rocky
side of beetling hill, in which were
arranged rows of barrels on a sort of
stone shelf.
Miss Plumb peered inquiringly at
these barrels as, escorted by David
Lorn, a handsome, sun-burned giant
who occupied the next farm, she went
over the property for the first time.
What are these, Friend David?"
she asked, little doubtfully.
"Guess likely they're cider" said
David Lorn. "Old Nutting, he made
the best cider for twenty miles around"
Cider!" repeated Miss Plumb.
Didn't you know that this was a
famous cider farm?" said David.
Didn't you see the orchards of apple
trees up on the hill?"
eyes, saw them" said Miss Plumb,
"but did not realize their meaning.
l think, Friend David, thee may pull
out the corks -
Bungs, we call EN-" gently cor
rected Lorn.
Bungs, if thee prefers that title, and
let the baleful fluid flow away. l am
prejudiced with an exceeding prejudice
against Intoxicating liquors."
"There amt no harm in cider"
protested David Lorn.
"'Touch not, taste not, handle
not! A" said Miss Plumb, firmly. " AS
to the apple orchard, it is not for me
to criticise the kindly fruits of the
earth, but l could wish that they had
been pasture fields or potato-patches
or something less deleterious than they
are" She walked quietly on. David
Lorn was opening his mouth to re.
monstrate, when Patience gently
beckoned him to desist.
"My Grandfather Plumb died of
delirium tremens,'' she whispered.
Aunt Ruth can not forget that Thee
will ha,,o 70 lat ho,, hn, hnr
David Lorn whistled low whistle
But anyhow" said he, "there'll be
deal of good vinegar lost if all this
runs to waste. l say, Miss Plumb"
g l would prefer thee to call me
Friend Ruth, said the old lady, mildly
"It sounds pretty familiar, don't it? -
apprehensively observed David. Blu
if you say so, so it shall be. l say
Friend Ruth, if I'll go bail this 'ert
shan't none of it be used for nothin
but vinegar to be sold by the gallon
would you let me hev it at market price,
It's wicked sin to waste the Lord,
good gifts"
"Thee is not so far wrong, Friend
David" said Miss Plumb. eyes,
think | may trust thee"
eth make frst-chop vinegar" OBJ
served David, scientifically testing il
with straw.
Little Patience was delighted will
the poultry-yard and cow-house. 4
sturdy, shaggy pony, who shook hi
head at them over the railing of hi
stall, was duly admired, and then Davi,
lighted fire in the big, black-throatec
chimney of the old farmhouse an,
blew il into a blaze
Its cold weather, even if the fus
hard frosts haven't come yet," said he
And the house needs airin' up. An
guess, Miss Plumb-Friend Ruth,
mean-you and Friend Patience her
had better come over and sleep at GU
house tonight if you don't want t
catch cold. To-morrer the house'll b
in better Twin order. And my siste
Calphurniall be proper glad to Sc
you"
1t Glanced that between repair:
airing and adding to the arrears of ful
niture, Friend Ruth and her niece re
manned at the Lorn homestead for
week. during which time Miss Ca