The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-02-09

we bad 10 them days j
II don't understand il. nniher. said
China, in q qussering voice. "uniess 'tusz
cause IN them days we bed plain meeiin
houses instead Of churches an plain min.
listers ter preach plain gospel instead o
eminent divines ter delivss eloquent dis.
courses like they hev in these hiialutin
days Leas,wise. It's sll serts o different
an changed like nov. an with the change
we old tunes is forgotten" /"
"oh. no, not forgotten X cried Hiram.
"Some Of US. perhaps. ars ashamed. in
these different days, Of the quaint old
tunes our gran mas used tsr sirg. but We
hain't forgot EN- --ob. no. We hsin't for
got EN-. They haunt us like sweet mem
ories. and very, often the ibought on EN-
brings inter our lives somethin' that
makes u, purer aud stronger and better. :"
"waal, | hope 80. sighed Hamburg,
"Ieastwise I'm eisd!to bssf ye Say so. Hi
ram. for ye wuz wild boy-yes. ye wuz
dreiul coltish then"
Hush, don't speak SO loud, the chill
drcn might hear ye, said Hiram, starting
up aud gazing spprehensively Ground
him. You're wrong, old friend; ] was 3
very sedatc boy, as | remember distinctly.
"Waal. now, did ye ever T. exclaimed
the tunes in chorus, and then they all
laughed -ay. aud Old Hundred laughed
loudest OF all.
'It's powerful curious howa man tries
to forget he ever wuz boy" said Refeg
you used ter cut up worse'n any
other boy in Wind am county. Hiram At
kins, and you know it Why, ell on us
know low you used ter carry on at choir
meetin', aud on Sundays, too o-yes, stree,
and on Sundays, too
Yes, | wuz a member o. the choir, :"
said Hiram, sullenly.
"Oh, course ye wuz." said State Street,
IAN ye sung an all-fred honest book. too,
as we'll remembe An don't ye remem
ber Mirandy Perkins 2"
Mirandy Perkins ? OF course he did.
Hiram had waited on her for two years
before he went west. She had red cheeks
and glossy black curls, and her eyes were
full of mischief seemed to Hiram he
could see her now, in her bright delaine
gown and quaint shaker bonnet. Miran
dy used to sing alto in the choir the two
Morse girls, Susan Baxter, Lew Higgins.
Hepsey Burdette, Miranda Perkins and
himself, Hiram Atkins. He remembered
them all, and by the dear light the old
tune hoax threw around him he could see
them now, too.
Miranda Perkins he wondered what
had become Of her; she must be wrin-
kled aud gray. haired old woman now =
yet, somehow, he could think Of her only
as the red d-cheeked, black eyed girl, who
had sung alto to his bass in the Newfane
choir.
"Mirandy married Sam Baxter" said
Lenox. 1--WE wuz ell at the weddin' and
q pulitzer couple nsver set ont together.
s pose ye don't remember Sam, do ye
Lived with the old folks on the farm near
the Townshend toll-gate; used ter sing
tenor in the choir when you wuz there" !"
$50 Mrandy tux up with Sam, did
she, muttered Hiram. "Humph, she
mighter done better y
Hiram had never liked Sam Baxter;
now he hated him. Yet it was twenty five
years now since be had seen Sam or Mi
randa, either, for that matter He re-
mem bered Sam as loutish fellow, with
tow hair aud habit Of singing very much
out of tune, and when he thought OF MI
randa Perkins oil Of Hiram's recollections
Of Sam Baxter's unpleasant characteristics
were revived with intensity.
"But they moved down to Pondville
The next spring after they was married,
said Migdol, "sn We haint seen 'em
sence.'
"Guess ye wuz sort O gone on Miranda,
yerselt, warn't ye? ?" inquired Dedbsm
,lyly. II can recolle.t how you used ter
purr around her"
"Oh, you git out" said Hiram. But
he soft light in Hirams eyes and the faint
lush that peeped through his grizzied
beard belied his words.
ut looked powerful like it, said Ded-
ham, an you two young folks used ter cut
up terrible in meetin' specially durin'
he second prayer Why, I've seen ye
satin apples behind the origin and maxim
Iaces at Deacon Moses Skinder, and writ
n' notes ter each other, an a-drawin' pic
Iers in the hymn book. Once ye borrered
Noble Pratt's jack knife ter whittle pic
.er OF two healis on the back O. the organ,
md ye labeled one on EN- M. for Miriam
iy, and tother one H. for Hiram. Do
you remember II (?
yes, an L Lam Hsskell the good young
man who pumped the origin, caught ye st
t." interposed Boyleston, "snd be said
be was surprised that two young folks
v ho bad been brought mp 10 the nurtur
an admoni.ion O the Lord could carry
On so.
Lem married Hepsy Bnrdette good,
likely girl as ever lived. said Brattle
Street. Used ter be mighty clipper
xhen she iust come iuter the choir. but
ben she found that her fine clo'es and
ribbins aud feathers was draggin' her
iown TO hell, she gin 'em to her sister
Matildy."
Hiram remem ,ered this venerable With
,isn., and be remembered Hepsy Burdette
nd Lem Haskell. too. Lem Was troubled
sith fits "a mild sor. OF epilepsy. Be-
xeeu the enfeebled condition Of intellect
md bis weekly employment at pumping