Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-05-24
no. 21.

altogether relish trustee who would look
too carefully into how Maras money was
spent He explained to her, however, the
legal forms necessary to be gone through
with, and told her to think over various
substantial men in the village out Of whom
a trustee might be selected Maria asked
but one thing-that Mother Hobbs be- not
informed Of the legacy Immediately Jake
looked at her in amazement. He thought
Mother Hobbs would be the first person
Maria would have told
Have it your own way, he said and
then it was agreed between them that
when Maria had made up her mind, which
would not be for a few days, she said, she
should tell Jake, and he would go down to
the public notary's office, and she would
choose a trustee.
Maria went about the house Just as usual,
although she was in truth, dazed aud
stunned by her good fortune, Just as she
had been in those first days when the baby
came. She knew the power Of money, par
ticularly in the Hobbs household, and she
saw the vast difference between IA Jessup
with nothing at all and Jessup with TWEEN
ty thousand dollars in cash Husband and
wife said nothing to each other, but Jakes
mind was as much exercised as Marias
He looked at her with different eyes. He
began to appreciate that he and Maria
might have been very happy all these years,
and to discover that in Marias sweet tenn
per and calm patience he had got treas
ure which was worth more than he had
dreamed And Maria too, under new
influence of independence and happiness,
bossomed out, and got in those few days
younger and better looking. OF course the
twenty thousand dollars was the medium
which had changed all this to Jake but
nevertheless the change was good one.
He sometimes had dim foreboding that
the change would have come anyhow
that this sudden uplifting of Maria 10y
reason of the legacy only hastened the in
evitable. A subtle influence had been
working in her favor ever since that mem
orable day when she hoored the indomtable
Sophy Smith
One day at dinner Maria appeared with
her best black silk on.
Jake, said she, quietly, 81 think I've
made up my mind about the trustee.
Couldn't you take me down to Squire Wes-
toms office after dinner =
Certainly answered Jake, and said no
more.
Accordingly after dinner Maria put on
her bonnet and walked down the village
street by Jakes side. People nudged each
other as they passed, and glanced at them
windfall had leaked out and besides, it
was rather a rare sight to see Jake Hobbs
and his wife together. As they walked 81
lently along, Jake began to feel, with some
thing like bitterness and remorse, that Ma
| ria and himself did not talk together can
didly and delghtedly Of the good fortune
| that had befallen them, as most married
pairs would have done He did not dream
of putting this vague feeling into words,
| for his was as prosaic a nature as man
could have and So for that matter was
Maria's, but unsentmental people are not
necessarily devoid of sentiment. About
halfway down the shady street they met,
face to face Mrs. Brewer, dressed in
stunning red silk walking dress, with
large hat and feather shading her rosy
though somewhat coarse face. She bowed
slightly to Maria and threw bright smile
at Jake. Maria Strengthened up her slen-
der figure and held her head erect \
faint flush crept into her wan cheeks, and
her eyes frightened with anger and vexa-
ton
by Jove Maria, you're downright hand
some,n Jake was about to say, when he
suddenly caught himself. He had never
told her she was downright handsome be
fore, and he would not insult her by saying
so now.
The Squire received them in his Office
and Jake explained the matter to him
And I'll call for you, Maria, in half an
hour. - said he, picking up his hat and max
ing off, The Squire had heard something
of the state of affairs in the Hobbs house
hold and so he turned to Maria and began
to explain.
You see, Mrs. Hobbs, your choice of a
trustee is absolutely free The law re
quires that | shall interrogate you as to
whether any undue influence has been used
toward you. Your husbands wishes
wouldn't count at all.
"Yes, know" said Maria.
"Well, now, please state, Mrs Hobbs
have got witnesses here in my two clerks,
and I'll call them in when you are ready to
sign the papers whom you desire for your
trustee.
squire Weston, ," cried poor Maria, com
ing up close to him. "Im going to name
person that you'll think tried to influence
me It's my husband but, Squire, swear
to you he hasn't said word to me about it,
and all the tales you've heard about his
neglecting me amt so. He's been a
better man to me than most people
think and he'd have been better still if |
had kept younger and had showed more
spirit and had made folks respect me more /;
and mean to do different, and | made up
my mind to it before the letter came. and |
don't want people to think I've changed he
cause I've got little money. He can have
the whole control of it, and I'll hold my
head up, and let 'em see | amt such poor
creature after all and | wish I'd have
done it in the beginning instead of letting
'em walk over me because | was poor and
nothing but Jessup."
You're right, Mrs. Hobbs, said the
Squire, bringing his fist down with a great
thump, You're going to do a mighty wise
thing, ma'am, and I'd be glad enough If
my wife had fortune left her, and she did
lust what you are going to dc" which last
Maria implicitly believed,
At the end of half an hour Jake reap
peared and he and Maria took their way
back home Jake asked never a word, nor
| did Maria say anything, but her face was
positively red by that time. When they got
1 home Jake sat down by the fire. Maria hes
70 itated moment, and then went up to him
g Jake, she said, softly, esquire Weston
~ explained all about the trusteeship before
f signed my name.
- ''Of course he did, replied Jake, Hea
! obliged to-
+ my mind was made up before | wen
n," continued Maria, in the same voice. %
4 didn't act rash at all. thought it all ovel
from the time the letter came
4 That's right was Jake's reply.
- "And, Jake, I'm going to be "A diiteren
woman. | think | made mistake, wheI
d we first married in letting everybody-
e even you and Mother Hobbs-see didn'
II think myself good as you are. don
j. say my folks was as good, but | say if
e woman's respectable, and 'ain't done any
e thing to be ashamed of, and amt got he
|. husband by taking him in, she's his equal
2, and she ought to make the whole worl'
l. know it. Oughtnt she y
l. Maria" said Jake, 81 see it all now"
p "And l couldn't bear the idea that peo
e Pile should think I'd give myself airs be
20 cause of little money, so, Jake, | nance
lie YOU for trustee and the moneys all yours
lie and I'm not going to be as meek and mil
D. as | was.
ID This last statement, which would nc
d have had a very soothing effect on mos
T. husbands pleased Jake extremely. lie rost
" and put his two hands, wkwardly enough
e. ON Maria's shoulders. Maria, said he, 81
ut thank you and | won't deny I'm glad
get the money, and I'm glad, too, for eN
a, erybody to see you've got some coniidenc
he in me. It'll make folks think better {
p, both of us But, Maria, if you'd haN
er showed more spirit, and not have let IN
mother and everybody else treated you lk
# IA servant, I'd have been happier man an
ne "a better husband"
AL That's so, Jake, " said Maria with teal
er in her eyes
And, Maria, want to tell you som
his thing. This money matter has kind,
,r brought us together, but believe it wou
3" have come anyhow. Ever since that do
Is YOU sat down so hard ON Sophy Smith ~
ly had different kind of feeling toward y'
ps "a sorter respect for you, like II man oug
"A 10 feel for his wife"
nd At this poor Marin went all to pieces, al
his for the first time in her life threw her arr
around Jake's neck aud kissed him warml