Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-05-24
MARLA'N LE0ACE

what most people do-that money is equal
ly acceptable one time As another.
Maria Jessup had been reputed the best
girl, if not the best looking in all the coun-
try about. The Jessups did not sit on a
high step Of the social ladder Indeed, Jes
sup pirc had conducted II junk and harness
establishment until he had become financial
ly stranded, and then devoted himself to
taking care of a certain section OF the vii
lage tavern porch until his death, which
occurred shortly after. Mrs. Jessup was n
natural born incapable and so were half
"A dozen brothers and sisters of Marias,
who dropped out Of life before they reach
ed middle age from chronic inability to
hold on When they fell i'll they hadn't
energy enough to get WE'LL and so they
died. Maria was the flower Of the flock,
and her persistent efforts 10 keep the home
of Jessup up to the level of respectability
induced old Mrs Hobbs to foment the match
between her son Jake and Maria Jake
was, strange to say, the match of the vii
lage. He owned farm, and had money
in bank besides, and was the only child of
the widow Hobbs, who had as much again
as Jake. Mrs. Hobbs was not popular
character in the village so much so that
when she became bedridden she suffered
for want of company for those who want
ed to visit the widow Hobbs she wouldn't
allow, and those whom the widow Hobbs
wished to visit her wouldn't come. After
having tried every shade and variety Of
the gal" genus in Compton Elms, Mrs.
Hobbs at last found one to her mind in Ma
ria Jessup. Maria meekness, docility and
neatness were something marvellous, par
ticularly in Jessup but Mrs. Hobbs saw
that if she wanted Maria's services always.
she would have to hold her by some bond
stronger than that of her serving maid,
for no human being, not even the defunct
Mr. Hobbs had ever been able to stand Mrs
Hobbs's temper for more than six months
consecutively. There was one exception
Jake She had begun early with him, and
really made the only effort of her life at
getting along, to live peaceably with him ;
and Jake being a fellow Of imperturbable
good humor, and, likewise, not much at
home it was comparatively easy to live ON
terms with him. Moreover, As Jake was
the only human being Mrs Hobbs had ever
cared pin about, So Jake at heart loved
his mother, and, stranger yet, she had
great influence over him. The widow
Hobbs, in spite Of her temper and her pc
cularities had vein Of strong sense which
enabled her to maintain u certain ascend
ency over Jake.
1t was natural for a girl like Maria Jes-
sup to keep any kind of "A home she could :
but the widow Hobbs soon found out even
Maria's patience would have succumbed,
like that of her preceding gals, if it had
not been for Jake. Maria was dead in love
with Jake. and Jake cared no more for
Maria than he did for the kitchen knife.
He was Il tall, handsome, athletic fellow
great at turkey shooting match, famous
at trials of strength, matchless at breaking
colts, and with very good idea Of how to
enjoy life after his own IDEAL Mrs Hobbs
groaned when she reflected upon the kind
of wife Jake would one dav bring home to
her At last the brilliant idea occurred to
her of making up match between Jake
and Maria, So that she might keep that
faithful slave in bondage forever. of
course she weighed the pros and cons. Mrs.
Hobbs was not woman to 90 off half
cocked but taking the fact of Maria 5
bread and coffee, and scruhbing capacity,
and her ability to rub Mrs. Hobbs : rheu
matte back for two hours at IA stretch, and
to walk about hundred miles a day be
tween Mrs. Hobbs 5 bedroom and the kitch-
Ell dresser, Mrs. Hobbs concluded it might
/ possibly be well for Jacob, and certainly be
| best for herself, that Maria Jessup should
]
night Maria was permitted to 90 tn bed at
midnight, for a wonder. and Jake happen
ing to return from one of his nocturna
froics about the same time, Mrs. Hobb,
/ called him To her bedside from the kitchen
where he was warming himself.
Jacob, said the widow, feebly, II wan
ter talk to you about sumpin'.'
IAN right, mother, responded Jake, du
tifully, and wishing he was back in the
kitchen.
Jacob, " continued the old lady, II ain
going to he here long. My times almos
run out
You've been saying that for the las
twenty year, mother said Jake, not un
kindly, "and here YOU are now.
But I'm twenty year older and, Jake
I've been a worryin' about your gttin' mar
ried Jake you ought to git married.
This was something that was so unlik
what Jake had been led to expect that Ii,
sat down in a chair, overcome with sur
prise "And, Jake, you oughtn't ter brinl
one o them highly tightly upsettin' gal
here ter gallivant around and torment you
poor old mother to death,
Seems to me- said Jake, who was no
deficient in keenness, all of 'em is highly
tightly and upsettin'.'
81 know one that amt that's Mari
Jessup. l don't know how I'd git alon
without Maria, She's a good-lookin' ga
too-fur Jessup."
Jake paused. The idea was distastefr
to him. He did not care about the Jessu
connection. 81 don't like her people, h
said presently.
Course you don't. Who ever like
them Jessups But. Jake that's yer
good reason for takin' Maria. Any othe
gal d want her folks here and we'd /
Jest overrun with 'em But Maria's &
meek as a mouse, and since her father an
mother is dead, and her brothers and 81
ters is all growed up you could shet til
door in their faces.
; Good night, MOTHER said Jake, wall
ing off.
The ice being broken, Mrs, Hobbs di
, the rest. She kept us a continual fusillad'
Then Jake began to observe Maria. Ma
urally he had not very high ideal of maj
D riage, and when he saw her usefulness an
tidiness-and in those days Maria was IL,
t bad looking concluded, from variet
~ of motives, to take Maria, as Mrs. Hob
1 expressed it. The strongest of these m
r. tives was a desire for quiet life, and
r. secure his mothers comfort and his ow
y and the weakest was impeling affection
$ As for poor Maria, she was so dazzled
the magnificent prospects opening befo
e her at being Mrs. Jake Hobbs that she 1
p most forgot to say thank you when ia
g announced to her his deliberate intenti'
d of marrying her. And so the weddil
q come off, and then Maria's trials began,
n Jake was fond of going about, and ne
?. er missed dance, far or near. But it "
II obviously impossible for Mrs. Hobbs to
d left alone and as that indomitable WON
, insisted ON having Maria with her, it Ell
1t ed by Jake's going alone, Jake hims
n knew enough of public opinion, and lik
~ his wife quite well enough, to take her vi
!" him, but, as the case often is, from a Il
,y and mistaken chivalrous instinct, he &C
as sidered his mother always first. Ma
,e would have been glad to have consoled he
lr self by spending the long evenings readin
to for which she had decided taste. !
vi Mother Hobbs held the same opinion OF
ri circulating library that Sir Anthony Alb
al lutte did, as Fan evergreen tree of dial
ical KNOWLEDGE so that amusement v
made as rare aud as uncomfortable
Mother Hobbs could make it and Motl
-, Hobbs's abilities in that line were simply
ial mense. With everything it was the san
u, aud Maria, being the most uncomplain
an ~, creature ON earth, accepted her lot silent
ri Jakes careless kindness did but little
ny ameliorate her condition, but that sl
"a kindness she treasured so highly that
~. would have endured half dozen Wild
ed Hobhses all at once rather than risk
Oh loss of the man she loved with the
,sSy strong emotion of rather negative ch
de- acter.
al Fate, she thought, had at last relen
g." when a little girl came But in six mon
the tiny thing faded and died, and Ma
IN. Hobbs was once more IA childess won
art The widow Hobbs did not fail 10 imp
M upon her this misfortune, and the eXtr'
ron improhability that Jake would find his he
not agreeable, or even endurahle, without @
$50 dren to tighten it, True it was that {
" ing the six months of the baby's life