Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-03-01

buhhitN hbIt hHf hll'l dlI one lUhl puts
my hand 10 the plow an looks back, cord
in TO Scriptur''
"Hou wouldn't wanted me to ride all
them seven miles alone ~ asked the gallant
Briley sentimentally, as he lifted her down,
and helped her up again TO the front seat
She was few years older than he but
they had been schoolmates, and Mrs. To.
bins youthful freshness was suddenly re
vived 10 his minds eye She had a little
farm there was nobody left at home now
but herself, and so she had broken up house
keeping for the winter. Jefferson himself
had savings Of no mean amount
They tucked tn emselves in, and felt bet
ter for the change, but there was a sudden
awkwardness between them they had not
had time 10 prepare for an unexpected
crisis.
They say Elder Bickers, over 10 East
! Sanscrit, s been and got married again
to gal that's four year younger than
his daughter proclaimed Mrs. Tobin
| presently. Seems to me t was FOOLS
business"
II view it so," said the stage driver.
/ There's goin' to be mild open winter for
that family"
what joker you be for a man that's
had so much responsibility ~ smiled Mrs.
Tobin after they had done laughing
'Ain't you never 'frad, carryin' mail mat
ter and such valuable stuff, that you'll be
set on an robbed, specially by night ~
jefferson braced his feet against the dash
er under the worn buffalo. 1t is kind o.
scary, or would be for some folks, but I'd
| like to see anybody get the better o. me /
20 armed, and don't care who knows it.
| Some o. them drover men that comes from
| Canady looks as if they didn't care what
they did, but look EN- right in the eye ev-
cry time
Men folks is brave by natur', said the
widow admiringly. "You know how To
bin would let his fist right out at anybody
that undertook to sass him Town meetin
days, if he got disappointed about the way
things went, he lay 'em out in win'rows
and ef he hadn't been a church member
he'd been real fightn' character was
always frad to have him reused, for all
he was so willn' and meechin to home
and set round clever as anybody. Ny Su-
san Ellen used to boss him same's the kit
ten, when she was four year old
I've got kind Of sideways cant to
my nose, that Tobln give me when we was
to school don't knows you ever noticed
it, said Mr. Brey I'VE was sculflin a.
lads will. | never bore him no kind Of
a grudge. | pited We. when he was taken
away | reilly did now, Fanny. liked
Tobin first rate, and liked you. used t.
say you was the han'somest girl to school '
"Lemme see your nose. r is all straight,
for what know. said the widow gently.
and with trace of coyness she gave a
hasty glance II don't know but what Z
is warped little, but nothin to speak of
You've got real nice features, like your
marms folks
1t was becoming a sentimental occasion,
and jefferson Briley felt that he was in for
something more than he had bargained
Tie hurried the faltering sorrel horse and
began 10 talk Of the weather 1t certainly
did look like snow, and he was tired bump
ing over the frozen road
81 shouldn't wonder if ! hired hand
here another year, and went off ont West
myself to see the country
why, how you talk ~ answered the
widow
"Yes'm," pursued jefferson 1T is
tanner here than | like, and | was tellin
EN- yesterday I've got TO know this road
most too well. I'd like to 20 out an ride
in the mountains with some o them great
clipper coaches, where the driver don't
know any minute but he'll be shot dead the
next. They carry an awful sight o. gold
down from the mines, | expect
81 should be scairt to death, - said Mrs
Tobin. What creatur's men folks he to
like such things Well. DO declare"
Yes" explained the mild little man.
There's sights of desp'radoes makes a
hsn'some livin' out o followin' them coach
es, an stoppm an robbin' em clean to the
bone Your money or your life :" and he
tiourshed his stub of whip over the sor.
rel mare.
"Landy me you make me run all of a
cold creep. DO tell somethin heartenin'
. this cold latv | gbal1 1r.ap, bod
all night
They put ON black Grape over their
faces. said the driver mysteriously. mo
body knows who most on em be. and like
as not some o. them fellers come o good
families. They've got so they stop the cars,
and 90 right through 'em bold as brass. |
could make your hair stand on end, Mis-
Tobin-I could So
Il hope none on 'em II git round our
way, I'm sure, said Fanny Tobin. II don't
want to see none on EN- in their Grape bun
nits comm after me.
Il amt goin to let nobody touch hair
| o your head, and Mr.. Briey moved lit
/ tie nearer, and tucked in the butfaloes
again.
/ Il feel considerable warm to what did
/ observed the widow by way of reward
There, | used to have my fears, Mr.
/ Briley resumed with an inward feeling
| that he never would get to North Kilbv de
| pot a single man But you see | had no
/ body but myself to think Of I've
got cousins, as you know, but nothin' near
er, and what I've laid up would soon be
parted out and-well, | suppose some
folks woull think o me if anything was to
happen
Mrs Tobin was holding her cloud over
her face-the wind was sharp ON that bit
Of open road-but she gave an encourag-
ing sound, between groan and a chirp,
" Twouldn't be like nothin' to me not TO
see you drivn' by" she said, after a min
ute. IL shouldn't know the days o the
week. | SAYS to Susan Ellen last week |
was sure t was Friday and she said no,
t was Thursday; but next minute you druv
by and headn toward North Kilby, so we
found was right.
I've got to be a featur' of the land
scape," said Mr.. Briley plaintively This
kind o weather the ole mare and me, we
wish we was done with it, and could settle
down kind o comfortable I've been look
in this good while, as | drove the road,
and I've picked me out IA piece o land two
or three times. But | cant abide the
thought o buildin' It would plague me to
death and both Sister Peak to North Kill
by and Mis- Deacon Ash to the Pond, they
vie NllH blt alibllltI " bb W ell uN me- rear
I'll like the other stopping place best. ."
~ shouldn't covet livin long o. neither
one o them women, responded ths pas
senger with some spirit. 81 see some o
Miss Peaks cookin' to "a farmers supper
once, when was visitin' Susan Elen's folks,
an | says, Deliver me from such pale com
plected baked beans as them = and she give
kind of quack. She was settin' Jest at
my left hand and couldn't help hearin' me.
wouldn't have spoken if | had known,
but she needn't have let ON they was hers
i guess them beans taste just as well as
other folks says she, and she wouldn't
never speak to me afterward.
DO knows blame her, ventured Mr.,
Briley. Women folks is dreadful pudjicky
about their cOokin I've always heard
YOU was one o. the best o. cooks, Mis- To
bin. ! know them doughnuts an things
you've give me in times past, when ! was
drivin' by Wish | had some on EN- now,
never let on, but Mis- Ash's cookn' s the
best by long chalk. Miss Peaks handy
about some things, and looks afCer mend
in me up"
"It docs seem as if a man o. your years
aud your quiet make ought to hev a home
you could call your own" suggested the
passenger 81 kind o. hate to think o.
your bangein' here and boardin' there, and
one old woman mendin' and the other set
tin ye down to meals that like S not don't
agree with ye."
"Lor, now, Mis- Tobin lie S not fuss
{ round no longer" said Mr.. Briley impa
tiently. "Nou know you covet me same 5
| do you
81 don't nuther. Don't you go an say
fo'lish things you can't stand TO-"
I've been tryin' TO git chance to put
in word with you ever sence-Well, | ex-