Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-12-20

little face alert and smiling in her red hood.
The other selectmen's wives toiled eagerly
up the hill, with young daughter Of one
Of them speeding on ahead. Then the two
young girls stood close to each other and
watched the proceedings. Key after key
was tried men brought all the large keys
they could find running Importantly up the
hill, but none " uld unlock the meeting
house duor. After Caleb had tried the last
available key, STOPPING aud screwing it anx-
iously, he turned around There amt no
use in it, anyway" said he "most likely
the doors bolted ~
"You don't mean there's bolt on that
door /" cried his wife.
"Yes, there is "
Then you might Jest as well have tore
round for hens feathers as keys. OF
course she's bolted it if she's got any wit,
an guess she's got most as much as some
Of you men that have been bringin' KEYS.
Try the windows
But the windows we're fast Hetty had
made her sacred castle impregnable except
to violence. Either the door would have to
be forced, or a window broken, to gain an
entrance.
The people conferred with one another.
Some were for retreating, and leaving
Hetty in peaceful possession until time drove
row, ~ they said. Others were for extreme
measures and their impetuosity gave them
the lead. The project Of forcing the door
was urged one man started for crow
bar.
They are parcel of fools to do such a
thing, said Caleb Gales wife to another
woman. Spoil that good door They'd
better leave the poor thing alone till to-
morrow. | dunno what's goin' to be done
with her when they git in ! amt goin to
have father draggin' her over to Mis- Rad
ways by the hair of her head ="
That's jest what | say" returned the
other woman.
Mrs. Gale went up to Caleb and nudged
him. Don't you let them break that door
down, father said she
well, well, well see" Caleb replied
lie moved away a little his wifes voice
had been drowned out lately by masculine
clamor, and he took advantage of it.
All the people talked at once the wind
was keen, and all their garments huttered
the two young girls had their arms around
each other under their shawls the man
with the crow bar came stalking up the hill.
Don't you let them break down that
door, father, said Mrs Gale.
We'll, well, ~ grunted Caleb.
Regardless of circumstances, the man
set the crow bar against the door suddenly
there was a cry, There she is ~ Every
body looked up. There was Hetty looking
out Of a gallery window.
Everybody was still Hetty began to
speak. Her dark old face, pecriug out of
the window, looked CHASTITY the wind blew
her poor gray locks over it She extended
her little wrinkled hands Jest let me
say one word, said she jest one word"
Her voice shook All her coolness was
gone. The magnitude of her last act of de
fance had caused it to react upon herself
like an overloaded gun.
Say all you want TO- Hetty, an don't be
afraid Mrs Gale called out.
4 Jest want to say word, " repeated
Hetty. Cant | stay here. nohow 1t
don't seem as if could 90 to Mis- Railways.
| amt nothin' again her l s'pose she's a
good woman, but she's used to havin' her
own way, an I've been hvin' all my life
with them that was, an I've he'd to fight to
keep footin' on the earth an now I'm
gittin too old fort If can Jest stay here
in the meetin house, won't ask for nothin'
any better. | shbnt need much to keep
me, | want never hefty eater an I'll
keep the meetin house Jest as clean as |
know how. An I'll make a wreath to go
the whole length of the gallery, if | can
git wool 'nough. Won't you let me stay
| amt complaiuin', but I've always had
dretful hard time; seems as if now | might
take a little comfort the last of it, if
could stay here l can't go to Mis- Rad
ways nohow.' Hetty covered her face
with her hands her words ended in weak
wall.
Mrs Gales voice rang out clear and
strong and irrepressible. 'Of course you
.l. - 4 :
II should laugh if you couldn't Don't you
worry another mite about it. You sha'n't
90 one step TO Mis- Railways you couldn't
live a day with her You can stay Jest
where you are you've kept the meetin'-
house enough sight cleaner than I've ever
seen it. Don't you worry another mite,
Hetty"
Mrs Gale stood majestcally, and looked
defiantly around tears were in her eyes.
Another woman edged up to her. why
| couldn't she have that little room side of
the pulpit where the minister hangs his
hat - she whispered. He could hang it
somewheres else
Course she could, responded Mrs Gale,
with alacrty, lest as well as not The
minister can have hook in the entry for
his hat She can have her stove an her
bed in there, an be jest as comfortable as
can be. should laugh if she couldn't.
Don't you worry, Hetty.'
The crowd gradually dispersed, sending
out stragglers down the hill until it was all
gone. Mrs. Gale waited until the last sit
ting in the buggy in state When her hus-
band gathered up the reins she called back
TO Hetty Don't you worry one mite more
about it, Hetty. Pm comm to see you in
the mornin ~
1t was almost dusk when Caleb drove
down the hill he was the last of the be-
siegers, and the feeble garrison was left
triumphant.
The next day but one was Christmas, the
next night Christmas eve. On Christmas
eve Hetty had reached what to her was
the flood tide of peace and prosperity. Es-
tablished in that small lofty room, with her
bed and her stove, with gifts of a rocking
chair and table, and goody store of food
with no one to molest or disturb her, she
had nothing to wish for on earth. All her
small desires were satisfied. No happy girl
could have a merrier Christmas than this
old woman with her little measure full of
gifts. That Christmas eve Hetty lay down
under her sunhower quilt, and all her old
hardships looked dim in tie distance, like
far-away hills, while her new joys came
out like stars.
ing she was up early She opened the
meeting house door and stood looking out.
The smoke from the village chimneys had
not yet begun to rise blue and rosy in the
clear frosty air There was no snow, but
over all the hill there was a silver rime of
frost the bare branches of the trees glis-
tened. Hetty stood looking. why, it's
Christmas mornin',n she said, suddenly
Christmas had never been a gala. day IN
this old woman Christmas had not been
kept at all in this New England village
when she was young. She was led tC
think of it now only in connection with
the dinner Mrs. Gale had promised TO bring
her today.
Mrs Gale had told her she should have
some of her Christmas dinner, some tur
key and plum pudding. She called it tC
mind now with a thrill of delight HeI
face grew momentarily more radiant
There was a certain beauty in it. A finer
morning light than that which lit up the
wintry earth seemed TO shine over the fur
turkey an some plum puddin' today said
she cts Christmas Suddenly she start
ed and went into the meeting house
straight up the gallery stairs, There in
clear space hung the hell-rope. Hetty
grasped il. Never before had ChTistmai
bell been rung in this village Hetty haC
probably never heard of Christmas bells
She was prompted by pure artless enthusi
asm and grateful happiness Her old arm,
pulled on the rope with a will, the bel
sounded peal on peal Down in the village
curtains rolled up, letting in the morning
light happy faces looked out of the win
dows, Hetty had awakened the Who'll,
village to Christmas day.-Mdry T. WI
kinS ia Harper's Bazar.
God Bless Us All.
tod bless us all, With Tiny Tim
'1is thus We finish prayer and hymn,
While cheerily from lip to lip