Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-12-12
MSS LIDDYiS CITANCE

Miss Liddy stood in the door of her cot
tage shading her eyes with her hand and
gazing ntently down the road. 1t was a
crisp morning in September. but the sun,
shining from a clear blue sky, had already
turned the frost into crops of dew The
wOOdbine which covered the porch over the
cottage door was a mass of flaming red,
and in the yard yellow and white chrysan-
themums tossed their heads side bv side
with the pink and purple tufts of late China
asters. Curled on the door mat at Miss Lid.
dy's feet was a large Maltese cat basking in
the sun In field at one side Of the cot
tage a sleek red COW was nipping the grass,
and flock Of turkeys were scurrying about
on brisk morning hunt for grasshoppers
So absorbed was Miss Liddy that she did
not notice the approach of a neighbor until
the woman, leaning over the gate, said
Good mornln', Liddy. Be you expect
in company e
Good mornin', Mis- Ditson. Walk right
in, said Miss Liddy, starting aud dropping
her hand from her eyes "No, | amt ex-
pectin' company, she added, as she ushered
her guest into the trim little sitting room.
where a neat work table snowy muslin cur
tains, and various bits of decorative needle
work proclaimed that New England old
maid was the ruling spirit of the cottage
81 see you gain down the road as if
somebody was comm said Mrs Ditson.
Il was watchin' for my trunk Dick
Bowles said he'd bring it along from the
depot, 80 replied Miss Liddy
Your trunk For the land sakes, what
he you gon' to 10 with trunk - asked
Mrs DitSon
Pm goin away. said Miss Liddy. THE
stage-lriver sent to Concord to get me
,F h., l. ..tl. Al
top for bonnet, and he expects it II come
on the train this mornin'.'
Where he you goin' Liddv :" asked
Mrs. Ditson, after a pause, during which
she had lifted her hands in astonshment
I I'm gon' first TO Boston to see sister Lis
beths children The poor things are all
alone there With his folks | believe it's
right for n woman TO stick fast 10 her hus-
band but when he happens to be a sea
cap'en. ! cant say its right for her to leave
her children to the care of strangers for
the sake of gallvantin' round the world
with him. Father didn't approve of Lis.
beth marryin Hiram anyway and as
things has turned out, believe ne was
right ! guess when get there those chill
dren will be glad to see some one Of their
own flesh an blood
II should say their fathers folks was
their own flesh an blood as well as you, '
said Mrs. Dltson
II s'pose they are but mothers folks
always seem nearer to me, replied Miss
/ Liddy II think they've got the most
/ right, anyway" she added, firmly
If you'd married Liidy. and had chill
dren Of your own, as | have, you'd know
that the husbands folks think they've got
the most right said Mrs Ditson. with an
..H I
Thanksgivn' dinner with nv own folks
once since | was married Until there
were so many children that we began
to have dinner at home, had to 20 to his
folks year after year
well, didn't marry, thank the Lord,'
snapped Miss Liddy. IF | had, maybe |
wouldn't have the chance I've got now
/ I've always been wantin to travel but
there's always been sumethin' agin it, and
! | haven't step away from under this roof
| but once since was born, and that was
when Miss Putnam died, and | staid up
there one night to look after the children
/ until their aunt could come for EN-. Father
| he always said that when folks had home
/ they ought TO stay in it. That was why he
was so set agin Hiram. cause he wanted
/ lisbeth TO 20 to sea with him so there
was no use for me to talk of goin' any
/ where while he was alive. Then after he
| died ! couldn't go and leave mother all
alone aud when we laid her away at fa-
/ theirs side, what with all the doctors bills
and one thing an other | hadn't money
enough left to do anything but live along
| here and be thankful that had roof over
| my head Now, that legacy Uncle Silas
/ left me lust gives me the chance I've been
| longin for since was a girl, and I'm goin'
! fnly ,f Ia. -
hills, shuttin' me in here as if they was
prison walls After I've seen Lisbeth S
| children I'm goin' out West to visit Cousin
/ Ben's folks. | amt comm home for year -
Maybe you're right about the hills bein'
| prison walls, though | never looked upon
'em in that way" said Mrs Ditson, as Miss
! Liddy stopped for breath. But, land sakes,
when woman has got as many children
as ! have she don't think about prison walls
nor nothin' except to start the young ones
off in time for school, an have dinner
ready for 'em when they come home But,
Liddy, what you gnn' to do with the COW
and all them turkeys | was sayin only
yesterday that YOU d have fine eatin' for the
holidays. The Queen of England couldn't
have no better"
"Thev are the fattest turkeys ever see,
and I've taken IA heap of trouble raisin
en- said Miss Liddy. with an air of salts
/ fed pride but can sell EN-, and the COW
too The butcher down to the Corners said
only the other day that she'd be a fine COW
to fat for beef He'd take her any minute.
And guess there's roast turkey to be had
at Christmas time anywhere
"What you goin 10 do with Prince y
asked Mrs Ditson
The Maltese cat, who had followed his
mistress in loors, aud was now curled up in
her lap, raised his head and purred on hear
ing his name.
That's the only trouble said Miss Lid
dy, her thin old face flushing as she gently
stroked her pet He must have his saucer
of warm milk and his basket to sleep in
and he'd grieve himself to death if he
wasn't petted and talked TO- He's Just like
a child to me, and sometimes feel as if I'd
ought to stay and take care of him but il
would he flying in the face of Providenc,
to give up such chance of seem tn,
world as I've got now
Il never hankered to go travelin" saiC