The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-06-25
Selected Storp.
Farmer Bell's Bargain.


didn't notice that the tablecloth was
snowy white, and that the glasses and
china were polished and lintless. He
didn't stop to tell poor tired-looking
Mrs. Bell that she was the best cook in
York county. He knew it, and boosted
of it away from home; but then it
wasn't his way "ter speak out a-praisin'
his own family" Besides, the griddle-
cakes and Mrs. Bell belonged to him;
and he declared it as his policy ter
keep only the very best ov every kind
er stuff, from the women folks in the
house down to the primest pertater
patch on the country roads"
Farmer Bell took his hat from its peg
in the entry-way and sauntered down
the shady walk. At the foot of the
garden he found his good neighbor,
Dea. Bonus, attending to the weeds
and potato-bugs just across the garden
fence.
Although the neighbors hadn't met
for several days, there was no conven-
tional greeting, not even " Howdy,"
for Farmer Bell wasn't in any way a
conventional man. He claimed to be
simply " square," and took pride in the
sharp corners that stuck out on every
side of his nature. He had no SYM
patty for any sensitive person who
couldn't stand the hard knocks they
got round in his neighborhood." Yet,
underneath all this rough masonry, in
side which he incased himself, there
was a soul that scorned every form of
double-dealing with God or man. He
was Just as "square with one as the
other.
He wasn't religious man. lie sell
dom if ever went to church nowadays.
"For," he said, "I'll never make no
truck an dicker with the Lord Jest ter
make sure 'ev gettin' inter heaven. In
the end he's likely to come out fust
best. When the Lord calls shall make
it pint ter be up an dressed. But
he'll hev ter take me with my ev'ry-day
clothes on. l shan't hev on no Sunday
fixings. l want ter pass fer jest what
Pm wuth an no more"
Keeps yer purity lively, deacon,
huntin' them calikerbacks, eh?"
Yes, rather" replied the deacon, as
he shipped at vine where a strong
army of the destructive beauties were
huddled together.
"There amt no calkerlatin' on them
chaps They're nuisance created for
what purpose ! never could make out"
added the farmer, who went on to ex-
plain what he considered to be the best
method of "squelchin' the derned
things"
The neighbors chatted about crops,
the weather and politics, and just as all
talk is likely to end, they fell to dis
cussing religion.
They say Neighbor Green has got
most through, deacon, an they've sent
for Corliss ter come home from college,"
" Indeedl Is it true that we must
spare him? A good Christian man.
All, yes, Neighbor Bell, there are few
like him. Twill be pretty sad for the
family to lose such a kind, indulgent
husband and father Well, well, this
neighborhood can't afford to lose its
best men. We haven't many like
Brother Green; no, not manv." And
the deacon's face spoke the sincere
sorrow of his heart.
Farmer Bell drummed a bit on
the top rail, looked up and down the
valley, and said nothing. He was
thinking what the deacon would prob
ably have said had he, Josiah Bell,
been lying near to death, like Neighbor
Green. The thought wasn't very
pleasant. He knew very well that no
one would think of calling him " a good.
Christian man. or a kind, indulgent
husband and father' For the fir
time in his life the truth forced itself
upon him that there would not be
much about him that people could
praise, except, perhaps, that he was
square" and owed no man a cent.
Then vision of darkened room,
and people moving about softly, with
drawn faces, such as are seen always in
the house of death, came to him.
There, in the front room, he Josiah
Bell, was lying, and the neighbors had
come in to help at the funeral. Mary
and John were there. But, somehow,
there were few tears, if any. He could
see the parson, too; but there was no
ring of sorrow in his voice. And the
singers, why they sang Old China as
though it were sort of Christmas
tune, so gladsome-like and CHEEKY.
And, stranger still, he could hear the
boys shouting in the playground just
beyond his house, not thinking it worth
while to stop their sport, " because
such a disagreeable old codger was out
of the way" even long enough to let
the funeral go on.
OF course this was only a vision. But
it meant great deal to Farmer Bell. 1t
illumined his darkened understanding
as no human voice or argument could
do. He had spent many an hour with
the deacon; when going the round of
discussion time after time the farmer
would swing the outer circle with what
he believed was this " clincher" that
the deacon never tried to combat. 81
never could stan the idee of this livin'
in the correspondence style all yer life
time, then buying up lot of religious
stock jest in time fer the rise. Eff Pm
goin' ter ask the Lord to make good
Christian outer me, I've got ter make a
bargain with him as will hold me clus
an fast ter dom bout right every day.
/ don't calkerlate that if | should git
down on to my knees an tell the Lord
what lot | think on him, an how
much I'm willin' ter do for him, an