Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-07-07

; while I'm gone. Shan't be back TO
three days"
In great fiutter | dragged out m,
husbands gripsack, and | had hardl'
crowded into it the few necessary ar
ticles, when he hurried down in hi
travelling suit, and thrust that ill-fat
ed note into my hand, crying, "HolC
fast all | give you, little woman. IT.
your birthday present. But for thi:
iniquitous telegram | should have
bought you a-Zounds, there's the
car !'' And with hasty "good-bye,'
he flashed through the doorway.
In such a rush who but Ben would
have thought to anticipate my birth
day gift? 1 said this to myself, over
and over again, as | moved restlessly
about the house, barring the doors
and windows; and having despatch
ed Bridget for visit to her cousins,
and made myself ready for my own
departure. | returned to the hall to
sentimentalize over my husbands
transcendent projections.
The room already wore a bereaved
aspect, and it was so strangely quiet
| that the sound of the tall clock
gravely striking four startled me like
the solemn peal of a passing bell.
| remember drawing the crisp bank
note between my fingers at that mo-
ment, and deriving a dreary comfort
from the reflection that Ben SO recent
ly had held it. Then, oppressed with
loneliness, | unlocked the outer door
to look for Aleck, whom as yet I had
no right to expect.
In the dull, November light the IA
miliar landscape was anything but
cheering. The flames of the golden
rod that a month ago had frightened
the roadsides, were now hopelessly
extinguished; the pale aster stars
had fallen, and the shivering trees
stood with barred heads awaiting the
august approach of winter. AS [
gazed down the highway, [ suddenly
spied another, and more tangible,
being approaching-a quaint, queer,
little, old cart. The vehicle was
drawn by a rheumatic, white nag,
with pannier head, and paint-brush
tail, and as the surprising turnout adj
vanced, l recognized the driver to be
Mrs. Niddlins, droll little market
woman, who had lately supplied our
vegetables.
"Reckoned | want never a-comin',
didn't yer?" chirped she, when with
in hailing distance. "Well, you see
the Widder Mudgett, (Widder Mudg
EFT is my old mans name for the
mare) she's gittin' stiff in the jints
same's the rest on US, and she can't
hyper like she used ter could. Whoa,
Widder whoa, l tell yer -
With an energetic jerk at the reins
the little hucksteress brought the
equine relict to a stand before the
gate, and hoped from her perch as
nimbly as a canary.
E'Those Eaters are here somewhere,
that know" cried she, poking Wig
orously among medley of boxes and
baskets. "They're the biggest we
riz. / told my old man to put 'em
in express for you. Cause, says |,
that pretty little creetur paid for
the celery MORN l axed her, when
she want under any compliment TO
me neither.
"My eye! Here's them Eaters
now! !" she continued, pounoing upon
the coveted bag and throwing it over
her shoulder. ''If you've a mind
ter you can run ahead and show me
where you want 'em set.
To spare myself the trouble of I'M
locking the porch door I led the way
to the store-room through the front
hall.
"I'm afeared l can't change bill
for ye," went on the little woman
with a shrewd glance at the note
which / still held in my hand.
go, [ am not going to pay you
with this, Mrs. Niddlins," [ returned,
laguhing. "This is my private prop
erty-a birthday present from Mr..
Vessels" And in my pride at this
proof of my husbands affection silly
young bride that I was II spread
out the note for her closer inspection.
"One hundred dollars! The land
I'm real glad for you p said she
heartily. II never see that sight
afore Why that's enough to bury We,
and buy a gravestone as'll be hecom-
in You'll clap the money into bank
won't yer?' she continued in a conf
dental whisper. "I'd ruther you
wouldn't make any talk about it, but
my old man and me, we've got some
thin in the bank ourselves. Yes,
we've scrimped here and there, and
laid by little money every year,
till now it's got to be nineteen dollars
and some odd. 1t would have been
more, only last spring the Lord see
fit to take our COW. Howsomever,
we've cause to be thankful it's as
well as it is. My old man and me,
we have plenty to eat and drink and
clothes to last as long as we live, if
we die in any kind of season.
The genial soul seemed so content
ed with her lot, and so unenvious of
mine, that felt rebuked. despis-
ed my own vanity in Haunting my