Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-01-16
CHAPTER I.

Aaron and Aunt Kate, and there were Jacol
and Matthew, big boys of ten and twelve
and there were Mary and Deborah, and lit
tie Sally and wee Tom.
1t was large old house for those days
(hfty years ago., having loft, or second
story, over the main room. This was win.
dowless, but was considered luxury for
all that 1t was reached by ladder, made
by Uncle Aaron. On one side of the house
was huge fireplace, and a bed, milling
a large packing box, was away off at the ex-
IRENE far corner. That belonged to Uncle
Aaron and Aunt Kate. The children all
slept upstairs on thick beds Of clean hay,
covered over with pillows and warm quilts.
1t was early in the morning one fine day
in early spring, and Aunt Kate was busy
frying cakes for breakfast, the children
were laughing and scrambling overhead,
and Uncle Aaron was standing in the door
way looking out
Over six feet high, brawny and broad,
strong and muscular, his keen, twinkling
gray eyes were half hid under his bushy
eyebrows, and his short brown beard had a
CLINT of the sun in it, There was an air of
decision and strength about Uncle Aaron
that rather awed me at first sight, but a
short acquaintance soon revealed that his
strength was that of the protecting oak
that the vines cling TO.
ssMaryl Maryl" called out Aunt Kate up
the ladder, ''do make them ere children
stop that noise, do you heart Come down
here, you jacob Matthew, If yer don't stop
pulling of his hair I'll switch yer good |
Father she said at last in despair, going
to the doorway, ''do tend to them ere boys,
will vera They're wusser N tadpoles."
With tolerant smile and an easy swing
round, with q stride or two Uncle Aaron
reached the top of the ladder. Without
word he seized Matthew, the eldest boy, by
the neck, and dropped him down to the
room below; next he took Jacob and swung
him down after him; then he handed Mary
and Deborah down in the same uncere-
monious fashion. Then reaching out his
long arms, he gathered up little Sallie and
wee Tom, and gently carried them down.
'9There, mother,n he SAID, "here be all the
lambs; now where be the fodderl'
''Ready in minute; jess wait till get
the maple" said Aunt Kate, as she turned
over the last brown cake on the griddle.
''Mebbe," said Uncle Aaron, looking re-
flectively at his plate, 'smebbe they won't
come"
"Yer can see, at any rate" said Aunt
sure (here she gave a chuckle) if there's
q good set out to be had"
'Ouchl' said Matthew, suddenly crying
out and turning savagely round upon Jacob,
'scan't you let me bel'i
'You pesky boysr' exclaimed their moth
er, ''why can't you keep quietin
'Therer' said Jacob, exasperatiHgly
wiping his sticky hands upon the top of
Matthew'S curly pate; "there, now put
maple on me again, will yerl'' and lodging
successfully both his mothers and Mat
thew's outstretched hands, he escaped
through the doorway and out
'sYou good for notningl ~ cried his mother,
half starting from the table.
"There-there, don't bother" said Uncle
Aaron. authoritatively, "boysis boys-don't
poster"
Mumbling with her mouth half full Of
cakes, Aunt Kate's brow cleared and the
breakfast was finished in peace and Quiet
ness. swell, MOTHER said Uncle Aaron, |
putting on his bat and standing up great |
and strong, "rll see to the askin, of 'em,
and do ycV tend 70 the feedings