The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-07-01
Selected Storp.
How Betty Won a Lover.

John Kennedy had done dreadful
thing in his mothers estimation. He
had quietly and deliberately taken unto
himself wife without consulting her,
or even confiding to her anything about
it. and had brought her home ex-
pecling a cordial welcome for himself
and girl nobody had ever seen before.
Well, perhaps they had seen her, as
she had been born and raised in Grand
vile fifty miles away, but at any rate
she was stranger. She was altogether
very Objectionable sort of person, for
she was slight and delicate in appear
ance, the very sort of woman that is al
ways complaining and sickly; and she
was fond of dress and had it, too, for
had not Mrs. Kennedy with her own
eyes seen in that barn of trunk of hers
whole piles of dainty underwear, half
dozen new dresses, three bonnets run
ming over with daisies, roses and clover
blooms, and what was worse than all,
four pairs of boots and shoes, and these
of the finest kid, too like baby's?
"Why, l never in my life had more
than two pairs, one for everyday wear
and one for Sundays. Aud the only
excuse John can make for Tipping off
and marrying that pink and white doll
faced fashion plate is that he knew |
would resent it, anyhow" said the in
dignant lady to her two daughters,
Amanda and Jane-damsels large and
manufactured like their mother, who
sat in their unbecoming, severely plain
dresses, with their hair drawn back in
the same ungraceful fashion a Mrs.
KanpnJt,ie y,,I,;nh Iol
proved style of wearing it when that
lady was girl, and listened to the tale
of Johns sudden strike for liberty and
undutiful conduct, with their mothers
disapproval family reflected in their own
cOuntenances.
They had grown up to think as she
thought, to believe as she believed, for,
from early childhood, she had been
father and mother both, and with
really fine head for business had man
aged the property her husband had left
to be shared equally between them.
Not even when John came of age had
she offered to relinquish the reins of
government, and seeing that it pleased
her to hold them the young man had
resigned all thought of assuming them.
And the girls, too, rose at her command,
performed such duties as she gave
them aud retired when she ordered it.
1t was because she had always received
such unquestioning obedience that her
surprise and displeasure at Johns dar-
ing act for himself were so great and
lasting. Amanda and Jane wondered
with shocked and Mortified hearts at
such desperate deed; but, like women
will, all three could find many excuses
for the man, but none for the woman
who had enticed him into error. Upon
poor Mrs. John fell the weight of
blame and they made her conscious
that it did.
They don't like me, john" the poor
little bride said to her liege lord, when
the first evening at home had come to
an end. She was folding up with caro-
full hands the pretty bow of ribbon she
had worn, and her face was very wistful
and homesick
They don't know you yet, DEAR"
answered John, conscious that his
mothers greeting had been icy, but
seeking to excuse it to himself as well
as to his wife. when they do, Betty,
they will be nearly as fond of you as |
am.'
Betty saw that her husband was
troubled and mortified more than his
words would indicate, and put away her
own little pique to say cheerfully: "Of
course they don't know me, and I'm de-
termined by the time they do they shall
love me as WELL"
But she found she had weary task
before her, for we all know how keen
prejudicial eyes are, and how much
harder it is to fight a groundless dis
like than even reasonable one. We
can remove reason, but how difficult
to combat an intangible foe. If she
practiced an hour on the pretty piano
which had been her wedding present
from her father, she was idle; if she
spent morning altering the roses in
her hat or making rOsettes for her slip
pers, she had wasted valuble time. The
minutes she spent arranging her soft,
fair hair in a new way John had seen
and admired, stamped her as vain, and
when she offered to help her mother
in-law in housekeeping she was imper-
tinently oflicious.
Yes, poor little Betty, fresh from a
poor, but love-lit home, where there
was none of the stiff responsibility and
solid, massive evidences of a determine
ton to have ones moneys worth,
which were painfully obtrusive here,
had hard time, and had it not been
for Johns love and afterwards for
baby Nell's pretty fondliugs she might
have pined and died of longings for
that home she had left forever. But
she was brave and patient, and fought
Mrs. Kennedy's GOODNESS and dislike
with the weapons of sweet and unfail-
ing gentleness and resolution to make
her love her at last.
She tried to soften her by little gifts
of dainty handiwork, by thoughtfulness
in regard to the attention she liked and
a Difference to her on all occasions.
But the old lady was too accustomed to
look on the last as her right to be moved
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