The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-01-21
Selected Sturp.
Ezra.

itself like gay RIBBON along lne east
ern slope of the MantOn river. Its
houses are built on streets lying one
above another with gardens in front
and orchards behind, and background
of blue wooded hills Below the viii
lage the river takes a sudden leap
downward, and then puts its shoulder
to the wheel that sets agoing the bands
and spindles and looms in the noisy
factories crouching low among the
rough rocks and great stones that fret
and worry the river into a hundred rills
and cataracts.
A few houses keep company with the
mills on the Bloomboro side of the Man
ton, but they look lonesome and half
ashamed of themselves, hiding behind
hedges of lilac and syrnga and flower
ing ounce bushes. Farther back and
higher than the others, at the end of
road that got discouraged and stopped
altogether when it come in sight of
such poor habitation, stood some
years ago ragged brown house, like
deserted squirrels nest, with one
somber poplar standing guard over it.
Even the hardy mayweed and wiry
knot-grass drew back from the sunken
door-stOne, and the hens that scratched
and pecked about it seemed too de-
pressed and discouraged 10 think of
such thing as an omelet or custard.
AT the close of fragrant day in May,
when the sunset clouds famed and flared
across the sky, and the village over the
river was one great garden, standing in
the midst of blOssoming fruit-trees that
were, as the minister's little Allie said g,
sour Heavenly Fathers big bouquets"
an old man sat in the doorway of the
house on the hill" Old Man Holly"
the mll-hands called him. He was bent
and stiffened from rhe umatism, and he
sighed heavily as he looked out on the
world that God was making so fair.
" Pm a poor creatur, and it's a hard
stent for me to sit and hug my chair
from sun-up to daylight-in, and see the
bruEt of everything come upon Marin
and Ezra. | always calculated | should
gin Ezra his time, and if he had it in
him, was minded to let him have a
chance to get learning. But here | be,
just as beholden as atwo-year-old. And
what will become of me, | don't know,
nuther," said he.
Now, pa,n interrupted cheerful
voice from within the house, " don't
you 90 to having a fit of the lowpo,
Every generation, up to this one, has
managed to get to the graveyard some
how. AS long as Ezra and | don't find
fault with our end of the load, you don't
need to, and it seems to be kind o. re-
fectng on the Lord to murmur at his
dealings"
81 don't lay the blame of my own
pig-heade dness upon the Lord. 1t was
nothing but clear tempting of Proyi-
dence for me to stand there up to my
knees in that ERE ice-cold water wash
ing Whipple's sheep. 1t want as
if | didn't know enough to know.
But after you put in your oar about my
catching my death, it wouldn't be man
fashion to be dictated TO by the women
folks. I've been well come up with
for being so heady," said old man
Holly, signing again like the wind blow.
ing dowl chimney on November
day.
At the sound of this tempestuous
sigh Mrs. Holly came to the door with
a tin pan in one hand, an iron spoon in
the other and some -four on her nose
am real sorry for you, pa. you dc
have it tough, a stirring man like you,'
said she; "but it will look to me that
the Lord overrules our blunders and
dCn'l let us out of his hand whatever
And just think what a good hearty re.
liable boy our Ezra isl When it comes
to Ezra you can put your feet down and
PLAN them there every time"
"Yrs. re is comfort, Ezra is" Old
Man Holly admitted. "lf he want
it would kill me-"
emo, it wouldn't, pa. You'd bear il
like other folks" insisted his wife.
eyes, I'd have to. Certainly, I'd
have to-" admitted the old man, with a
sigh that seemed trihe less hopeless
I've been holding back little abou
supper, waiting tor Ezra to fetcl
round" began Mrs. Holly, flirting he
apron at hen that was casting adven
turous elances into the house. "Wha
do YOU say, pa; would nut-cakes b,
good for supper, or shall | stir up til
of biscuit? Media Dean fetched me il
pot of fresh buttermilk this forenoon
and | thoughts best to use it while il i
new"
"Can't you make a mess of both
Pears 10 me they'll both taste sort o
good, with a mou'ful of pie to top Of
with" replied the old man, amos
chetrfully.
Gan right; say | do" returned hi
wife. beginning to stir briskly the con
tents of the tin basin, as she went bac
out of sight. Then her voice was heard
singing one of the psalms of David
keeping time to the beating of the spoon
There was a sound of woodpeckei
not far away, boring into tree, whic
was his way of unlocking his larder;
crow cawed lazily as he tapped an
flew overhead; frog in the neiehbol
ing pool trilled to his mate, and tn
odor of frying cakes hoated out upo
the blossom-laden air, as far dow
the road somebody whisted "Robi
Adair "-one of the old tunes that ha
been converted" and welded to tn
words of sweet gospel hymn.
:" He is comingl You'd best hurr
up with your cakes, ma! Ezra is e'e
almost herel" called Mr.. Holly, as
short, stout boy came in sight, with b
mothers fair hair and dark. serjou