Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-03-23
Mrs. "But. !"

Mrs. ssBut" is our next-door neigh
Dor. Her real name is Green; but
Jonas, whenever he sees her marching
up the walk, remarks, "My dear, here
comes Mrs. But" He is not given
to calling people names; he says it
merely to put me on my guard, for
he knows our neighbours failing. She
is bright, breezy little woman, and
as long as the conversation is confn-
ed to the weather and household af-
fairs 1 quite enjoy chatting with her ;
but the moment that human being,
living or dead, chances to be men,
toned, begin to quake.
The first time she called-it was
soon after we moved into the neigh
borhood-I happened TO say that Mrs.
Goodwin, from the opposite side of
the street, had been in to see me, land
she impressed me as a very lovely
character.
"Oh. she is indeed said Mrs.
But, heartily, "she is such devot-
ed wife and so good to the poor.
But" she went on, lowering her
voice, "there used to be good deal
of talk about her when she was a
girl, and though don't suppose half
the things that were said were true,
people don't seem to forget it.
What necessity there was for this
drop of poison to be instilled into my
mind / could not see. Mrs. Goodwin's
youth was in the far past, and in the
gossip concerning her in that remote
period | had no interest whatever. L
was quite willing to take her as she
was in her sweet ripe womanhood.
One day when Mrs. ''But' dropped
in she found my little friend, Nellie
Gray, at the piano. Nellie is a shy,
brown-eyed girl of fifteen, gifted with
wonderful ear for melody, and as
the Grays had no piano, L had offered
her mine. II can't help loving the
child, she is such a warm hearted lit
tie creature, and so eager for music,
[ said, as the door closed behind her.
My visitor gave scarcely percept-
ible shrug.
eyes, Nellie seems to be very
nice GIRL she admitted ;''but, sup
pose you know she is poorhouse
waif.
"No," | said. 81 knew nothing of
the kind. Mrs. Gray had introduced
Nellie to me as her eldest daughter,
and the Information volunteered by
Mrs. ''But'' was utterly uncalled for.
One evening, on our way home
from prayer meeting, Jonas remarked
that he always enjoyed listening to
young Spaulding, he was SO devout
and earnest.
eyes, he is very interesting
speaker" said our neighbor, who had
| joined us as we came out of the lee
ture-roOm, ssand he seems very sin
cere, but, | can't help feeling little
suspicious. | knew him when he was
a boy"
Jonas made haste to change the
subject; a word of encouragement
would have resulted in our hearing
the whole history of the young mans
boyhood."
GIVE no patience" he exclaimed
the moment we were by ourselves,
"with people who are always bring
ing up the past. Just imagine what
heaven would be if the inhabitants
were disposed to indulge in that sort
of retrospection The Angel Gabriel
himself would hardly be safe from
their dsparaging 'buts, and the whit
est robe in all the white-robed throng'
would be in danger of being smutted. .
"And yet," | said, "Mrs. But
evidently considers herself Chris
tian.'
ooh, | don't dispute her title,
said Jonas; ''but 1 can't help think
ing that she might be able to read it
clearer if she would rub up her glass
es with the thirteenth chapter of LIST
! Corinthians"
Mothers should remember that the use of lauda-
mum for soothing their babes is always dangerous
Why not use Dr.Bulls Baby Syrup,a perfectly harm
less and veryefcient remedy for chdrens ailments.
| 'sPrestu! Change!' SAID the magician to his
| friend suffering from catarrh and the work was
done. The wand used for the expulsion of the enc
| my was old Saurs Catarrh Cure.
~