Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-08-26
JOHNS GHOST


you doin'?'
"Shelling pease, grandma.
''Wal, ] do declare Marian. you beat all
! ever did see, settln on them cold. stun.
front door steps, III your kitchen apurn.
an that old, rusty tin pail in your lap
This is the best place in the whole
house. grandma. and why shouldn't ! en-
JOY it,
'Im sure I've no objection in the world
to your settin anywheres you choose. only
it does look kinder queer to see company
perched up thar, a workin' for dear life
1t was a pretty spot Oh the brow OF
steep hill. overlooking one OF the finest
farms in Westmoreland. and it seemed
glimpse Of paradise to Maria Woods. after
her dreary work in the sitting city. As
she looked at the low goden-cupped
meadow spread out before her. and beyond
TO the distant hills bathed in purple light,
she dwelt with pardonable pride upon her
efforts TO help Grandma Strong clear this
beautiful house of its encumbrance, and
preserve intact what had been for two
generations in the family, beginning with
a half acre of ground, until it had grown to
be fine plantation. comprising the best
sugar and fruit orchards in the country.
People wondered why Maria was so anX-
ious to hold Oh to tine land, now that her
grandparents were well Oh in years. and
with no son to manage the estate Com
mon sense suggested ii would be wiser to
sell part. at least of the property, and live
on the proceeds Grandma Strong. with
her shrewd, Yankee judgment, always
whetted for the occasion. declared that
Marian and father are Just like all book
lovin' folks, too sentimental TO be practi-
cal Now you've got first rate chance TO
sell. you re both bent on holdin on byn
by You'll want to sell an nobody'll want
TO buy: that's the long and short ef it,
But in spite of Mrs. Strong's plain
speaking. the old farm was not cut in
pieces Maria went of to give music les
sons, and the would-be purchaser OF so
many cords OF maple turned his back upon
the misguided Strong family i'll disgust.
Ever since her granddaughter return
10 the homestead the Old lady had affected
cold politeness born of inward struggle.
now and then tossing the word "cOmpa-
ny at her head, thereby easing herself of
lOng-pent-up wrath al the winter cam
paign. against which she had SO steadfastly
set her face. Folks that admired Tenny-
son. and spent hours "a readin Bob. as
She persisted in calling Dickens. were de
void OF understanding and consequently
not 10 be reasoned with Now as she
looked down at Maria sitting at her feet,
i'll all the glow OF young wOmanhoOd, she
thought how dear poor "Belindy child
had always been TO her, and unbent suti-
GENTLY to sit down by her side, saying, u
guess I'll shell some too, Marian. You We
got such a lot TO do this mornin an my
bread amt near riz yit-why. there :
father she added. i'll amazement as her
husband, with uncertain movement. APP
la ais "a
there she called out instead of answer
ing the old man beckoned TO his wife, and
stood still leaning against tree near by.
Dear SUI me, what can be the matter
] s'pose the white heife's ben on the ram
page agin." she grOaned. Fastening As fast
as her aged limbs would permit to join her
husband, closely followed by Maria and
the unshelled pease
Il feel kinder faint. Betsy, an dunno
! kin git up the hill, said Mr. Strong,
looking fixedly al his wife
Yes you can, grandpa, if you lean on
me, and take time" replied Maria putting
her strong, steady arm about him.
Now you see, father, l told you 5 how
't'would be if you worked out in that air
lot today; what with your sun-strokes, an
your heifer scares, you'll be the death OF
me
/ ain no Sull-SLIokts DtlSA- LOI
nothin' 10 do with that air heller nuther /;
it's a visitation, said Mr.. Strong, solemn
". as he leaned back in the arm chair,
where the two women had tenderly placed
him.
''What do you mean. father, by vista
tom" asked his wife, responsibility empha-
sizing the last word.
''If ven take that campfire bottle away
and stop talkin minnit, I'll tell We. ] was
down in the corner of the clover lot with
jim. a mowin all the mOrnin. an feelin'
kinder thirsty ] sent him round TO the
spring for a drink when he'd gone / con
cluded I'd rest bit under hay rick. be
in clean tuckered out Wal, ! sOt down
an must a dozed. guess, for jist caught
myself snOrin' an started up suddeI
like-when thar ! see, as clear as daylight
a stan'in' right afOre me, our John, jist a:
he looked that mornin when he left Us
thirty year ago.
You must dreamt it, father, eXclaim
ed his wife, laying her hard hand lovingly OF
her husbands head and smoothing bach
his soft, gray hair.
mo, / didn't, Betsy: ] was as wild,
awake s l am now. He stood stock still {
loOkin' at me a couple o minnits, an
then he turned an walked away; ! was ST
took back that / jist sot still till Jim come
back with the water; then / asked him i
he'd seen anyone, but he hadn't. By'I
by got up and crawled home, for ! couldn
do no more work with my dead boy eye'
a starn' at me all the time
oval now, father, you jist lay dow
and take a good sleep an you'll be al
right by to-mOrrer: me an Mariar'll keel
of the ghosts said Mrs. Strong soOth
ingly, walking across the kitchen ant
throwing open the bedroom door.
81 know We don't mOre'u half believ
me: wimmen folks is always a-makin' NJ
SIGH tamatiOn yarns themselves they cred
il the rest of the world with a like amour
of Imagination grumbled the old man
stretching himself out obediently Oh In
soft feather-bed.
Meanwhile Maria began 10 lay the clotl
for dinner, moving quietly in and out 0
the summer kitchen, and reviewing witt
persistent iteration every detail OF he
grandfather's experience. Grandma,
can't find the butter dish.
son, left it in the well with the morn
ms butter ont. I'll get il, an them beets
TOO; nobOdys touched en- for breakfast
If Mrs. Strong had any weakness il wa