Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-11-11
NO. 30O9.
Moore


working day halo, white apron tied
around her ample waist At sixty her col
or was as fresh as that of a girl, her eyes
blue as the blue heavens above.
Ezra, her adopted son-Friend Minton
and his wife had been childless-had Just
brought in basket of russell apples, the
very last in the corner bin of the barn eel
lar. He leaned against the kitchen win
dow, playing nervously with the big, vel
vety leaves of the monster fish geranium
that blossomed there. He was a tall, man
ly looking young fellow, with clear brown
eyes, fresh complexion and hair that
grew in curly mat all over his head.
Friend Marys glance softened as she look
ed at him. 1t was evident that he was the
very apple of her eye.
"Why not, mother?' said he II know
the village gossips don't like the Calverly
family; but you're not one of the gossip
ing kind"
''She's very young, Ezra" meditatively
answered Friend Mary, land very pretty"
"Oh, if you call those crimes"
"Wait a minute, Ezra; thee has not
heard me out. regret deeply that instead
of going to live with Friend Warburton
the minister's wife, she has preferred to
enter the factory, where there are so many
giddy girls and careless young men,
"But the pay was SO much better, moth
err"
"'Man doth not live by bread alone, ="
oracularly answered Friend Mary. "Thee
has been carefully brought up, Ezra.
Thee must consider what is right and
Seemly in the way of matrmony. Thy
father and would break our hearts if thee
went wrong after all our hopes and pray
ers"
81 trust l never shall do that, mother"
"But thee must remember, Ezra, how
powerful an influence the wife exerts over
the husband.
'Mother, are you very much set against
Eveline Calverly?"
Friend Mary hestated for a moment.
81 think it would break my heart, Ezra,
if thee were to wed with daughter of
Heth, like Eveline."
"Then that settles the question: said
Ezra, quickly. "You have done everything
for me, mother. l was houseless, home
less, friendless when you took me in and
cared for me, and | should be an migrate
indeed to turn against your wishes now.
But, mother, let me go away for while.
Let me go to Uncle Aaron, out in Mon
tana, until-until get over this"
Friend Mary lifted her tender blue eyes
with plying light to his face
SIS it so hard with thee as that, my SOM"
said she. ooh, l am sorry! II could
almost find it in my heart"
although" he interrupted, with a
forced laughed, "Im not by any means so
certain that Eveline would have me, even
if l asked her. Gerard Winthrop is going
there a good deal of late"
YES" quietly spoke Friend Mary, who
by this time had patted her white, firm
loaves into shape in their shining, oblong
pans, all ready for the oven, land that is
one thing do not like. He is interested,
they tell Inc, in great lottery scheme; he
is the agent for a company down South
The factory young people have bought
tickets, Eveline among the rest"
"Mother, l can hardly believe that"
"The superintendent himself told me
Ezra" said Friend Mary, closing the oven
exceedingly that Winthrop had gained
such footing there, Yes, my son, per
haps thee had better go to Brother Aaron
for few months. Thee needs change"
So Ezra MintOn decided to take the steI
that seemed like wrenching soul and body
apart. Friend Mary counted out his socks
saw to the buttons on his shirts, refined
the little leather trunk with pretty paper
and shed few tears into the neat box o.
handkerchiefs as she packed them away.
"If Montana were not such a distance
off, she sighed to herself, cor if he coulC
go any other way except by those dreadful
flying trains! Thank goodness, l never
was on one, and please heaven, l neve
will bel To me it seems little short of {
tempting of Providence.
She sat sOrrowfully in the chimney cor
ner on the eve of Ezra's departure, pairing
the russell apples to make dish of appl,
sauce. How loud the chimney clock tick
ed! How lonely the great silent room
seemed
81 think I did right" she said to her
self, "and YETI
Hushl There was knock at the door
The minister's wife, perhaps, or Jane
Golbe, the old carpet weaver, who liveC
under the mountain, come to borrow thu
dye kettle"
Come in, friend, whoever thee may be-
said Friend Mary.
And Eveline Calverly entered the room
looking, under her little daisy-trmmeC
bonnet like veritable daisy herself.
"Are you alone, Mrs. Minton?" sale
she, glancng timidly around. sob,
want to talk to you so much !"
81 am alone, Eveline," said the widow
her heart involuntarily warming TOWARD
the pretty, howerlike young thing Ezra haC
cared for. "But if thee does not mind the,
may call me Friend Mary 1t sounds
more suitable in my ears"
''If it isn't too familiar" faltered Eve
line. "You see, l wanted to talk to som,
one on whom l could depend. II hav,
got a lottery ticket here" showing tn,
white CLEAN of strip of paper in he
hand. "They cOaxed me to buy it, and
am so sorry now. Please tell me what t
do"
"Does thee really want my advice, Eve
line?" gently asked the Quakeress.
"Oh, yes-yesl" cried the girl.
"Then l would tear the thing up anC
cast it into the fire."
Eveline glanced at the ticket, then a
Friend Mary, and then she tore the tickle
in two and flung it on the floor.
"Tbree thousand and three" said she
81 dreamed one night that it drew thou
sand dollars, but it is gone now"
"Ihee will feel thy conscience lighter
said Friend Mary, consolngly. as she On