Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-11-27
cts nv opinion he's as contrary as


Pharo's mule!" retorted Mrs. Lar
kins, snappishly; 'san' 1 don't keer if
he hears it. But it goes ag'in the
grain to hev them good vittles a goin'
to waste"
Uncle Peleg stroked his whiskers
thoughtfully.
"Mout gin some OMEN to Hiram
Haviland," he suggested. "He amt
got nobuddy to cook fur him sense
his sister married that ook-peddler
and left him to keep 'batch.''
ssWhy- ee! SO we could!' cried Mrs.
Larkins, Frightening up. 81 was
a-thinkin' about Hiram to-day, an
how lonesome it must be fur him, with
nobuddy to speak to only the cat. But
[ never dremp Of givin' him the do
nation. Pm real glad you thought of
it, pa.'
ssThink the rest of on EMIL agree
to it?'' queried Uncle Peleg, feeling
quite complacent at the way his sug-
gestion was received.
"sCourse they will" returned Mrs.
Larkins. They'll jump at the
chance!"
couch? Hail Columby! didn't see
stars thought" growled Hiram Havi-
land, rubbing his forehead. "That's
the second time I've bumped my head
on that top shelf, fumbling 'ro und in
the dark fur match. An Of course
the lamp has got to be filed fore I
kin light it. just my luck!" he grum-
bled, cropping around in the pantry
for the oil can. ssBut won't stand it
much longer. I'll get housekeeper
soon, or let the farm work 60 to the
dogs, an do the cookin' myself. I
can't live on cold bread an beans no
longer, an what's more, I amt a goin'
tor
The lamp was lighted by this time,
and Hiram was building a fire in the
cooking stove.
cpd git married o-morrow he de-
clared, desperately, elf could git the
right sort of wife; but half the girls
don't think of nothing only fixing
'emselves up in fol- de-rols an GIN
cracks, an gaddin' about to parties
an quiltin's, an the like. But don't
see no other way; for housekeepers
are as scarce as hens teeth, en- I'll
hev to be Iookin' round. A nice, quiet
woman that could make good biscuit
an coffee,-mine is apt to be groudy,
an keep the house in apple pie or
der,-that's the kind of wife I'd like.
won't that water never bile?
in, or what?" he gasped, in sudden
CONSERVATION, as the door opened,
and in poured a laughing, noisy throng,
all carrying baskets, pals, and bun
dies, of various sorts and sizes.
81 know he's to home, fur see his
shadder on the curtain, "cried voice;
and Hiram skunk back into the dark
est corner of the room, and stared at
his unexpected guests in dazed sur
prise.
CHOW are you Hi? We've come to
hev supper with you," said Uncle
Peleg, shaking him heartily by the
hand.
And while the astonised bachelor
sat looking on, half expecting to wake
up and find it all dream, the merry
group fitted about from kitchen to
pantry, seized on his stores of queens
ware and crockery, and made them
selves at home in a hilarious fashion
that fairly took away his breath.
Tall Miss Nabby and fat, motherly
Mrs. Larkins whisked out the long ex-
tension table in the dining room, and
spread it with the whitest of home
made table cloths. The Widow Pullen,
in a high colored Saline dress, and
Haunting sash fastened at the side,
was cutting jelly cake on the kitchen
table. Little Patty Sparsely, who was
in all the colors Of the rain
bow, Hiram thought, was emptying a
jar Of pickles into a china bowl; and
Patience Dobbs was slicing cold boiled
ham on the -four barrel, pausing ev-
cry now and then to shake tie bangs
out of her eyes, and rattle the bangles
On her wrists.
"Dear me! the coffee amt made
yet," cried Mrs. Gillet, bustling in,
TAM the water a-bilin' fur all that's
put! Where's Lyddy Gales? She prom
sed to make the coffee.''
''Here I am, Mrs. Gillet," respond
ed soft voice. "Sister 'Nervy's baby
was SO fretful couldn't get away be-
fore. But I'll make the coffee nown
eve hadn't ought to o. put it onto
you, know" said Mrs. Gillet, de-