Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-07-14

more, skunk off abashed
Patience's eyes shone as John had never
seen them. They parted Immediately, he
rushing down the hill cursing his impru-
dence in having ventured so near the
house.
Patience-for no one but John Targee
called her Patty-made her way through
one more field and into the barnyard where
she stopped to give her order to the old
negro slave who acted as overseer and head
farmer He shook his head and grumbled
a little, but finally nodded, and she left
him.
Lucky for her, and me, too, that the
masters away tonight, for he don't like
whippin'," he grumbled to himself but
Caesar am bad boy; whippin' III do him
good, anyways"
Patience entered the house through the
great kitchen, and to her surprise found
her mother there in close consultation with
Julia Anne, shortened to Julian, "de
bes' cook in Narragansett," as she triumph
antly proclaimed herself.
At this hour good Friend Brown was
usually seated upon her doorstep, her
comely person the picture of repose; or
if the weather was bad she sat placidly in
'the great room," her hands busy with
knitting needles, with Bible on a stand
beside her. But tonight, as Patience came
in, she heard her mother speak anXiOusly.
"Does thee think the turkey will be ten
der against tomorrow? If only we could
have known yesterday
Four great hams were on the broad
kitchen table, undergoing careful inspec-
ton. One was finally chosen; the cauld-
ron was already swung for its boiling.
Little "niggs" came running in with bas
kets of kindling, and old Aunt Sally in the
corner, the ancient and decrepit family
nurse, who harmlessly crooned away her
days by the fire, even Aunt Sally was busy
with a bowl of suet, carefully sorting and
cutting it in pieces. AS Patience came in,
her mother turned.
80 child! what does thee think? Ben
jamin Franklin is coming, and nothing
would suit thy father but he must ride off
to meet him, and ride up with him tO-mor-
row, and have him to dinner, and the Rob-
insons, and the Arnolds, and the Potters,
and half the countryside, and big dinner
to be got and half days notice!"
swell, mother, who can get it so well
as thee and Juliann? And shall l make
thee some junket or some tarts? l see thee
is going to have suet pudding, and tur-
key and am,-anything else?"
"a saddle of mutton with turnips, and
some ducks. If that John Targee was
worth his salt he would have brought us
quail, but then he's never round when
he's wantedl" This last with kindly
smile, for the good DANES eye had caught
sight of the gentian, and she knew well,
dear lover of flowers that she was, who
brought her pretty daughter all the earliest
and rarest blossoms-the whip-poor-will
shoes as she called the Arethusas, in June,
the marsh daisies-Sabbatias in August,
and the first and latest gentians. The
good woman had a fondness for Johns
handsome face and courtly manners, and
though she knew she ought to prefer
steady, sober-gong Roger Arnold-"in
meeting, and the best farming land on the
neck, beside the schooner" she reflected,
she still thought father little hard on
Patience.
Later, when all the arrangements for the
morning were completed, Friend Brown
came into the great room where Patience
was sitting, idly enough to all appearance.
Patience" said her mother, with as
much severity as her placid voice could
express, "why did thee have Caesar whip
ped?'
because he is an impudent fellow,
mother"
'But thee knows his father was an In
DIAM
81 can't see why that is any reason for
letting him behave worse than any one on
the place"
"But thee knows it don't do to whip
him" said Dame Brown, almost querulous-
ly. "Thee knows the Indian half-breeds
have ugly tempers. Why, child, he may
burn the barn down! and what will thy
father say?'
"Let me manage him, mother dear. The
whipping will 10 Caesar good,-see if it
does not. And now tell me all thee wishes
me to do tomorrow"
The good woman let herself be coaxed
out of any anger she had, which was really
much less than she thought right TO pre-
tend, and eagerly entered into the absorb
ing topic of the dinner and the day. Mr..
Franklin was to sleep at Matunuck, in the
Willow Dell farmhouse Farmer Brown
had ridden down the road to spend the
night there too, and given notice as he
went along to his neighbors.
This journey of Franklin's coming at in
tervals through Narragansett on his way
to Boston, was a great event to many of
the good people. The next day, accord
ingly, there was a sort of triumphant pro-
ceSSlOn. from LlJIle heSJ NIL Jne gentry
it their fox-hunting coats came riding
down. From Point Judith and Little
Neck, and the Bonnet they came up, until
the Kings highrOad presented a festal
scene. Some rode only a mile or two,
just long enough to have word with the
great man, TO present their respects, in the
cOurtly phrase of the time. Those who
were invited to dine with him at Farmer
Browns were the favored few. Dame
Brown and Patience, arrayed in their SIM
pie best, thought them quite enough, as
they welcomed them at the door, twenty
hungry men to sit down to dinner, and
Dame Brown congratulated herself that
she had added an enormous chicken-pie to
the already bOuntiful repast.
The pudding was a great success. Then
bottles of rare old wine were produced.
With stories and jests the time flew by, till
it was almost three o'clock, when they rose
from the table. "To horse!" was the cry,
and II gro boys came up with the horses
freshly groOmed and saddled. Of they
started again, to accompany the great man
upon his way till darkness should warn
them to return.
After the house was again in order,
Patience felt strangely tired and excited.
All day, in the hustle and cOmmotion, she
had dreaded Roger Arnolds coming. He
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