St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-12-07

was born and raised here. run
barefoot through it's grass and
waded in its creeks and climbed
around its hills. IL couldn't dror
breath no other place. My folks is
moGering onder Kentucky sod, and
my own bones'd never lay still with
any other sile atop of 'em. oh,
elderessl You-you amt no human
nature in you'll You're hard as the
fiints in them hills yonder."
Lucia drew herself up. She was a
little amazed at Huldah's heat of
utterance, for in the elderess' three
months OF ministration in West
House the old sister had never before
exhibited anything like so much
feeling. Lucia, after her first sense
OF surprise, was conscious of being
rather pleased to have struck thus
by chance upon means of holding
her thriftless sister in check.
II have the welfare OF the family
at heart she said. Unless / see
some change in you, Huldab, / shall
send you next week to Ohio with
Deacon Henry when he returns to
his village"
Huldah gave strangelittle laugh.
"Change" she cried out. KIN
them critters as hes hoofs larn to
fly? I'd quit being lazy and triflin'
il | knowed how. But | came of
easy goin' stock. ! got shifless
blood in me, ] reckon. But I ruther
die in Kentucky than live in Ohio"
She numbered heavily up the steps,
and the young elderess watched her
pass the house.
Lucia had feeling of uncertainty.
She had come to this village from Il
well ordered settlement in another
region, and she cherished a praise
worthy design OF lifting the Ken
lucky community 10 a level with
more austerely conducted settle
ments. Her predecessor, Elderess
Jane, had tempered justice with more
mercy than Lucia believed well, and
under her rule West House had worn
cheerful air of home and creature
comforts.
There were red curtains in the sit
ting room windows and crochet
tides on the sitting room chairs.
These worldly decorations Lucia at
once removed as denominations con-
ducive to low, feshly ideas. She
had rigorous conception of the
millennial idea, had Elderess Lucia
and the mild old Shakers of West
House found themselves suddenly
and violently elevated to higher
and sadder life.
1--WE will proceed with our doctrin'
al talk" said Lucia, entering the
sitting room after her rebuke tc
Huldah. "Sister Huldah has gone
to her room. We will excuse her to
night"
The next morning, however, sh'
repented of this leniency, for wher
the family filed in to breakfast at
O'Clock Huldah was not in line, ant
the elderess had vision of her lyinl
comfortably abed, iorgetful OF pre-
cepts and warnings. She prepared
to be very stern with the irresponsi
bic soul, but when she went upstairs
to pour incensed admonition upor
Huldah's head, she discovered thu
surprising fact that Huldah wa
not in her little room. The place
looked tidy with its high bed, scraI
of a stove and dimity sash shade
But Huldah seemed to have gone
and when the elderess looked sh'
found that Huldah's two prin
frocks and linsey petticoats and Ions
Shaker bonnet were also gone.
Lucia had a sensation of un
pleasantness. 1t did not sit wei
with her conscience to think that sh
had driven the old sister away. Sh
sought to convey some assurance tt
Huldah, but no one seemed able t.
suggest, as to her whereabouts, any
thing more definite than that sh
had likely gone to "her kin dow
yender in Lincoln" Lucia accepte
with a sense of seli-reproof tn
theory that Huldah had gon
out into the world in mood of rt
sentiment. Others had left the CON
munity in various moods OF revol
against the new elderess' high hant
ed methods. Commonly they cam
back properly subdued by the colo
ness of the world. No doubt Hulda
would also return, and when she di
so, Lucia determined upon treatin
her little less sternly.
But though she fixed upon tn
considerable usage she found n
chance for practicing it, for week
passed on. and no word came OF OF
Huldah. Summer DOTTED its gree
garments for coats of russell.
West House yard the cherry tree
spread against the paling skies, an
no the Shaker roads and around II
stolid houses wintry winds swel
cold and snow came early that yea
folding in white the trim gardt
spaces. A cold winter set in. III
preserving kitchens were shut ar
deserted, and the Shaker wome
gathering of afternoons about the
little heart shaped stoves, sewt
or,e+ race and wOye mats ar