The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-03-14

sonorous bark that changed to howl
of welcome as tall young fellow came
through the passage with covered
earthen dish in his outstretched hand.
Howdy, howdy - bless my lifel
May Frances, come out yere; here's
Alan Keith come ter see us! Set chair
fer i'm, and give i'm er fan-that new
turkey-tail one thar by the mantel shelf,
an er drink err water too. l know he's
hot an thirsty. Who's this fer, Alan
me? Oh, thankyl It's the beautifulest
white honeycomb that ever / did see,"
Mrs. Soulhall said, volubly, affecting
not to notice how the young folk had
redeemed at the touch of hands, nor the
tire NOR in Alan's throat as he greeted
May Frances. Finding the pair
speechless, she went on:
"Take off yo' apron, May Frances,
an set an rest er while. Yincey can
tend ter the rest o. the cookin'." Then
to Alan: 81 jes' had this girl a-makin'
pies. l don't want we ter think Pm
ever goin' ter put drudgery on my own
flesh an blood. May Frances amt all
the niece I've got, but Pm bound ter
say she's the best. Thar amt no sort
er work that she can't do, an amt
more'n willin' ter turn Ter hand to-"
" Do hush, Aunt c. Lucindy, /
mean," Mary Frances said, implor-
ingly. 1t revolted her unutterably,
this parade of her excellencies to one
whose judgment of her meant all the
world.
He looked over at her with half-em-
barrassed smile; then, seeming to take
courage from her distress, said, with a
| hale bio Of tho avn.
Pm mighty glad to hear il, Mrs
Southall. Pm such lazy fellow my
self l want to know all the industrious
girls who could take care of me, if
could persuade them to have me-"
"Oh, so you are going to turn Nor
monW Mary Frances said, laughing
well, if you get about six real smart
wives, maybe you'll live in clover"
"No; I'll try it with just one," Alan
retorted.
Mrs. Southal laughed indulgently.
Mary Frances had fetched spoon, a
china saucer and crisp 6aky biscuit.
Her aunt was eating bread and honey
with the satisfaction of a child. Be-
tween morsels her eyes went from one
to the other of the young pair in way
which made it plain that the course of
their true love would run smooth as
she could contrive it. Fidgeting with
her bit of honeycomb, she said:
"Well, 1 amt afraid er missin' my
dinner when l come ter see you, Alan,
not even eff yo' wife amt great worker
With the start you've got-house an
land an stock Il don't believe you
could fergit how to work eff you tried
ever 80 hard"
"You JUS wait an see. Pm gittin'
so trifin' Pm fair field fer missionary
enterprise" Alan said, with another
laugh. "An' that reminds me-" he
went on, needless of the shadow on
Mrs. Southall's face, "that 1 come
partly to ask if l mightu't come back
tomorrow an help get you over to
church; it's going to be great day
this first Sunday-an' you know we
can't possibly do without you in the
"Why, l didn't know / was sech a
stake in the fence" Mrs. Southall said,
her face beaming. 6 'ain't never,
never done nothin' - only my duty.
You know my grandpaw was one er the
first stewards when the Westinghouse
was built, an the bishop hisself told
me, when l went up ter conference
last year, that he'd pever seen ernother
class-leader with the power in pr'ar of
Brother Bascom - that's my father.
AM eff my poor brother did fall away
from the Methods way, he staid an
Episcople ter the last. May Frances
thar wus baptised an infant, the same
as me. Though know our righteous.
ness is filthy rags, that works won't
| nv r,nra1v hau IiI
the thief on the cross, l do feel sorter
proud ter think how 1 an my folks has
tried ter do the will er God, not with
eye service as men-pleasers, but be-
cause it wuz all done in his sight"
"You came next to the presidin'
elder; way ahead of the circuit rider;
we all know that" Alan said gayly.
"That's why you must be there when
we try the new organ"
"The what?"
Mrs. Southall sat 80 upright that the
pan fell out of her lap, sending fusi.
lade of shelled peas all over the floor.
Her fingers clutched the spoon so hard
the handle bent visibly, the saucer
tilted, to drop honey on her purple CAL
leo front. Her face grew almost as
deeply purple as she reiterated, "The
what? say that over, Alan, unless you're
jes' jokin'."
"There's no joke that know of; the
chuI ch LAS got an organ; that's all
there is to it," Alan said, respectfully.
"How did it come by it? tell me that,
please; thar wasn't no money raised,
no talk Nv il that ever heard, when
got laid up three weeks back. Do you
mean ter tell me that Asbury stewards
an preachers an all have done this
thing underhand without tellin' me,
that is the mother er the church,"
"No, ma'am; no, indeed! You see
it's this way: Somebody gave the or
gan. All they did was to take it and
be thankful-lt was all they could do"
Alan said, eagerly, intent to explain
away the hurt to Sister Southall's
churchly dignity.
"Who was that somebody p" she
demanded fiercely.
What makes you want to know?'
asked Alan.
because I'd like ter wiring his neck