The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-11-10
she should sink down in her tracks.

The elder pressed his suit with ardor,
and 80 a third perplexity came into
Mary AIMS life. But it was finally
decided that she should have week to
consider; it was now Wednesday, and
as the deacon was coming for his
answer on Wednesday week, she APP
pointed Thursday for the elder. Then
there would be no clashing of discord-
ant elements.
AS the days went on Mary AIMS
perplexity increased. She was no nearer
decision than she was at first.
sob, good land said she to Barti-
mus, Whatever shall do? If take
the deacon, the elder will be put out {;
and if 1 take the elder, the deacon will
be put out, so there / am"
Right in the midst of it Tuesday came
round again, and Eben Meader dropped
in to make his call. Being shown into
the forenoon and duly installed in
the rocking chair, he stroked the back
of Bartimus, hemmed and cleared his
throat, and then took out his pocket
book and examined the yellow enve-
lope. Then he sighed and returned it
to his pocket.
Mary Ann, as she sometime there
after confded to Bartimus, was "ner-
vous enough to fly" She fidgetted
around and upset pot of geraniums
and knocked down Eben's "meeting
hat" which he had placed carefully on
the box of the sewing machine, and
when she should have said eyes" she
said mo" and when she should have
said "No' she said Eyes"
Ehov, tuao xuotnhipr hn,. nnriOnalu
and he was not long in observing that
something had seriously disturbed her
wonted equanimity.
"Mary Ann" said he, with an effort
not to appear over solicitous, for he
was not demonstrative man, and nole
of the Harden's Corners people ever
gushed over anything-"Mary Ann?"
"Well, Mr.. Meader."
"Sulhin' or ruther seems TO trouble
you, hsy?"
eyes. There is something" said
Mary Ann, feeling the sentences jerked
out of her by some influence she could
not resist. 81 am awfully bothered.
l was never SO upset and put about in
my mortal life. Never!"
"Why, Mary Ami 'Taint nothin'
about the old COW, now, is it?"
"Cowl" said Nary Ann, indignantly.
"Forty cows wouldn't agitate and un-
settle me like this"
"And faint anything about the south
medder, hay? If l was you I'd seed
that are land down"
cit isn't any of that kind of things"
said Mary Ann, tartly; "you see the
fact of it is, Eben, I've had two propo-
sails of marriage"
"Whatln calculated Eben, rising
slowly in his surprise, "not two from
one man, hay?"
"No, two from two men,"
"Great guns, Mary Ann, what men
be they?"
deacon Popham and Elder futile. {"
"What are you going to do about it,
Mary Ann?"
II don't know" said Mary Ann,
nervously plating and unplaiting the
hem of her white apron, "if have the
elder, the deacon will be put out; and if
/ have the deacon, the elder will be put
out"
"Wall, yes, that stands to reason"
said Eben, feeling Of the pocket-book
where the yellow envelope was lying
anu ONlOSbCly lSolollbB OIL "
draw it forth again.
81 am in a dreadful STRATA strait
betwixt the two," said Mary Ann, I'M
consciously quoting from Elder Tuttle's
last Sundays sermon, for you see this
is Tuesday, and The deacon is to come
for his answer Wednesday, and the ell.
der is to come for his Thursday"
"By kingl" said Eben, rising TO the
occasion, "there is only one way out Of
it. "I'll come for my answer Tuesday
which is to-day" and Eben put his ar n
around Mary AIMS waist-a little shy
ly at first, but growing holder as he got
used TO it.
"Why, Eben Meaderln cried Mary
Ann.
"'Taint no use to put it off," said
Eben, drawing nearer as he became &C
customed TO the situation, "I've beer
coming here quite spell, Mary Ann
but / never felt as if it was best to hur.
ry. Marry in haste, and repent at leis
ure, you know"
"Oh, myl this is so sudden" sale
Mary Ann, ~ don't know as 1 shall
ever get used to it,"
eyes you will said Eben, warmly
- IN gelllng useu 10 IL alreauy. by
king! Mary Ann, the more l think Of
it the more I'm convinced that I've
been an old fool for putting it off 81
long! But l always was leetle bit slow
And l wanted to have winder cut il
the back kitchin and the water put int
the sink before asked you. But ii
see the carpenter and the pump mar
as l go home. Great guns, Mary Ann
l come pretty nigh losing you'll"
And suddenly releasing Mary Ann
he produced his pocket book and tool
a hasty squint at the yellow envelope.
Eben," said Mary Ann, " before
this goes any further, i want to ask yol
what is in the envelope. Pve seel
you take it out over and over again an,
I've got to know what is in it before
decide between the deacon, the eide
aud you"
Eben looked little abushed, but h
opened the envelope, and there, tie,
with faded blue ribbon, was lock o
yellow hair-the hair of child-an
written on the worn piece of pape
which enclosed the hair were thes
lines:-