The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-06-22
SELECTED STORY.
A Sure Cure.

Mr.. Sam PROT returning from his
davis business, assembled his front steps
with the air of man who had nothing
particularly pleasant to expect within
He noticed that the porch, one so neat
ly kept, was now tracked with muddy
footprints; that the rose-bushes on each
side were unpruned, and that his two
children, playing bareheaded in the
garden, had neglected and frolorn ap
pearance. He wiped his feet carefully
and crossing the entry, opened the
door of a room where sat Mrs. Per
rot, wrapped in shawl, and mixing
something in tea.cup.
"Well, MARTHA" said he, as he hung
up his hat, show do you feel this even
ing?"
mo better than usual" responded
Mrs. Perrot, with sigh, as che stirred
her mixture, and added a few drops
from vial.
"Maybe you'd feel better if you'd
move about little, Suggested her hus-
band, mildly.
81 haven't the strength. l seem to
+ be growing weaker and weaker every
day. It's doubtful whether I'll ever
step foo out of this house again. The
roses and lilies of spring will bloom
above my grave" said Mrs. Perrot, re-
signedly.
Nonsense, Marthyp' Roses and
lilies don't bloom in spring any more
than you are laid out to die in spring"
Mrs. Perrot assumed martyr-like
air.
"This is all the sympathy get from
my own husband" she murmured-
ga poor, weak suffering woman like
mep
elf you're as bad as all that" said
her husband, "why don't you let me
send for doctol?"
because / don't believe in doctors,
nor in doctors stuff. Mrs. Massey is
the only one that does me any good"
"Mrs. Massey be botheredl l wish
you'd never have set eyes on that med
dlesome woman"
"She's very clever woman, and very
kind to me. She comes over to see me
every day, and sometimes twice day."
"She does, does she? Well, l think
she would do great deal better to stay
at home, and attend to her own affairs
said Perrot, ungratefully.
"She always brings me something
that will do me good-vegetable pills,
and tonics-"
"Poisonsl" muttered Perrot.
1.-THE same that che gave her own
husband and child" asserted Mrs. Per-
rot, Indignantly.
mo wonder they died."
Samuel" said his wife, solemnly,
''you will repent of this when l am
dead and gone. If you have no sym.
patty for my sufferings, you might at
least have respect enough for my feel.
ings not to abuse my best friends"
And here Mrs. Perrot felt in her
pocket for her handkerchief.
Perrot rose softly, and, with SUBJ
dued and detected look, went into
another room.
Here was rosy, comely Young
woman, busted in preparing tea. This
was his niece, just arrived on visit.
swell, Lavinia," said the master of
the house, as he took his seat at table
and stirred his tea-"what do you think
of her?"
Lavinia expressjvely shrugged her
plump shoulders.
"She's just as you wrote me she was
weak and complaining, and taking
physic all the time"
"And what do you think ails her?"
inquired Perrot, anxiously.
Imagination" replied Lavinia,
promptly "imagination and dyspep-
sia."
"Nothing else?"
Nothing in the world, unless it's
Mrs. Massey's medicines.
Perrot nodded his head, emphatical-
ly, about dozen times.
"Can you think of any way to cure
her, WINNER" he inquired, leaning for
ward and speaking in low tone.
Lavinia's face Immediately assumed
peculiar expression.
"Well, uncle Samuel, l have been
thinking about it, and I'm of opinion
that there's only one thing will do her
any good. I'll warrant it for sure
cure.'
"What is it, WINNER"
"Eat your supper now, uncle, and
when you've done, and the children