Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-08-15
PED'S RETURN.


big oak that grew by the kitchen door.
He was in his shirt sleeves, and his
coarse straw hat lay ON the grass at his
side.
He was leaning forward, his chin
resting on his hands, his elbows upon
his knees, calmly putting short cob
pipe. Near by sat his wife, busily en-
gagged in stEinging beans for dinner.
cts bin most ten years since Ped went
away" observed Mr.. Bugford, blowing
cloud Of smoke over q yagrant bum
eiebee that was buzzing about a holly
hook.
''Ten years come this fall, - remarked
his wife without looking up.
f'Come this corn cuttin time cor
rected Bugford. IT reckerlect it we'll.
He went off jist when I war busiest
cuttin corn, an / had ter hire Sug John
son in his place. Sug warn't worth his
salt, an it war clear loss Nv So ter
me-
"But you can't blame Ped for that, "
said his wife.
t'He might "a stayed till the corn was
cut"
''He lowed you wasn't treatin him
jist right-then Ped was our only
child
81 war an only child myself COM
planned Bu9ford, "an I reckon ] warn't
treated any better an Ped, but didn't
go runnin away. You remember my
daddy wouldn't hear ter our bein mar
ried in bizy time. SEE he ter me:
sSilas, i amt goin ter have a weddin
goin on right in plowin time. Wait till
the corns laid by, an then thar'll be
plenty NV time fer fxin fer the we'd
din"
eyes, said Mrs Bugford can we
had ter wait too. My mother was sot
ag in our bein married right in gardenin
time. She sez ter me, seq she: Mandy,
it amt no use i'll talkin NV yer bein
married this spring. Sayin nothin Nv
the work that's got ter be done, it
would be a waste ter killfthem chickens
till harvest, an then thar's nothin in
the garden ter make pies but pieplant
an gooseberries, an they never did agree
with me. Wait till after harvest, Man
dy,' SEE she, AN the blackberries will
all be ripe Mother was powerful sot
ag'in extravaganza an believed in
$50 she did, an so did my daddy
said Bugford, tsbut things are different
now, an mebby war little hard on
Ped"
''Ped was good boy"
Eyes, but he kept goin with them
Wykof boys when he knowed that ole
Wykof had treated me meaner than
dirt, then he war forever workin with
that fool machine idee Nv his, when he
ort ter bin at work ON the farm
HE said the machine might make us
all rich if he got it fixed up right
suggested Mrs. Bugford.
But SIGH fool things don't ever git
fixed right" declared Silas IAN I reck-
Ion he's found it out by this time. Ped
war good hand ter work, though,
when he did work, an mebby ort ter
Flowed him ter have his way about
Them fool idees Nv his
cit would have been the best thing
boys will be boys
$50 they will, an Ped was only 10
Dist when boy knows the least an
thinks he knows the most. -
SiIas arose and stood leaning against
he big oak His wife got up and went
came along the road, carrying a corn
knife, and, stopping, he leaned against
he fence
He was young man of spare build,
with half inch of downy beard upon
lis freckled face.
Pap lowed We might want some IN
er help We cut corn, he said, after ex-
hanging greetings with Silas.
Il dunno Jst yit," the farmer re-
Elied. ''I'm intendin ter commence ter |
lorrer mornin, though the fodder is a
tile green yit. My corn is later AN
ourn.'
eyes, bout two weeks. Pap sed if
e needed any help he'd come in the
hornin. -
"Waai, I'm goin ter want couple
" han S fer few days, an I reckon ye
"a yer daddy might both come. -
"Pap'l come, but I've got ter see ter
rippin the sorghum cane
81 reckon l might git another hand. I
ell yer daddy ter bring one if he can. -
s ALI right. Heard anything from /
ed late1y?''
''Not fer good spell .
+'How's he gittin along?''
<tHe don't never say. Jist seq he's
ell an workin every day"
Don't talk Nv comm homer
-fNoap Reckon he'll sow his wild
is first
81 low he will. Pap never lowed
ter sow no wild oats. WAL, 1 must
travelin. Good day"
He was walking away when Silas
He'd out:
Say, Bud, .ye didn't see anything w
ole speckled COW as We came along,
We? She hain't bin up terday, dang
ole hide, an the calf's most baWlei
elf ter death.''