Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-07-04
A WOMAN ALL OVER.


ty in years, and she stamped along
the rocky road in heavy leather shoes
not at all with that fairy-like tread
which the romancers give to the noun
tain-nymphs of song and story. AS
| drove up behind her in my buck
board she stepped aside to let me pass.
She was a comely lass, albeit in the
rough, and | stopped to ask If could
not give her a lift" on her way.
This is a common courtesy of noun
tain travel, seldom lacking in gracious
acceptance, and the girl climbed into
the blackboard beside me as unhesitat-
ingly as she would have asked me into
dinner if had ridden up to her house
at noon
81 amt ulster ridin in kerridges,"
she commented, with a nervous giggle,
but | reckon it's easierr'n walkin' even
eff thar is more danger NV gettin' up
set"
There's not much danger of that"
| assured her, although there was
some, for Cumberland mountain roads
are not reliable, "and | am only too
glad to have company How far do
you go?"
I'm goin' to Mt. Pleasant" she re-
Piled.
"On foot?" l asked, in some sur
prise, for it was a good three miles
to the countyseat, and the road was
not velvet.
I'm course. 'Tain't the fust time,
neither. I've been thar afore." She
said this with pardonable pride, for a
trip to town is an event to the noun
taineer woman.
81 suppose you live in this neighbor-
hood"
" Yes; up the right-hand boiler
yander, about mile er sich a matter"
Are you going to town shopping?"
| ventured. comparing her in my mind
with the dainty creatures of the city
who find their dearest delight in this
purely feminine advertisement.
6 Not ezzackly," she said, with a
half sigh of regret that her mission
was of another character. amt
got no money; leastways, only a dol
lar, and thar's somethin' else fer that
to do"
l waited a moment for her to say
what the mission was; but as she did
not, | inferred it was none of my bust
ness, and forthwith introduced an
other topic of conversation.
Have you lived in these parts very
long?" | inquired.
Ever sence wuz born" she
answered; and then, with a weary
look at the great silent hills that
hedge in her world, she added, land
sometimes it seems like it wuz power
full long"
Are you married?" l asked think
ing that might have. made it appear
longer.
She blushed and shook her head
apologetically.
''Indeed?" / went on. 81 don't I'M
derstand how so good-looking a girl as
you are could remain single where
good-looking girls are so scarce"
She blushed again.
well, mister" she said, with as
perity, apparently taking confidence in
me on account of my flattering opin-
ion of her, faint my fault. Jim
Fraley, that works in the sawmill at
Mt Pleasant-mebbe you know him
jim"
shook my head in negation of the
gentleman's acquaintance.
you hain't missed much, I reckon"
she frankly commented. "Ez l wus
sayin,' Jim has been courtin' Nv me
fer mighty nigh onto sixteen months
promisin, an the last time he come
to see me pinned him down to bust
ness, an he said he wuz too pore to
buy the license, an I wuz porer's he
wuz, an we jist stalled an stuck
right thar. But sence then I've
worked out, helpin' hoe corn, an I've
got a dollar, an I'm goin' to see Jim,
an, eff he puts up pore mouth ag'in
I'm goin' ter throw the money right
at him. so l am. That's what I'm
goin' to do instid NV shoppin' Old man
Hanson, that is mighty comfertible off
and thrifty, wants me to marry him;
but I've got leanin' to'rd Jim, an
I'm goin' to give him another chance
afore it's everlastin' too late. Eff he
gifts balky this time, an him got the
money, no matter how, I'll give clean
up an splice with the old man. Jim's
mighty no count, an | reckon l ough-
ter be plumb ashamed Nv myself, but
| amt, | don't keer who knows it,
neither" She paused a moment in her
love-story, and as | was thinking of
some appropriate response she added,
very earnestly, very anxiously, do
you reckon now, mister, that Jim's so
no count he'll give me the mitten
when I'm givin' him the money to
pay all the expenses with?"
eff he is" l said. promptly, in her
defense, "I'll see that he is tarred and
feathered and ridden out of town on a
rail-"
I thought I was saying exactly the
right thing for the occasion and what
any decent man would have said, but
| was mistaken.
Don't do that, mister; don't do
that" she pleaded, in the greatest
alarm. EFF any harms comm to
Jim by me I'll git out right here and
go back home!"
She caught me by the arm, and
promised not to resort to extreme
measures for her sake, but not for
| her sweethearts. However, | am
| glad to say there was no need of doing
anything desperate, for Mr.. Fraley res
pended like man to the last appeal,
and I was a witness at the ceremony
in the lcense-clerk'ss Office. And
| II. II