Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-01-11
THE MINISTER'S SOCKS

: I
dicated his thoughts as above the con-
sciousness that both CATERS were worn
| across the toes. His lean ankles showed
| between gaiter top and trousers hem. and
| Matilda. sitting on cushioned stool by
| the fireplace, stared at them with round
| blue eyes OF interest
She was very fat little girl under a
| shower Of light Girls, which lent resem-
| blance to a wel-kept spaniel. Some said
| she was her mother over again; others
declared her the image Of her Aunt abb
! gail After comparing their long thin
| faces with the round pinkness that smiled
| back at her from the mirror. she was of
| opinion that she looked like nobody but
| little Matilda Hutton. However. she kept
| this opinion to herself-being frequently
reminded that children should be seen.
| not heard and now, as she sat with
hands folded over white apron. she looked
| the meek embodiment OF childhood trained
| 70 the opinion Of its elders When the
| minister came in, she was hidden to put
| away sewing or knitting, with which she
! would have been expected to keep occu-
| pied during any other call. and hold her
self in readiness to repeat the Catechism
or the one Hundred and Third Pslam: so
! TO her mind his presence diffused strong
| Sabbatical odor
Mrs. Hutton and Miss Abigail. sitting
| very erect In fiddle back chairs listened
! deterentially as the minister talked-his
! thin. educated voice droning accompani-
| nent to the "t-iCk took of the tall
! old fashioned clock in the corner. Pres
| entity the droning voice was lost in a
Whirring sound precluding the hour. and
! after the long, deep strokes were over he
| got up. his worn face radiating benevo-
lence from every wrinkle as he looked
| down a the figure on the stool
| Il didn't mean to make my call out
and never give this little girl a chance to
| repeat the Catechism.' He smiled. and
/ La la F.aN HI
which did not betray her relief at this
| escape. There might be time for the
! one Hundred and Third Psalm" Matilda
| still dimpled like the well-trained child
she was. However, l fear that my next
| call beyond will be too brief II | wait
| longer-so good-by, my dear"
Matilda, dimpling profusely rose to
| courtesy; her mother and aunt followed
| him 10 the door in hospitable country
| fashion. and his tall. spare figure passed
down the walk out Of sight with coat-tails
| 1utterng enthusiastically in the March
gusts Matilda, having gone to the win
dow. watched him with nose lattened
against the pane.
Matilda"
Ma amp"
Haven't I told you never to run and
stare after people,"
nose, which was now white at the end
from being pressed closely against the
glass.
They why did you do IT,"
Il didn't do it,"
Her mother met this answer with blank
establishment which grew into cold dis
approval and finally to fixed horror Her
Aunt Abigail reflected these emotions
Matilda put her finger in her mouth and
gazed at the large flower pattern Of the
three-ply carpet.
Matilda" in deep maternal chest
tones
Ma ann"
DO you remember Ananias and Sap
phira?"
"Yes'm."
Then how can you tell me you didn't
run to the window
" Cause l didn't rum walked
The tick, took OF the tall clock filed
the room. Miss Abigail arose suddenly.
with a faint "ahem," which merged into
an impartial cough. and hogan stirring
the fire.
Matilda, you may get your new sam
pier which has the verse.
In Adams fall
We sinned ALL
I've worked to half OF sinned" al
ready cried Matilda. dmpling into de-
lighted cleases over the prospect OF a
hated sampler finished
Miss Abigail gave another "ahem." to
cover which she ratified the tongs against
the fender. Mrs. Hutton shot suspi-
bent to tend the fire
Get the sampler at once Matilda"
she said. And don't speak again until
you are spoken to. Children should be
seen, not heard"
Matilda perched on the cushioned stool
her spaniel locks falling about a face
which apparently had no thought save for
samplers; but mother and aunt would
have been astonished indeed could they
have known the play Of fancy inside that
curl-covered head; for although Matilda
in the flesh might be compelled to WORK
verses In cross-stitch. Matilda in the spirit
was doing all the delightful forbidden
things dear TO her heart. She was swing
ing on the gate. which was unladylike-
as she might be seen; she was climbing
the apple-tree in the back yard. which |
was careless-as she might tear her dress; |
she was jumping from the barn loft /
which was dangerous--as she might fall; |
she was playing with little black Dinah |
which was corTuptng-as Dinah was a |
child OF iniquity and she might grow like |
her Matilda supposed that being a child |
or lniquity was matter of complexion, |
and that II she played enough with Dinah |
she would become an ebon facsimile |
She thought this result desirable for then |
one needn't have ones face washed so |
often. ones hair could be braided and tied |
which would keep tidy for weeks. in
stead OF being deliberately curled around
somebody's finger every morning Then
too, Dinah was allowed to run. to jump
to climb. to swing on gates: she could
make mud pies, and never had to learn
the Catechism she did not even know
what a sampler was. During Matilda's
one stolen visit at the tumble down little
house near the bend OF the road Dinah
had asked If a sampler was something to
eat and, 1t being explained 10 her, she
rolled her eyes prodigiously and brought
baked pone, which Matilda thought de-
licious-as /. smacked of novelty and was
eaten under the blossomed elder-bush by
the pigpen. In imagination she was tie
tering" with Dinah on a board laid across
a log, when the clocks ticking and the
fire crackle We're disturbed by a sneeze
from Miss Abigail.
You'd better put on your shoulder
shawl sister" advised Mrs Hutton.
I'm not catching cold now. sister
While the minister was here The fire got
down, and l felt chilly. l didn't want to
bring in another stick because I knew ii
would finish his call" explained Miss
Abigail.
He is a very interesting man" said
Mrs. Hutton. He firmly believes in a
personal devil. We ought to raise his
salary. With his family he must find IL
difficult TO make both ends meet.
noticed his sock was darned with white
yarn, and If she felt able to buy yarn to
match, Mrs. Hume never would use white
yarn on red socks"
"On blue socks Won NEAR sistarf, oo,,