Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-02-26

mother?"
"Lots of older heads than your;
and wiser heads than mine have made
the same observation long ago and ~
rived at about the same concluS'oI.'
The girl watched the stars-mil-
lions and millions of stars-peaceful
stars-prinkling stars-in the mid
night sky-but stars that often mean
only insanity to lonely farmers wivc
exiled off in the country's great 81
lent places. After time, tears like
chips of diamonds glinted in her
eyes.
at spoils all the dreams of the fu
ture to think that marrying means
that mother. There must be some
good boys somewhere who grow up
without looking on their wives that
way"
"For your sake, Mary, I hope there
isl hope there is! But that brings
us around to the subject we were
talking about a few minutes ago
you can't marry them kind, that are
worth while, and gentlemen, while
you're only little country pumpkin
that don't know nothin'. It's one Of
the reasons why l want you shout
finish at the Academy-get an edu-
cation that'll bring you the propo'
boy, the right sort, with brains and
education and ambition--all O. which
means courtesy and kindness. You
got the natural good looks and the
ability, Mary. You amt been spoiled
by no foolish notions. You can do it
if you get the education"
Then for long time it was quiet
in the little bedroom. Somewhere
down in the lIacs barnacling the cor
ner of the house Il tramp cricket
cheeped philosophically. In the low
en- pasture below the orchard, among
the rushes bordering the swamp, the
frogs were piping with chorus that
was hourly growing lighter as the
night deepened. Their music had a
melancholy that all the experience.
that came to the girl in after life and
all the Joy and all the success, coulc
never entirely cffacc. Each Spring
time when the frogs began pcepng:
the memory returned of that little
caves bedroom and that moonlight
night in June, back when She W.
goin'-on twenty and she
waited with her mother the homecon-
ing of "Silent" Wheeler from the Nc
Dermott Job down the valley.
"Mother," she asked, eff it came to
Il choice between a poor man who q
treat you decently and love you OF
rich man who'd see you got plenty OF
money but-not much clse-which
would you take?"
al pray God ! might never have to
decided"
at isn't fair to answer So
"Therc amt no such thing as a
poor man treating his womcnfolks
decent and loving them" exclaimed
the embittered woman. "l'm afraid,
after all been through that Id take
nv chances with the rich man." Her
voice wavered. She leaned over and
buried her face on her arms across
the bed. ooh God!-God!-God!'
she wept Historically, "forgivc me
for sayin' it! God forgive me! But l
have stood so much, God-so much
for such long, long time! | Guess al
last I'm goin' crazy"
"Mother, mother! You're not go
ing crazy. Don't let yourself get all
worked up like that. You're just
feelin' badly because Pa told me to
pack up my things and get out to-
night. You're sorrowful because he
took your last months egg money
and went down to McDermott's to
get drunk on instead of using his
own"
at amt the loss of no egg money,
dearie, although that's hard enough,
SEEM | was savin' up for to get you
the muslin dress for the dance down
to Christie's. It's the hopelcssncss of
it-for me. You amt made no fatal
mistake yet. You amt made no mis-
take and saddled yourself with debt
and work and unhappiness and hope
lessness for the future. There's the
chance for you to meet the right kind
O. boy with money and ambition ant
ability to get ahead and be happy
with him. But there's no such relief
for me. I'm just tied here--tied for
life to a man that the neighbors say
is half crazy--who takes my money
and goes off to buy cheap rum that
makes him come home and wreck
here to cripple boy
that'd die if l didn't look after him
every moment. It's having to give |
myself all the time as peace Offering |
trying to keep home for my girl
SOS she can finish her education like |
)ther mothers girls and stand the |
Door chance O. bein' a lady. And |
have l done to deserve it?
It amt fair, God-just amt fair!
don't wonder most farmers marry
,wo or three times, wearin' out
after another like cattle and
,uryin' 'em-"
"Please, mother! Oh I wish l
new what to do! what would
emedy things! / wonder if finishing
It the Academy means so awfully
much after all. 1 wonder if it's worth
he price of staying here and cndur-
ng Pa Wheeler's abuses" She was
ilent for few moments. Then she