Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 9.djvu/116

 100

��The Doctor's Granddatighter.

��was foolish, and then it died. His wife took to drink ; and he carried on with such a high hand, that, a year or two after she died, he sold out to the Mor- gan boys. These young men were two brothers from Vermont : they were married, and father said every thing looked bright for them. In a few years the eldest brother's wife died, and he was left desolate ; shortly after, the younger brother broke his arm, and it withered. In the few years they lived there they lost two children, and de- struction seemed to be in their midst. They sold, and went back to Vermont maimed in heart and body.

" The next man came with a family of boys and girls, some of them grown up. I can remember them. Everybody said, 'They will make things brighten up on the Captain Flanders place now ; but the curse appeared to rest on them. The boys took to drink, and the girls went to the bad : the old man was hurt by his oxen, and died in a few days. The mother took what the law allowed her, and went away, I don't know where. Since that time, no one has lived there, and the house is all going to ruin. Some say that the house is haunted, but I guess not. I do think that there is something there that is wrong : some demon holds possession, and it seems to crave human life and human happiness. I don't believe in ghosts, but your grandmother always had forerunners of death : she could tell when she was going to lose a friend."

During this long talk. Sorrel had been jogging slowly along in the grass-grown road ; recollecting himself, the doctor slapped him on his neck with the reins, and told him in affectionate way that he was as stupid as a woodchuck in the spring.

��Soon they turned into the long lane leading to Jason Grummet's house. The double front-door stood open, and the dog got up and welcomed them most graciously. Jason came out of the barn, and took the doctor's horse, and invited them into the house. " Miss Susanna, I am very glad to see you ; you hain't been here for years," said Jason. Susanna thanked him, and said, " Not since I was a child." The old lady met them in the door, dressed in short-gown and petticoat. She was very glad to see them, and exclaimed when she shook hands with Susanna, " Massy, child ! you are the picter of your mother ; and Mary Carwin was the handsomest bride that ever went into the old meetin'-house 1 " Susanna smiled at the compliment, and thanked the old lady. The odor of roasting fowl greeted them as they went into the great front-room, and the tall clock soon told the hour of noon. The doc- tor was astonished to think that they had spent so much time on the road.

Soon Jason's wife came in flushed from the spit, but she greeted them cordially. The old lady said, "We sha'n't have any doctorin' done till arter dinner. I'm so glad' it was pleasant to-day, so you could come. She reached down into her huge pocket, and drew out her round snuff-box : she wiped it, gave it a tap, and passed it to the doctor, saying, " Have a pinch of rappee ! " — "I don't care if I do : this is good, Mrs. Grummet. — Susanna, have some." Susanna acquiesced, and the three enjoyed the pinch from the small black box,

" Gome, doctor, mother, and Su- sanna," said Jason, standing in the kitchen-door in his shirt-sleeves, his face shining, and his hair damp, from his wash in the skillet on the door-

�� �