The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1850-05-24

far. Much depends on me. If were
10 get sick, ! don'l know how mother
would get along"
"Put away everything, and go to bed a,
once, Miss Wheeler. If you finish my
bonnet and send il home, l won't wear il
lto-morrow. Sothat is settled"
Thus urged, Miss Wheeler laid aside
her work; and, with her head aching al
most 10 distraction, after sending one oil
her brothers toinform Miss Grier that she
was too sick to finish her bonnet, sought
her chamber and rest for her weary
limbs, She had just fallen into gentle
sleep, when her brother, who had gone
on the errandto Miss Grier, returned,
and entered her room,
(. "Mary! Mary!n-cried he, placing his
band on her, and arodsing her from
s'umber--'sMaryr
Miss Wheeler started up; but, before
she had time TO ask question, the boy
said
"Miss Grier says that she mus, have
her bonnet tonight"
"Did you tell her that was sick?"
inquired the sister, binding her hands
across her aching forehead as she spoke.
"Yes; bur she said she didn't care
she wanted her bonnet and must have
it, il you worked all night 10 ge. il
done.''
"Oh dear!" sighed the sick, exhausted
girl, as she sat up in bed, still claspinel
her lhr obbine brows.
""She needn't think to put mo on IN !,
this way heard hersav TO he'r ''o"o''
added ,he boy. M :, ,
care Won sure tha, ysou told her that
was SICK p asked uyae weary girl.
aOb veg: ] 4told her SO twice. But
sbs was ar.agry, and said she didn't care
-.-.ick, or well, her bonnet must be
done.r2
oI,- is hard" murmured the poor girl.
a. she commenced slowly putting on the
CLOTHES she had little while befre taken
of. sob! how my head does ache!" she
added, after a few moments, pausing in
her work of re-dressing herself, and lean.
ing her head against the wall near which
she stood; sit seems as if it would
burst"
The next day was the peaceful Sab.
, bath, the season Of rest from labor. The
sleep of Caroline Mayfeld had been
sweet, and in the morning she arose witt
TRANQUIL feelings. When church time
came, she was ready 10 go with the iami
" to the house where God is worsAipped
even though new boPnet did not.grace
} her head Great was her surprise, how
ever, soon after taking her seat in church.
TO see her friend Martha Grier enter
wearing new spring bonnet which she
!, had thought lay still unfinished in Miss
: Wheeler's work-room. AS the ever
pious young lady walkeI up the aisle, il
, was plain from the particular motion and
air Of her head, in what particular direc
7 ton her thoughts were centered.
"What can this mean?" thought Caro-.
, line Mayfeld, as she looked at the new
bonnet of her young friend, "Surely
Martha did moi compel that sick girl tt
work half the night, in WEAKNESS and
pain, that she might exhibit new bon.
net TO her fellow-worshipers? Did moi
make her break the Sabbath, that she
, might keepit up little more to her own
sa,isfaclion?"
Thoughts like these kept crowdlng
themselves into the mind OF Caroline
Mayfeld, 10 the exclusion Of ideas more
fitting for the place and occasion.
After the services were ended, she
, moved, with the retiring congregation
slowly from the place Of worship. JUS
as she reached the pavement, she felt q
hand upon her arm. Turning, she me-
the half smiling, half serious face o.
| Martha Grier. The smile was natural
the serious look the forced expression.-
The first came from the thought of hel
beautiful new bonnet; the last was con.
strained, as fitting the occasion. Mean
ingly, yet almost neoluntarily, her eyes
glanced to the head of her friend.
$50 you didn't get your new bonnet"
said she in low voice, as soon as they
we're little away from crowd. "How
comes thai?"
"Miss Wheeler was too unweli to finish
it," replied Caroline, with seriousness
that she felt and did not attempt 10 con.
ceal.
f sob, then, you let her pat you of
with that excuse! But she couldn't get
away from her promise 70 ,ne so easily"
"Don't you regard sickness as an ex-
: cuse for the non-performance of con-
tracti said Caroline, looking earnestly
at her young fiiend, and speaking in a
! very serious voice.
"Sickness2 Oh yes, sickness; but"
and she hesitated, for Caroline was ga
zing into her face with look that dis
,urbed the pleasant elation Of her feel
ings,
u "But whatt'' asked Caroline.
"Miss Wheeler wasn't Sick"
i "Suppose we call there on our way
home from church, and see how it is with
her,"
4 "Oh no; l don't care about calling
u 49, a. ln,, - no IA Martha