Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-08-11

she recognized her with mixed feeling Of
qualification, "hard thoughts" :" and curiosity.
Certainly il was curious coincidence that
the person who had formed the subject Of her
thoughts and conversation, SO much Of the
day, should suddenly appear.
"Don't mind me-" Mrs. Hubbard said
pleasantly, stepping on before her old neigh.
Dor. This way, l suppose :" Aud she led
the way to the kitchen herself, thus avoiding
the necessity Of an apology on the par, Of
Mrs. Smelling. GLOW bngh, and cheerful
cook stove looks ailer al /, and your kitchen
was always as neat as wax. We never used
to keep but one fire, YOU know" This last
was an unfortunate alusion. Mrs. Snolllng's
,oneuinc face grew coldly rigid at what she
considered an aIlemp, to patronlzc her.
"Poor folks had to-" she said, taking up
her work and stitching away vigorously.
III haven't forgotten old times, Jane, !" Mrs.
Hubbard wen, on, not caring to notice the IN.
gracious tone in whicl, this remark was made,
when We were all beginning the world to-
gclhcr. You seem to, though, for then you
used to run in and sec me, and was think.
ing tonight you haven't bcen up TO our house
since October
Ms. Sncllng began to say something
about "noi going where she was not want
ed" but i, died away lower and lower,w
she remembered Mrs. Hubbard had been in
twice since then,
II know you have a great denlto keepyou
a, home, knoS how It used to he when my
children were little. You didn', let me pay
three visits to your Que thea, Jane" Mrs.
Hubbard drew her ,himble from her poke,
aud took up the top piece Of mending from
the big aiIlow baskc, N the mos, natural
manner. This is to go so, isn't said she.
'"I can work aud talk to, YOU know. Mr.
Hubbard has gone to church meeting but ]
don't think lt's exactly our place to attend to
church discipline, We women are ap, to make
a bad matter worse by talking It over among
each other, and to people that It doesn't con.
ccrn. Sol thought I'D Just ron IN sociably
aud bring my thimlla, as We used to do for
each olher"
. Mrs. Smelling would have said haitian hour
AGO, ,hl, she was completely fortified against
Mrs. Hubbard's advances, in wha, shape so.
ever, bu, She bcgsu to fccl ms, gathering
ia her eyes, as that olI kindHcss and alice
ton came stealing back again in recollection.
But Ms. Hubbard was wise woman and
,hc knew lha, a friend acrieycd was hard to
TO win, whether the offence had been inlcn.
;oual or not.
''It's pretty harl work 10 live right, isn't
~" she SAID, verglng round again to the old
subject, aNsI a lulc talk about the ulds and
the weather. Every 10, in life has its trials
used to look a, '.ch people. and think they
hadn't a care 10 the world, but now Mr.llub-
barI has done 50 we'll, wc have to live diTy.
rcu,ly and dress differently and heres no end
To lookng after things used to work hard
an DAY, and when the children were asleep
in the evening 81, down comfortably to sew
or rad, but now there's somebody, or some.
thing to sec to, the las, minute. 70 be sure
rs Gar as dress i. concerned, 4 don't think half
20 much Of i, as psll 90, when had to plan
aud conlrivc about every cent Why, ! Of.
ten used to find myself planning about my
sewing in sermon time, il YOU will believe il,
and how ] should &c, the girls two dresses
ou, uf ono Of mine. To be sure, have no
such temptations now"
Mrs. Snclliur looked mp suddenly, rs the
recollection other Suudly plan abou, The cape
came into her mind. Could ii be that to HIM
INTO rrlonr al hcoris crc opoH, size had been
the less sincere NoTshppcr Of the two'
IL should like to try liule prosperity, By
way OF change, !" she said, more pleasantly
than she had last spoken, but still with bit.
,erucsY beneath IL am tired Of slaying."
"Oh. Jano"' Mrs Hubbard said quickly,
don't cl,oose-don't choose your trials. |
used to say that very thing, and that it was
an we'll enough for rich people to preach.
Mrs. Smelling saw the painful expression tha,
crossed her friends face, and the current re-
rorl Of Young Robert llObbard's dissipation
came into her mind. All persons have their
own troubles, some don't stand out as pain
as others, aud don't Get so much pity. Rich
people Get very little, and they have hard
work enough to bring Up their children right
aud to live in peace and charity with all,
I've co, 50 now | only ask for patience To bear
the trial of the time, instead Of praying to
have it changed, and thinking lha, ] could
bear any other better"
The two women scwed in silence for lit.
tie while, each heart knew It's own bitterness.
"Iane." Mrs. Hubbard said, stopping sud-
denly, and looking into the bright crate Ia
from, Of the stove, "shall tell you what this
nuts me in mind Of, seeing this nice bright
cooking sioyel OF that New Years night
the winter Robert was sick, aud our children
were all little, when YOU came iou"u anu
brought them over To spend the ailernoon,and
boiled candy for them, aud let them pop corn
They brought us home paieiul Of braided
sticks. Poor little things II i, hadn't been
for YOU, they wouldn't have had so much as
min for a New Years present, their lsiLer
so sick, and Was so worn Ou', Why on
ly think. they had been isazing me to buy
..,Ar and | actually did rri feel