Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-06-08


would nos stand even, owing to one of
the legs being shooter than the rest
This, however she had remedicd by
placing n chip uader the deficient mem
Der. There was no cloth on, for this
was an article which Martin did not
number among his possessions. Floy
had substituted two towels, which
united covered perhaps half the tabls.
A portion of u loaf. for there was
but one, she had toasted by the fire,
and this had been placed on a separate
plate fror' the other. On the whole,
therefore, though il was far from being
a sumptuo'.s repast, everything look.
cd clean and neat, and this alone adds
increased zeal TO the appetite. At
least Martin felt more of an appetite
than usual, ard between them the two
despatched all that had been provided.
Is there any more bread in the clos
ct? asked Martin.
No. said Floy. IL is all gone.
Then ! must bring some home when
/ return TO supper.
have been thinking, said Floy,
hesitatingly, that il you would trust
me to do it. and would bring home the
materials, / would make some bread,
and that would be cheaper than buy
ing it, and besides it would give me
something TO do.
What. asked Martin, as he looked
with an air of surprise at the diminu-
tive form Of little Floy. Do you
know how 10 make bread? How came
child like you TO learn?
Mother used to be sick a good deal,
said Floy, and was confined to her
bed, SO that she could do nothing her
self. She used to direct me what TO
do, SO that after while l came to
know how to cook as well as she.
Well, what shall l have to bring
home. asked the misor. whom the
hint of its being cheaper had enlisted
in favor Of the plan.
Let me see, said Floy, as she sat
down, and began to reflect. There
flour and salaratus, and salt, but we've
got the salt, SO you need only to get
the first two.
Very well, / will attend 10 il. o,
| forgot TO ask which sewing you know
how to do. Can you make shirts?'
Yes. have made n good many.
Then | will bring some home to-
night. If ! can get any.
When she had cleared away the
dinner dishes, washed them, and put
them in the closet, an operation
which the simplicity Of the meal rem
dercd but short one, Floy began to
look round her to see what else she
could do. A desire siezed TO explore
the old house, Of which so many
rooms had Cor years remained desert.
ed. They were bare and desolate,
inhabited only by spiders and crickets,
who occupied them rent free. 1t
might have been years, perhaps, since
they had echoed to the steps Of a hu-
man foot. They looked dark and
gloomy enough to have been witness
to many dark deed Of midnight as
sassiration. But it was all fancy,
doubtless, and in little FIoy they pro-
duced no other feeling than that OF
chillness. She rumaged all the clos
cts with q feeling of curiosity, but
found nothing in any Of them TO re.
ward her search uutil she came to the
last. There was q large roll Of some.
thing o. the floor, which. on examina-
ton, pro,eu 70 be 81 all carpet, quite
dirty and somewhat moth.caten. II
had probably been left there, mad
vertantly J, and reI.iained undiscovered
until the present moment. Floy
spsead it out, and examined il critical
ty. An idea struck her. which she
hastened to put into execution
Threading her way back to the mi
ser's room, she procured stout stick
which stood in the corner, and going
buck, gave ths carpet sound drub-
bing, which nearly stiflled her with
dust. Nevertheless, she persevered,
and soon got it into quite respecta-
bic state OF cleanncss. She then man
aged, by co siderable effort, to lug
il TO Martin room, anu in an hour or
so had spread it out. and finally fast
ened it by means of some tacks,
which she found in one corner OF the
closet. The effect was certainly Won
derful. The carpet actuslly gave the
room very comfortable appearance;
and little Floy took considerable cred
it to herself for the metamorphosis.
What will he say? thought She
l wonder whether he will be pleased?
1t was but a few minutes after this
change was affected that Martin came
in. 1t was about 3 o'clock, sooner
than Floy expected him, but he had
thought that she might require the
materials early~in order to make
preparations for the evening meal.
AS he opened the door. he started
back in surprise at the changed ap-
pearance of the room. 1t occurred
to him for moment that he had
strayed in the wrong place, but the
sight ofFloy sitting at the window re-
assured him, and he went in.
What is all this? he inquired, in a
bewildered tone.
Floy enjoyed his surprise. She
told him in what manner she had af-
fected the change, and asked him if he
did not like it. He could not do ota-
erwise than answer in the affirmative,
and in truth an unusual sense ofcom-
fort came over him, as he sat down
and looked about him.
Floy had taken possession of the
-four, and was already kneading it.
Now said she, after this was done,
/ must put it down by the fire to rise.
That will not take long, and then it
will'be ready to bake.
Have you got any shirts for me?
she inquired, after a while.
Yes, said Martin, recollecting him
self, and unrolling bundle which he
had placed on the table. There are n
half dozen for you to begin on. and if
you do them well, you can have some
more.
Floy looked pleased.