, 1863-03-12
Debtor and Creditor.


had such good luck with these, and he's SO fondlOf
them, too. Run, Jimmy; run down to the gate
child, and see if be isn't coming. l do hate Of
all things, to have cream biscuit wait, and these
are so nice !" and she turned them from the dripping
pan on to side.table, and broke them up.
1t was genuine Oldfashioned Yankee tea-table
such one as makes our mouth water only to re-
member, with hOmespun linen cloth, snowy as
drited flakes, covered with quaint tea-set, tiny
silver spoons that had grown thin with the hand
ling Of three generations, and horn-handled knives
and forks secured to mirror brightness Cream
from the morning milk oated in the little pitcher
pure maple sugar filled the bowl pot Of butter,
golden as the wheatsheaf that was stamped upon
It, was Aanked on the one side by ball Of new
Dutch cheese, and on the other by plate pickles.
green and crisp as though fresh from the vines
quart bowl Just beside the biscuits, held circular
slices Of beets tinging the vinegar with the hue Of
claret wine; opposite was another, with cider
apple-sauce, while the four corners Of the table
bore proudly the pies and cakes.
"Yes, believe I've got all now, If he would
only come!" and she turned to the fireplace and
lifted the tea-kette from the hook and set it in
warm corner of the ample hearth.
He's coming, mother; he's most here" and,
nearly out Of breath, Jimmy bounded into the
kitchen and guess he's got the money, too, for
he looks ever so glad. Won't you be glad, too,
mother ?"
AYES, indeed, child, the dear knows will but
run, now, and wash your face and hands, and call
Susan to set the chairs up. I'll make the tea in
hurry"
"Supper all ready! Well, I'm glad of it for
I tell you what, mother, I'm hungry as a bear !"
and the brOad-cheSted sturdy, sunburt yet genial.
looking farmer drew of his overcOat and took off
his cap, and handed them to his wife, and then run
his fingers back aud forth through the blaze that
went up the chimney, rubbing them briskly the
while "lts chilly riding, and l shouldn't wonder
IL we had frost tonight Did the children gather
in all the pumpkins to-day"
Pretty much, father All that's ct to cook"
"Some great bouncers, too" interrupted Jimmy.
/" II was all Sue and could do TO roll them"
YOU'D better throw some old blankets over
them tonight, mother. Idont want EN- brought
in as long as can help 1t, for every days summing
helps sWeeten EN-. My old mother used to say II
saved half the mOasses to let em sun fortnight"
"And so it does, father; but come, sit down
now"
Don't look much like hard times here, mother !"
and Mr., Smith set down the cup Of fragrant tea
his wife had handed him, broke open the biscuit be
had helped himself TO, and spread the halees with
a generous allowance Of butter. " Not much like
hard times !" and be deposited brimning spoon
ful OGapplesauce on his plate, and dipped his fork
into the bowl Of beets. "We've thought we knew
something about EN- but tell you, mother, we've
got to fare simmer than this before we feel EN- to.
speak Of II you just could only have set down to
the table did to-day noon, l reckOn-well, reckon
you'd a-choked up, mother. You sec, met cousin
Sam Jones in the street, just as ! was going down
to the tavern TO get dinner, and nothing would
do but must 20 home with him. l didn't want
to bit, for knew they must be short about these
Ia ,lniN folFn N
so wen. was sorry enough, though, when
saw Sary Ann, for she looked so Illustrated but
she shook hands with me US warm Us ever, and said
she WIS glad to sec me- though il she'd known
was coming, she'd tried and tossed up something
a little better. Well we set down to the table
but dear me, mother, could have eat every mouth
full Of il myself, and then had room for decent
dinner"
"What did they have father?"
Have, mother? Why, they had piece OF
steak, Just about Us big - my hand. don't be.
leve there was over o pound and bali oil II I; and
about dozen little crazy potatoes not one Of them
bit larger than my thumb, slice Of butter about
rs thick Us one Of those cookies and just about as
big round, and a small loaf Of bakers bread, that
had about as much substance to It as soap bub-
bic, and pitcher Of water:" .,sr#,-.r...
mo pie or pudding, fatherf"
Not the first mOuthful, mother. l tell you,
didn't eat much; told EN- wasn't very hungry,
for Id been lunching on dOughnuts all along the
road % dearT says little Mol, wish we could
have doughnuts. We haven't had any for ever so
long. Why ydon't you make some, ma? Sally Ann,
she colored up, and says, kindly, softly: Hush,
Molly; you know the times are too hard for father
to buy lard to bile EN- in' Well, that kinder
started EN- and sch story as they had to tell,
mother! Dear me, but It made my heart ache only
to hear t. His wages have been cut down half,
and he can't always get that when il Is due, and
sometimes they don't for days have anything to eat
but hasty-pudding and moasses, and sometimes
they even have to go without the molasses. Sally
Ann said she hadn't had bit Of tea or sugar for
two months, nor an egg, nor pie or cake. III
tell you what did: just went right down 70 the
wagon and got that basket Of doughnuts-l hadn't
eat 'em half up-and carried EN- to the children.
Mercy, but how they did pOunce on EN-! lcOuldn't
think Of anything but halEstaryed cat coming
across a stray mouse, they seized 'em so. And
such shout as they gave when they saw the slice
Of chcesei Sally Ann said il was more than year
since she had tasted any" -
"Dear, but how ianny--not to have cheese in
the house all the time. Why, reckon we've got
forty now, up in the cheese-room."
Twenty, Jimmy, twenty; don't you stretch
things so. / do wish I'd known It, father, before
you started. I'd sent her one and roll Of butter,
and o load Of vegetables. You might have carried
'cm just as well as not, il we'd only thought Of It ;
but never supposed fOlks-decent kind OF folks,
mean, such as they aFe--ever bad to do without
such thngs" -.,
"Nor Ieither, mother, and il set me to thinking,
US was coming home; and believe you and
have often done rich people wrong, when we've
called 'em stingy because they didn't divide with
nc poor around EN-. don't believe its stingncss
a quarter Of thetime. It's beWuSe theydcn't think.
THEY'VE so much Of everything themselves they
don't realize how others do live. Sally Ann and
Sam might have thought we were stingy to-day,
because didn't bring EN- in load Of one thing
and another from our Arm; I say they might, II
thcy didn't know Just what we really are. But you