, 1863-03-12

" a great bag Of nuts, all mixed up, walnuts and
butternuts and chestnuts. reckon they'll make
little Mol open her eyes"
"And I'll send cousin Sally two Of my chickens,"
and little Sues eyes sparkled and dimples danced
oil over her sunny face.
"And ri put in roll Of butter and cheese
and a ten-quart pail Of applesauce and I'll bake
one Of my biggest lOaves Of bread for her; reckon
homemade bread, wet up with new milk, will be
quite treat to them"
{" And, mother, put in some doughnuts and
cookies" cried Jimmy.
"And o! mother, make her nice loaEcake, with
raisns in it, and sugar on the top-white sugar,
mean,"
"Yes, yes, Susan, and I'll send her couple Of
gallons Of new milk, and quart or soof sour cream,
to mix up few biscuits. Idon't suppose she's had
cream biscuit these two years. Dear me; but
don't know how city folks do live SO from hand to
mouth. Iieckon Sally Ann is sorry enough now
she ever persuaded Sam to go there to live. To
be sure, he wasn't making much at his trade here,
but then their rent was only triei and their gar
den kept them in vegetables the year round, and
they had COW and could make their own butter,
and once in Q while change milk with o neghbor,
and make cheese or two, and they could fatten a
couple of pigs every year, and keep hens and have
fresh eggs and raise oil the fruit they needed but
winter apples Their currant-bushes were doing
Well Wnen tuey ieit Wnue tneir cneIty ueeo auiusi
broke down, and their plums and peaches would
have borne, in year or two, plenty. Andlow
they don't have anything but what they buy. Its
too bad wouldn't stand it."
"NOr either, mother This putting ones hand
in his pocket every time he wants bite ant just
the thing, according to my notions. Sam tried
hard to have me 90 when hedid. But Igave him
u right fiat no. Says /, Sam, may be won't
make as much money as you, but III live deal
sight better Poor fellow, wonder how he'd feel
tOhappen in ist now and set hiseyes on this table,
And yet We don't think this Is anything extra at
least nothing but the biscuits" And swallowing
the last bit Of the fifth one, he reached out his plate
for piece Of the pumpkin pie.
Mrs. Smith thought 1t favorable opportunity
to Rsk the question that had been on her lips ever
since he came in. ...
"Did you get your money, father, todayi"
al reckon / did, mother" and he clapped his
right hand on his breast pocket. ~ reckon I've
got hundred dollars bid here; bran new bills, too
every one Of 'em. No, not quite o hundred for
after ! got 'em, went and bought pound Of tea
and dollars worth Of sugar, and gave em to Sally
Ann, for couldn't bear that any Of my connec-
tious, and woman, too. should Be drinking cold
water all the time. Don't they look goodl" and,
opening the old leather pocketbOOk, he took them
out aud counted them over. Five tens is fifty
nine 6ves is fortyye, and this three is ninetyeght
just IT," -...'.......
"Tm 50 glad you got It, father. I've worried
all day for fear they'd dsappoint you, and goodness
knows what would have become Of us this winter,
IL they had" ........ .s...
And I'm glad, too" shouted Jimmy " for now
| shall have new boots and new cap, q store cap,
such as other boys wear, and q new OVerc0at out
Of fathers old One and q new jacket and pants.
Hurrah, boys, aint glad" and he showed his chair
back hastily, and picking up the old cap which his
mother had fabricated the winter before, out Of
bits from her ragbag, be sent it, as he said, "a
kiting."
"And I'll have new dress, won't l, motherf"
said little Susan, very earnestly; "a new dclaine
dress, red one, with little black dots over it. o
dear, won't it be funny, to have dress right out
Of the store. I've had to have mothers old ones
cut over for me till I'm tired. And I'll have your
cloak now, won't 1? and new shoes and belt
mother all the little girls wear belts"
"And what1l this little fellow haveT said the
mother, cheerily, as she took up the growing baby
out Of the cradle "Hell have = new dress, too,
won't he, fatherH" and she held the little soft face
close to the farmers lips.
May BE- may be" be said, as he tossed the little
one to the ceiling half dozen times "There, take
him now, mother, for must unhitch the horses and
get them into the stable. BORRies are tired and
hungry by this time" and he hurried away.
The chores were all done and the children put TO
bed. The farmer sat in his easy chair, which was
tilted back against the oven door, and looked the
picture Of homey comfort, with his legs crossed so
lazily, his arms folded so eozily, and his pipe Of
clay set so snugly between his lips. His wife sat
in her low rocker with the stand drawn closely to
her, though the blaze from the hickory FIRE rem
dered the light Of the candle almost unnecessary.
Her knitting.wOrk lay beside the snufers ready to
take up as soon as the last stitch was set In the
long patches with which she was covering the holes
in the knees Of Jimmy's trowsers. The cradle stood
near by so close that her loot touched II lightly IL
the baby stirred. The fire cracked aud blased
the farmer smoked and seemed lost in thought; the
wife sewed, end she, too seemed lost IN thought.
By and by she hung the mended trowsers on the
foot Of the cradle, saying, as she did so: "There,
hope it's the last time I'll have them to patch"
Then she took up the double mitten she was knit
ting for her husband and her fingers flew as il his
hands were bare, though, il the truth be told, be
had two pairs yet in the stockngbag, besides those
he yet carried in his pockets But she was thrifty
wife, and always ahead with her knitting "Im
80 glad you got that money, father" she said after
a while. He did not answer her, but pufied away
at the old pipe. Presently she spoke again Shall
you be using the team tomorrow, father 7"
why, motherT
because, l thought il You wasn't, I'd have you
drive me up to the store Now we've got the mo-
ney we may as well get our clothes first as last,
and have them cut, and then when get minutes
time can be making them. It'll take me nearly
all winter, any way. don't suppose Greys got
his winter stock yet but can buy twenty thirty
dollars worth out Of what he's on hand"
Mr.. Smith did not reply at once. lie smoked
out his pipe Knocked out the ashes, aud laid ii on
the she'll Heset his chair forward on its four legs
drew of his boots and planted his feet on the front
round, and then putting IN elbow on each knee, he
rested his face on his hands. II was his usual at
titude when be was going to talk seriously and bis
wiieIs heart began 10 rise in her throat.
"What would you have done, wife, surprising
hadn't got that Ouey Z" he said after clearing bis
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