The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-01-30

Y
the corner and down the street bit, to
neighbor Powley for his meals, still lodging
nj the old house. Mistress Puss however,
transferred her allegiance without reserve,
and daily purred herself to sleep, from pure
content and tranquil happiness, under
Mother Powley's stove. Yes, It was nice to
sit at a large, table surrounded and well COW
cred table. where there were people enough
to talk and laugh, and give the food the
relish which only comes i'll social eating
Hilkiah Bordick, as well as the as cat, felt
in two days sOAwell dOmesticated that he
considered himself satisfactorily established
for life 1t might and doubtless would
have been SO but for this same ministering
providence.
| After some months it fell ont that Mother
Powley fell sick. First Of slow fever, Of
iaundice; and after jaundice, rheumatism.
She was not i'll enough to give the house,
hold cause for much anxiety, but quite i'll
enough to desert the kitchen and pantry
almost entirely. Mary Jane, the eldest
daughter, was teaching school, and it was
a pity to Interfere with that. Ellinora,
the second, was never good for much but
TO crochet edging and make fancy pies; and
Louisa, the youngest, was yet making mud
pies and building 'cubby houses Thus
there was nothing to be expected in the way
OF relief from the internal bureau. Nothing
remained then, as any experienced house,
holder can divine, but To get help from out
side without delay. and nothing could have
happened more OPPORTUNITY for the Pow
ley family, as we'll as MIR. Bordlck, than
that Nancy BLY, should just then leave
working in a laior's shop and consent, as a
neighborly kindness, to come and help
them awhile.
1t was a great day for everybody, from
the eat upward, when this little chiriping
| brOwn-sparrow came into Mr.. POwley $
kitchen. There had not been the like since
Mother Powley first came down with the
fever, and all things seemed TO brighten
of themselves. Pies began to climb Up on
the dresser shelves, cobwehs fell as by ma
( gic, litter and dust skurried out of sight in
a twinkling, dinners came round Just on
time, with everything done to a turn; and
it was a wonder where Il tailoress could
have picked up such an amount OF know
ledge respecting the best ways OF doing all
kinds Of household and sick cookery. The
very sight of her merry face was better Tor
Mother Powley than all the healing en-
brocatioEs, lotions and eliXirs known in
the science of pharmacy. and she began 10
mend from that hour. Slowly, however;
Hilkiah BOraick's ministering providence
saw to that. So there they We're, the lucier
and the shaving, with nothing farther
needed but 4 little friction, which was com.
, ing all III good time.
Bortlick was an early riser, and often
came 10 break fast before one was astir
at Neighbor Powley's but the cheerful
quick little hOuseeper. Then sitting in the
corner while she moved here and there, out
and in, with her busy preparations, he
) watched her as the watch dog might have
I DONE with comfortable satisfied look Of
: unreasoning. unconscious admiration and
, endowment. The tea kettle hummed and
sung, the fire cracked and roared, the mea,
: sputtered and the water in the potato ket.
= tie boiled and beat against the tin cover
! making it dance to an unsteady kind o.
/ fireside music, while the sudden daylight
. of the winter morning frightened and
famed in at the windows, paling and pre-.
sently quenching the light Of the candles
!, In harmony with all these pleasant, cheer.
: full sounds. the sight Of Nancy Bly's brisk
= figure and sunshiny face, perfectly in keep
I. ing with the comfort about, mingled anG
q seemed part. The Kitchen and the house
= keeper set off and became each other, anc
Hilkiah Bordick, in the simplicity of hi:
: unsophisticated heart would as soon have
thought of offering himself in marriage t
y one as to the other He was, nevertheless
!, on the brink Of a great precipice. led blind
= fold and unconscious, and while / am We
= speaking, 10! he totters to the fall.
!, AS the mornings grew longer, Hilklal
came earlier Nancy Bly, was All early risel
!, also, but he sometimes caught the kitchen
!, dark and cold, and then pleased himsel
with surprising her by blazing ire whei
g she came down, started and dazzed by thu
: sudden light. He pumped the water
/ brought wood, ground the knives, and
: nally went so far as to peel potatoes sn'
. cut the meat. All day long the glow o
: neighbor Powley's kitchen warmed hi
;, heart and frightened the whole earth. II
= fancied that was all and he WAS in low
4 with nothing further, never suspectlnl
: that, Nancy Bly, away, the kitchen woul'
:. resolve into four blank walls again, Will
. the place place which held the brown spar
\ row, wherever that might be, would III
y rectly grow home like and shining. Name.
~ Bly, was supporting lame brother, and
E therefore, as she must econonise in he
" own clothing, wearing for her very best go
o connecting gown faded, shabby one whlc
y turned under, till there was no ccmellnes
:, left in it, excepting what was rehecte
= down from her genial pretty face.
= declare, Nancy needs u new gown an
= I'll get her one; she is a good girl and dt
- serves it anyhow said Hilkiah Bordick.
:. That is, he would have said so If had sPc
; ken, which he did not. He made an el
:. pand to Pontocook instead, and brougt
.. home a dress pattern flaming in red an
green, and gay with butterflies and pail
% leaves.
e Here is some stuff / came across til
> other day, and I've no use for 1t, perhaE
YOU will know what it is good for, growle
!, on his way out of the kitchen to II
70 smithy.
Nancy was sensible woman; she full
,e understood and appreciated the generot
g. heart that made the gift, and shrunk frol
IA paining it. So with the truest delicacy ST
r quietly wore the dress, saying nothing b'
,e considering it as timely offering to n
A. helpless brother, who could thereby ha,
IS her worn dress made into warm wrappe
Hilkiah Bordick never thawed into soci'
10 bility whatever happened. He gave no
e. and then q gruff bark, which meant mo-
If than an Grafton from other men, but NJ
y often. Usually when stirred up by
$, rect appeal which would not be answ x.
To- by silent action or an expressive grunt, |
pr cast his eyes upon the speaker with loo
l. beseeching and pathetic, like what com'
se into the eyes Of an intelligent dog, as II
a soul within would fain give some respon
ID but was not able. Finally he learned
a turn his eyes with their eloquent appeal t
ID wards Nancy BLY,, who accepted the tru
m and answered for him SO readily ana nat
i rally, that it seemed quite matter after
course, and the most appropriate thing
or the world.