The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1865-08-31
CHARITY AT HOME And ABROAD
BY MARY GRACE HALPINE.

| NPS"'nS 1hS uooi Va VuIe
Lanes kitchen.
"Just see here" he added, pointing t,
a large rent on the knee of his trousers
"me and Will Brown were playing tag
and fell down and tore this"
"Why don't you run home and ge
your mother to mend it, Johnny?" sale
Mrs Lane, as she did her best to bring
together the severed parts.
"Oh /! cause mother amt at home
She's gone to the Society for Clothing
Destitute Children"
destitute children ~ calculated Mrs.
Lane, as she surveyed her nephew from
head to foot. off you don't come under
that class, then never child did Why,
you are all rags and tatters v'
"l know it, aunt," moodily responded
the boy; "but it aint my fault. Mother
says she amt no time to mend my clothes,
aud if she did, they'd be just as bad the
next day so what's the use Father said
last night, that l looked like little hea-
then, and he almost wished l was, for
mother would then think l was worth
looking after little"
"Have you had any supper Johnny ?"
"No," said the boy, casting longing
look at the generous piece of pumpkin
pie that his aunt was cutting "mother
left some cold victuals on the table for
father and me, but"
"Well," interrupted the good woman,
putting the pie upon a plate, and adding
to it couple Of the doughnuts she was
frying, and slice of cheese, ;'you just
take this, and mind you don't leave bit"
Johnny lost no time in obcying his
auut's peremptory but by no means IN
pleasant injunction, and the contents of
the plate rapidly disappeared before his
energetic assault.
al wish mother stayed at home, just
as you do, aunt" he said, as he opened
the door, casting lingering look back
upon the cheerful, cozy-looking kitchen.
Il declare, exclaimed Mrs. Lane, as
taking up the rolling pin, she resumed
her labors, "if it isn't "a shame for Nancy
to neglect that boy so. He's so ragged
and dirty that | am actually ashamed of
him-and his mother an active member
of half dozen charitable societies. As for
brother John, he's clean discouraged, and
| don't much wonder at it. [ don't be-
licve he comes home to warm supper
once week. It's my belief that's wo-
mans business first to look after the COM
fort of her own family; then, if she has
any time to do for others, we'll and good
Charity ought to begin at home, if it
don't stay there '
"There's aunt Nancy, now, just CON-
ing into the gate," said her daugh Bet.
sey, as looking up from the apples she
was pairing, she chanced to glance out of
the window.
Indignant as she was, it was not in
good natured Mrs. Lanes heart to refuse
a kindly greeting to her sister-in law,
who was evidently too full of Eer own
concerns to have noticed any lack of cor
diality, had there been any.
Chow dye do, sister Lane. How dye
do, Betsey," she said, seating herself in
tie first chair she came to, as if quite ex-
hausted, though her keen black eyes look
ed as bright as ever. "Always cooking.
| do declare All how it makes my
heart ache to sec you spending SO much
precious time in caring for this poor per-
ishing body"
"Folks can't live without eating" re-
sponded Mrs. Lane, little tartly, as this
remark called to mind what she consid-
cred to be her sister-in-law's remissness
in the care of her family. Leastways, [
haven't found out any other way of liv-
ing"
"You always did make nice doughnuts,
Malinda," said Mrs. Shaw, very compos-
edly helping herself to one.
''These are as light as honey comb"
she added, as she broke it open and pro-
ceeded to dispose of it with evident salts
faction. 81 don't know when | have
made any kind of pastry. Professor
Spare, who lectured here last winter, says
that they are very unhealthy, entirely de-
stroying what he called the digestive ap-
paratus."
ayes, | know" returned Mrs. Lane,
dryly. "Husband invited him home to
tea one day, and l couldn't perceive that
he had any particular objection to my
cakes and pies. Indeed, L remember
thinking, that if it was his ordinary way
of eating, | shouldn't like to be the one
to cook for him. And let folks say what
they may, [ never will think that plain
light pastry, ever hurt anybody. | al
wavs let nv children have it, and they
are as hearty and rosy set of boys and
girls as you can find anywhere; as | am
sure they wouldn't be if they were fed on
Geld, half-cooked victuals, given to them
in any way, and just when it happened"
cit isn't always the rosiest," said Mrs.
Shaw, helping herself to another doug h
nut. "Now, L think of it, [ am certain
that | can see pimple on Betsey's nose
"a sure proof of over eating; and John
Thomas isn't nigh SO strong as my john
nv, who isn't more than a year or SO the
oldest. But l guess I'll do my errand,
and be going. ! called to tell you that
we are going to have fair for the bene-
fit of the onnressed Poles. I'm on the