The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-03-21

COnfers
$50 YOU are going to live in the same
building with Hetty Turnpenny," said
Mrs. Lane to Mrs. Fairweather 1ou
will find nobody to envy you. 1t her
temper does not prove too much even
for your good nature it will surprise all
who know her. We lived there II
year, and that is as long as anybody ever
tried it."
Poor Hetty"' replied Mrs. Fair
weather, she has had much to harden
her. Her mother died too early for her
to remember; her father was very severe
with her; and the only lover she ever
had, borrowed the savings of her years
of toll, and spent them in dissipation.
But Hetty, notwithstanding her sharp
features and sharper words, certainly
has kind heart. In the midst of her
greatest poverty many were the stock
ings she knit, and the warm waistcoats
she made, for the poor drunken lover
whom she had too much sense to marry.
Then YOU know how she feeds and
clothes her brothers orphan child"
"If you call it feeding and clothing"
replied Mrs. Lane. THE poor child
looks cold and pinched, and frightened
all the time as if she were chased by the
east wind. I used to tell Miss Turn
penny she ought to be ashamed of her
self, to keep the poor little thing at work
all the time, without one minute to
play. If she does but look at the cat as
it runs by the window, Aunt Hetty gives
her a rap over the knuckles. used
to tell her she would make the girl just
such another sour old crab as herself"
"That must have been very improy-
ing to her disposition" replied Mrs.
Pairweather, with good-humored
smile. But in justice to poor Aunt
Hetty. you should remember that she
had lust such cheerless childhood her.
self. Flowers grow where there is sun
shine"
"I know you think everybody ought
to live in the sunshine" replied Mrs.
Lane: land it must be confessed that
you carry it with you wherever you 60
If Miss Turnpenny has heart, l dare
say YOU will find it out, though l never
could, and 1 never heard of any one else
that could. All the families within hear
ing of her tongue called her the neigh
bor-in-law"
Certainly the prospect was not very
encouraging; for the house Mrs. Fair
weather proposed to occupy was not
only under the same roof with Miss
Turnpenny, but the buildings had one
comm IN yard in front. The very first
day she took possession OF her new hab-
itation she called on the neighbor-in-
law. Aunt Hetty had taken the precau-
ton to extinguish the fire, lest the new
neighbor should want hot water, before
her own coal and wood arrived. HeI
first salutation was, "If you want
any cold water, there's a pump across
the street. 1 don't like to have my
house stopped all over"
81 am glad you are so tidy, neighbol
Turnpenny," replied Mrs. Fairweather
at is extremely pleasant to have neat
4lsighbors. 1 will try to keep every
thing as bright as a new five cent piece
feF see that will please you. came
merely 10 say good morning. and to ask
YOU if yeu could spare little Peggy tc
run up and down stairs for me, while
am getting my furniture in order.
= will pay her sixpeRee an hour"
Aunt Hetty began 10 purse up hel
mouth for a refusal; but the promise OF
sixpence an hour relaxed her features al
once. Little Peggy sat knitting q
stocking very diligently, with rod ly-
ing on the table beside her She looked
up with timid wistfulness as if the pros
pect of any change was like a release
from prison. When she heard consent
given, bright color flushed her cheeks
She was evidently of an impressible
temperament, good or evil. "Now mind
and behave yourself" said Aunt Hetty
!" and see that you keep at work the
whole time if hear one word of COM
plant you know what you'll get when
YOU come home" The rose color sub,
sided from 'Peggy's pale face, and she
answered, "Yes, ma'am," very meekly.
In the neighbor's house all went quite
otherwise. No switch lay on the table
and instead of, mind how You do that
if YOU don't I'll punish you," she heard
the gentle words, "There dear, see how
carefully you can carry that up stairs
Why, what NICE handy little girl You
nre!"
Under these enlivening influences
Peggy worked like bee. Aunt Hetty
was always in the habit OF saying" Stol
your noise, and mind your work" Bu
the new friend patted her on the heaC
and said, "What q pleasant voice th'
little girl has. 1t is like the birds in th'
fields. BY and by you shall hear my
music box"
This opened wide the windows of th'
little shut up heart, so that the SUNSHINE