The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-05-20
SuMuER SMEErINns.

A. You might take basket Of those SUM-
NOR sweetiRgs down to Widow Smalrs,
Bert.h
"Ycs, mother mine, Ii you say so."
at won't take you ten minutes
moi Where does she liyeip
"FollOw tho orchard wall and turn
down Lovers Lane, and It's the first cot
tage on your loit-sO the servants tell me;
I've never been therc.n
Bort tool; the basket and followed di.
rections, and just rs he reached the first
cottage on tue left, the door opened and
out tumblel ten or . dozen children of all
ages.
It's this the widow Small'sin he asked
Of dimplCd young pCrsonwho stood just
inside wlsching tho clildren's gambols.
"Yes," said the sweetest voice in the
world, while two luminous eyes met his
--"yes, this Is the widow Smalrs."
"My mother, Mrs. GreateteS, sends her
these summer sweetings."
"oll, thank you Tell Mrs. Greatercx
that there Is nothing like so well rs sum
mer sweetings.h
"She sentthem with her compliments y
said Bert, ilbbing awkwardly, but ioeling
that he owed an apology to this vision Of
lovelinoss for having thought Of her as an
old woman in mob cap.
"Yopr mOtheris very kind. Won't yoS
come in and sec my ilowersp
"Yes, | will. Are these your childreni'
ho asked.
"They are my little scholars. You
must have mistaken me for the old woman
who lived in slloel''
"Do you take care of all these flowers
yourselfin he asked, while she pointed out
her favorites. "Whut a poetical employ
mentin
"0h, It Is not poetry, tits poverty that
moves me- she replied. " ! make them
into bouquets to sell. Let Inc give you
these for your button hole"
"ThanEs; and Twill order q bouquet
of you every day.
"Oh, shall grow rs rich as CrGsus.
You an0too generous. One Of my little
scholars shall take 1t to YOU ,
"No; ifyou please, / will come for it
myself"
"oertuinly. Its time for mo to ring
my bell now; recess has been over these
five minptesn
"l suppose that's a hint for me to be
gone. wish l vas little chap in your
primer classl GoOd.by, you will see me
tomorrow.
"Wlere have you been, Bertih said
Caroline; "the carriage has been waiting
this half hours
"I carried some apples to the widow
small's," answered the guilty Bert.
"Mother sent them"
Eoh, did youl Has she any children"
tTherc were half a dozen or more
playing about the premises" answered
Bert. smiling.
"Poor folks always have such lot.
Does she have to take care Of them her.
selfim
"That seemed to be her occupation"
1T must 10 disagreeable to be o.d and
poor too; to lose your color, and see your
eyes ietreating into your head, yonr skin
growing yellow and wrinkled, and your
hair getting gray. Is slo an awful old
fright, Bertp
"You had better 90 and sec for your.
self. laughed her brother, "your taste Is
so different from mine. That new panier,
for instance, which you woro yesterday,
and thought SO stylish, Is simply hidcOus
to mel
@oh no. Ihate the neighborhood Of
poverty and trouble squnlor gives mo a
aualm. No; / will send her semo Of my
old without paniers-if you think
shed like them, but don't ask me to go
and see her, And thea they drove
round and called on the Upton girls, and
Caroline lost sight Of the poor widow aud
her large family in discussing the new po-
lanaise and the latest style of chignons.
But Bert made amends for his sisters
shortcomings. All the time that he chat
ted with Maria Upton, holding her scarlet
yarns and saying gallant nothings, he was
comparinghcr with the widow Small, and
finding flaws in her beauty and demean0F'
Only yesterday he had thought Maria Up
ton the prettiest girl in the world, with
whom Il would not be difficult to get
madly In love, but Just now she seemed
full 0f affeclations.
"What is on your mind " sho asked,
suddenly. Excuse me- but you don't
appear like yourselfn
hNor you eliher,n no might have re.
piled. $50 much the better perhaps"
he said instead.
"Allow me to Judge about that,
Come, what good have you done since
yesterdayr
"Goodl oh yes; carried a basket Of
summer sweetings to the Widow Small.
Isn't that goodh
"Sweetings are good shes quite an
antiquity, this widow, lsn't she !"
"bont ask me ladys age is a sacred
subject"