The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-05-29
SUMMER SWEETINGS,
"You might take a basket Of those
summer sweetings down to Widow
SmalPs Bert"

ut WON'T take you teb minutes"
| "No? Where does she live?n
Follow the orcha:d wall, and turr
down Lovers Lane, and it's the frs
cottage on your left-so the servants tel
me; I've never been there" :" - - -
Bert took the basket and followed di
I |recti0ns, and just as he reached the frs
cottage on. the left, the door opened ant
out tumbled ten or dozen children o
all ages. , ..s.., =.
"Is this the widow Small's ?" he asked
of dimpled young person who stood
just inside watching the children's gam
lbols. .... =
YES" said the sweetest voice in th'
world, while two luminous eyes me
his-"yes, this is widow Small's."
my mother, Mrs. Greaterex, send
her these summer sweetings."
"Oh,i thank you Tell Mrs. Greatere1
there.is nothing I like 30 well as sum.
mer sweetings." !" ,... .s. ~
''She sent them with her compll
ments," said Bert, fibbing awkwardly
but feeling that he owed an apology Il
this vision of lovelIness for having
thought of her as an old woman in |
mob cap. ~ ~" ''G j.f.a:.-. 80 ,G"@.
'"'Your mother is very kind. Won
you come III and see my flow ?" .'
| Eyes, 1 will. Are these your chill
drenW he asked. ..,.. - ~, e..i., -.
.''Ehey are my little scholars. Yor
must have mistaken me for the old wo
man who;lived in q shoe!" - -.
'Do you take care Of all these flower!
yourseif?n he asked, while she pointed
out her favorites. "What a poetical em
ployment!" ,..
ooh, it is not poetry, it is poverty
that moves me, "jshe replied. II make
them into bouquets to sell. Let me give
you these for your button hole"
"Thanks and I will order bouque
of you every day" = -.
"Oh, T shall grow as rich as Crnsus
You are too generous. One of my little
scholars shall take it to YOU" .,
No; if you please, will come for Il
myself" u. - - .'.- -;
"Certainly: 1t is time for me to rims
my bell now; recess has been over these
five minutes" 80" " '5.,'t '
II suppose that is hint for me to b
gone wish I was little chap in you
primer class? Good-by, you willsee me
tomorrow. I.l,...s i. 80 i.
:, "Where have you been, Bert ?" sale
Caroline; "the carriage has been wait
ing this half hour" ( 20 -sLui;} -
I! II carried some apples to the widow
Smsll's," answered the guilty Bert
"Mether sent them" "-@'.
"oh, did you? Has she any chill
dren"
1 rGThere were half dozen or more
playing about the premises" answered
Bert, smiling. ...,-.. s. -
Poor folks always have such a lot
Does she have to take care of them her
selfP ., s,,.. +. =, ......
"That seemed to be her occupation
"It must be disagreeable to be old and
poor too; to lose your color, and see
your eyes retreating into your head
your skin growing yellow and wrinkled
and your hair getting gray. Is she al
awful old fright, Bert?"
'You had better 60 and see for your.
self,n laughed her brother, "your taste
is so different from mine. That new
panier, for instance, which, you wore
yesterday, aid thought ylish, is simpl,
hideous to me.p - i" .sa:2o,5.. - :.
'"Oh no. r hate the. neighborhood o
poverty and trouble; squalor gives m.
a qualm. No Twill send her some o
my old gowns-without paniers-if yol
think she'd like them, but don't ask mt
to 70 and see her." And then they
drove round and called on the Uptol
girls, and Caroline lost sight of the poor
widow and her large family in discus
sing the new polanaise and the Iates
style of chignons. But Bert made
amends for his sisters shortcomings
All the time that he chatted with Marit
Upton, holding her scarlet yarns ant
saying gallant nothings, he was com
pairing her with the widow Small, ant
finding flaws III her beauty and demean
or. Only yesterday he had thought
Mariah Upton the prettiest girl in the
world, with whom 1t would not be diff
cult to get madly in love, but just now
she seemed full of aftectations.
"What is on yonr mind?" she ask
ed, suddenly. Excuse ME, but yor
don't appear like yourself"
Nor you either" he might have
replied. $50 much the better per
haps," he said instead. ...
"Allow' me to judge about that
Come, what good have you done
since yesterday ....-
"Good ? Oh yes; I carried basket
of summer sweetings to the Widow
Small. Isn't that good ?"
'.Sweetings are good. She's quite
an antiquity, this widow, isn't she?'
"Don't ask me: a lady's ago is 6
sacred subject"
How consideratcl Does she veal
false front piece and glassesT ....-
lis that an index Of age? | know
a heap of folks whom I never suppos'
ed aged who wear false fronts, if ii
means that they smile when they
would rather frown, and say 4 an
glad to see you when they wish you
in the Red Sea.
"Oh, how provoking you are, Mr.
Grcaterexl But perhaps you will tel
me if this widow Small needs assis
tance-if she would like to 60 into
the Old Ladies' Home which our 50
ciety is about to establish" >. Et .
-,.'How benevolent minded you are
Miss Marial" Bert laughed. "l al
most wish myself an old lady to be
provided for by your charity; but
don't believe that Mrs. Small would
tako kindly. TO- it,. And then the
talk wandered into other channels
Yesterday their Irritation had been
in danger of falling into q more ten,
der strain today the widow Small
preserved the equilibrium. But Miss
| Upton bad no mind to give up grounI.dl
once gained. She fancied that she
wished to withdraw from the half
conclusions Of the day before-that
he desired to balance the past account
which made up pretty sum total Of
sugared speeches and balt-uttsred
| declarations, by crediting them all to
friendship. There was IN air of ir
difference about him which she great
| ly mistrusted; but she would not
allow him TO slim through her fingers