The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-06-21
SUMNER SwEETIsGs.
"YOu might take a basket of those
summer sweetings down to Widow
Smail'S. Bert. ~

summer sweetings down to Wido'
Small's, Bert"
..Yes, mother mine, if you say So"
ut won't take you ten minutes"
"NO? Where does she live?"
"FOllOw the orchard wall, and tur
down Lovers lane, and it's the frs
cottage on your left-sO the servant
tell me; I've never been there"
Bert took the basket and follOwe
directions, and just as he reached tn
first cottage on the left the door Opene
and out tumbled ten of a dozen chill
dren of all ages.
"Is this the widow Small's ?" he ask
ed of dimpled young person VIII
stood just inside watching the chill
dren's gambols.
eyes" said the sweetest voice in tn
| world, while two luminous eyes me
his-"yes, this is the widow SmalPs.
"My mother, Mrs. Greaterex, send
her these summer sweetings."
"Oh, thank you Tell Mrs. Greatere,
that there is nothing L like so well a
summer sweetings."
"She sent them with her compli
ments," said Bert, fibbing awkwardly
bat feeling that he owed an apology t.
this vision of lOveliness for having
thought of her as an old woman in ;
mob cap. .e
"Your mother is very kind. Won
you come in and see my flowers?"
"Yes, will. Are these your chill
dren?' he asked.
'"They are my little scholars. You
must have mistaken me for an ole
woman who lived in her shoe v'
"DO you take care of all these flowers
yOurself?" he asked, while she pointed
out her favOrites. "What a pOeticaI
employmentW
"Oh, it is not poetry, it is poverty
that moves me-" she replied. "1make
them into bouquets to sell. Let me
give you these for your buttOn-hOle."
Thanks; and l will order bouquet
of you every day."
ooh, l shall grow as rich as Croesus.
You are too generous. One of my little
scholars shall take it to you."
mo; il you please, l will come for
it myself"
Certainly. 1t is time for me to ring
my bell now; recess has been over
these five minutes"
81 suppose that is q hint for me to be
gone / wish / was a little chap in
your primer class! GOod-by, you will
see me tomorrow"
"Where hare you been, Bert?" said
Caroline; "the carriage has been wait
ing this half hour"
~ carried some apples to the widow
Small's," answered the guilty Bert.
aMnthar oanf Thorn "
"Oh. did you" Has she any chill
dren?n
"There 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
herself?n
THAT seemed to be her occupation"
ut 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 wrin-
kled, and your hair getting gray. Is
she an awful old fright, Bertw
"YOu had better go and see for your
self" laughed her brother, ''yOur taste
is So different from mine. That new
panier, for instance, which you wore
yesterday, and thought so stylish, is
simply hideOus to me-"
ooh no. hate the neighborhOod of
power: y and trouble; squalOr gives me
qualm. No; will seni her some OF
my old gowns-withoutp paniers-ify you
think she'd like them, but don't ask
me to go and see her." And then
they drove round and called on the
Upton girls, and Caroline lost sight Of
the poor widow and her large family
iu discussing the new polOnaise and
the latest style of chignOns But Bert
made amends for his sisters shortc0m-
ings. All the time he chatted with
Maria Upton, holding her scarlet yarns
and saying gallant nOthings, he was
her with the widow Small,
and finding flaws in her beauty and
demeanor. Only yesterday he had
thought Maria Upton the prettiest girl
in the world, with whom it would not
be difficult to get madly in love, but
Just now she seemed full of affectatiOns.
"What is on your mind ?' she asked,
"Excuse me, but you don't
appear quite like yourself"
Nor you, either" he might have
TeDtIeus DO tuc Dcttcl, pei
haps," he said instead.
"Allow me TO judge about that.
Come, what good have you done since
yesterdayY
"Good? Oh yes; 1 carried a basket
Of summer sweetings 10 the widow
Small. Isn't that gOOd?"
"Sweetings are good. She's quite
an antiquity, this widow isn't she?'
"Don't ask me; lady's age is a
sacred subject" -
"How cOnsiderate! Does she wear
a false front piece and glasses ?"
as that an index of age? know a
heap of folks whom | never supposed
aged who wear false fronts, if it means
that they smile when they would
rather frOwn, aud say II am glad to see
J ou" when they wish you in the Red
sea-" 4-
"Oh, how provoking you are, Mr..
But perhaps you will tell
me if this widow Small needs assist
ance-if she would like to go into the
Old Ladies' home which our society is
about to establish T'
"How benevOlent-minded you are,
Miss Maria % Bert laughed. "I al
most wish myself an old lady to be
provided for by your charity; but l
1on't believe Mrs. Small would take
kindly to it." And then the talk wan
iered into other channels. Yesterday
their Irritation had been in danger of
falling into a more tender strain to-
lay the widow Small preserved the
But Miss Upton had no
mind to give up ground once gained.
She fancied that he wished to with
Draw from the half. f.cOnclusions of the
days before-that he desired to balance
the past account, which made up
pretty sum total of sugared speeches
and half-uttered declarations, by credit
ing them all to friendship There was
an air of indifference about him which
she greatly mistrusted; but she would
not allow him to slip through her fin.
gers SO easily. Publicity of private
affairs was the bugbear of the Great
erex soul had she not received enough
notes and letters from Bert to
answer her purpose? Not that she would
descend to the vulgar necessity of
breach of promise, but where was the
harm of making her understand that
he was compromised?
II have been reading Madame Sc
vigne's correspondence" said she;
and it strikes me that you resemble
each other in possessing the secret of
fine letter writing, when most people
run into twaddle."
"I don't know how to bear myself
under such burden of praise. I feel
that it is undeserved."
"In order to convince you of its
.,orIa,, i hod hoffor oil