Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-12-06


Of course was, that the unworthy Je'
departed with the shawl safely stow
ed away IN his pack, leaving Cassi
looking after him from the doOrwa
with the coveted treasure in her han,
and feeling much as if she had sol,
her birthright. Then she went int,
the parlOr and tried il on every par
Of the mantel, but somehow it did no
I'LL as large a space IN reality as II hal
IN Imagination, and she went bacl
dissatisfied.
At first, she thought she would not
tell Harry; but he noticed the little
cloud, and soon elected the whole
story. Let me see the bauble, " was
all his comment. ''Whv, here's g
crack in the cup! Never trade with
a jew, nv Cassie, unless your ewes
are wide open. Then, seeing the
tears start for her disappointment,
added, ''Never mind; the experience
Is the wise teacher, after all
1t Is wonderful what value q lost
article acquires. Cassie's mother
came the next day TO assist IN cover
ing a lounge. After the tidy chintz
rutiio was in place, the old lady said:
Now, Cassie, this fills such a coy
corner IN your kitchen, that Harry
Will be always dropping down upon
I 1t. You had better spread something
over it. Where's your old blanket
/ shawl? That's just the thing?"
Where ?" sure euoughl Cassie
| didn't know. She contented herself
with saying, "By-and-by;" but as the
! old lady was of vigorous disposition
Ehe was obliged to equivocate, saying
she believed it was not there vet; she
had left it some where, and the
subject was dismissed. But the next
week, when sister Lottic came over
with the children to spend the day, it
was in demand again.
Spread your old wollen shawl
down, Cassie; then the baby won't
hurt his nose so often"
Won't this comfortable do just as
well?'
"Why, Cassie CIewes, your new
calico comforter, Don't begin house
keeping by such extravaganza, or
what will you bring Harry to?" and
the thrifty sister grew quite eloquent.
But cassie had to do the best she
could again in accounting for the
missing article.
In the course Of the day her sister
spied the new ornament, and viewing
1t with the critics eye, "Hoped she
did not give many cents for the sham,
cracked too, so that II wouldn't hold
water"
The glitter even was comm" of her
gold. But the revealing of this base
metal was yet before her.
Sitting in the same sunny kitchen,
few weeks later, when the increas-
ing chill rendered the cracking fire a
need, two ladies called upon her.
I'VE are getting up a box to send
to city missionary for distribution:
this frosty air makes one think of the
poor" said Mrs. Morgan, drawing
near the stove.
'And we knew you would be glad
to assist" added Mrs. Niles" 1--WE
only came to tell you of our plan to-
day. Come to the meeting next Fri
day and bring whatever you find you
can spare"
''If you only had that shawl, now,"
said Harry, chow warm it would keep
some poor body's shoulders" Harry
did not mean harm, Of course. He
was only a sad blunderer. like some
other men, and could not know this
was Cassic's first thought, or the tears
she shed.
Friday afternoon came, and Cassie,
with little bundle started for the
meeting.
Il thought perhaps you would feel
disposed to give your old shawl, =" said
her sister, meeting her at the door;
"but you have not got it, 1 see.
Mrs. Niles was diTectresS, and
n h., =
airy who had gone from their quiet
town, and in whom all felt an in
terest, telling of such scenes of suf-
fering and want as brought many
tear to the eye, and closing with
the ever solemn words, "InasmUch
as yc have done it to one of these,
ye have done it to me-"
"Miss Spear will put on the list
of gifts of each, to be kept. Mrs.
ii. Clcwes, two aprons and flannel
sack. Ahem :" called the active di-
rectress, and Cassie felt as though
she was the lump sticking in the
good lady's throat.
"Don't, don't, Cassie" said Har-
ry that evening as, after telling her
story through many tears, the inn
pulsivc wife took up the unOfIend-
ing vase, TO commit it TO destruc-
tiOn. "This shall be its place." and
the young husband gently placed il
on the kitchen mantel over the lit
tie tin bank they had nailed up for
missionary money. at shall stay
there, to teach us both a lesson, that
all gifts are talents for which we
must account to our own conscience
and TO our Master"
Years have passed since then.
Cassie no longer sits in the kitchen
alone of an afternoon, - but in the
family sitting room of the tasteful
home they now call theirs. Nisi-
tors see a ruby vase standing on a
bracket alone, asd under it the tin
mission box, and sometimes in the
twilight the little ones gather about
mammals chair to listen to the oft
repeated story of the shawl that was
lost, the lesson won.