Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-05-08
WHOLE NO. 1906
"Let me help you, Susan," said a
nlaasant manly voice

'Let me help you, Susan" said a
pleasant, manly voice"
Sue extracted herself from the maz-
es OF the table-cloth to find Charlie
Goodman beside her Charlie was
working in his south lot, which joined
the Whitakers' garden, and seeing his
neighbor's distress had come to the
rescue, like the kind-hearted fellow he
was.
ooh, thank you, Charlie, said Sue,
with perhaps more color in her cheeks
than the wind was solely responsible
for. 1t was so vexatious to be caught
looking so! And Sue fastened to
roll down her sleeves, and conceal her
bushes under her sm-bonnet, while
Charlie hung up the table cloth, and
let the line down within her reach.
1t is as pleasant for woman to be
helped as for man to help. Sue felt
quite a GLOW of gratitude to Charlie.
"Hownice it is to be tall !" she said.
"I'm ever so much obliged to you"
"Not at ALL Tn glad to do it. A
little body like you ought always to
have a tall man round somewere handy
to help her." said Charlie, looking not
unadmiringly down on the flushed face
and tangled brown curls under the
sun-bonnet
"Nonsence, Charle!" laughed Sue
slyly, STOPPING to pick up a clothes
pin.
Charlie went back to his work, Won
dering he had never noticed before
what a pretty girl Sue Whitaker was
Somehow, Charlie found a great
deal to do in the south lot, that fall.
Any deficiency on his part, hitherto, in
''noticing' Susan was more than atoned
for now. He always had an eye out
in the direction of the Whitaker man.
sion. The number of errands he dis
covered that necessitated his just run
ming over" there was surprising Of
course, he was often thirsty and oblig-
ed to step into the kitchen for drink
of water Then, nothing could be
more natural than that he should stop
and chat a few minutes with Sue.
Rogers might have found pleasant
model for statuette group illustrative
of New England life, in the Whitta-
ker kitchen. consisting of Sue, in a
big bib apron, that only served to set
off her plump round form, with sleeves
rolled up, pie plate gracefully poised
on one little hand, with the other deft-
y cutting the edges of the crust, list
ening with rosy cheeks and downcast
eyes to Charlie, who looks manly and
handsome, IN spite of his shirt-sleeves
and overalls, as he leans! ,!straw nat in
hand, against the pump, and talks with
his lips, of the weather, perhaps, with
his eyes on far different topics.
The interest Charlie took in Mrs.
Whittaker's health was truly touch
ing. He called so often to inquire for
her and listened so politely to all her
symptoms, that Mrs. Whitaker took a
great fancy to him, and was always
telling every one what a remarkably
nice young man Charlie Goodman
was; on which occasions Sue general
ly discovered she had an errand in the
kitchen, Or anywhere out of the room.
In short, Charlie not only loved his
neighbor as himself, but great deal
better
AS for Sue, the memory of the
young school-master had faded like
morning dream. She came to feel
such an interest in Charles prosperi-
ty that, rather than have him waste
so much time, she consented, in the
spring, TO move permanently over to
the Goodman house. Sue made as
brisk and blooming matron as one
often sees, and ''they lived happy for
ever afterward; ;"-as happy at all
events, as is possible in world which
sometimes has sharp trials for even
the most loving and united hearts.
If any one still asks what cured su-
san, 1 shall reply by quoting Miss AL
colt, 'Love and labor, two beautiful
old fashions, that began long ago,
with the first pair in Eden.
CooL-"I want to know" said
creditor, fercely, 'when are you going
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