The true northerner., 1873-01-03

| DO you 90, Detsy ioiy e'aiNeo u
death"
"You can't cheat me-can't cheat
me ~ screamed Polly, back again.
"Can't cheat me! Polly's starved to
| death ~
"Goodness how human that voice is
once in WHILE" said the lone woman
with little shudder.
All of sudden Betsy's countenance
changed, and she looked over field and
meadow, now covered with their warm
robes of snow, and glanced back again
at the comfortable room, bright, neat
and cheerful, but so lonely a choking
sob escaped her, and she leaned her
head against the pane and burst into
| tears. What a commotion this sob
rai:el among Betsy's companions
| Brutus arose, ana stretched out his
| front paws, as if TO see whether they
were as reliable as when he went to
sleep, walked slowly toward his mistress
and then elevated said paws to his
shoulder, looked into her face with
such sympathy apparent in the almost
human eyes, that Betsy, throwing one
arm around the black, shaggy neck,
wept afresh at his dumb token of love.
Pussy, not to be outdone. jumped upon
the table, rubbed softly against the dis-
engaged arm, purring the while an af.
fectionate little accompaniment to the
loving motion. Poll shrieked from her
perch:
"Poor Polly poor Betsy Poll is
starved to death Hurry up ~
Betsy's sense of the ludicrous and
humorous was quite as keen as the sense
Of her own loneliness, and when patting
Brutus on the neck, she burst into a
hearty laugh. The delight of the ami
mails knew no bounds-the cat jumped
over the dogs back, the dog barked and
the parrot screamed, and passer-by
would certainly have thought from the
noise that Betsy Partridge had large
family of children who were celebrating
New Years according to their own
sweet wills.
q suppose | might as well be setting
the table," murmured Betsy. Just as
likely as not, somebody will drop in. |
almost wish I'd invited little company
from the village 1t isn't Just the thing
for woman to be so much alone. One
grows morbid and awry with constant
solitude"
Betsy then proceeded to the oven,
and, drawing out the two fat chickens,
as brown as a berry on both sides, com.
menced to drench them with but
tered gravy which filled the bottom of
the pan-all the while talking to her.
self.
you're an old fool, anyway, Betsy
Partridge ! Just to think of what has
steadied your nerves, and kept you
willing and able to work all these long
years Just think of it Nine weary,
heartaching years Now another one
has commenced to roll around, and still
you wait. Great heavens for whom
for what? For Amasa Carter, you
ridiculous old maid And the last you
heard of him was that he was married
Pretty business, wasn't it? Don't you
think, Miss Betsy, that you were trifle
too fast when you turned the man you
loved from your door, because you
smelt liquor in his bresth-and the first
time, too, Miss Partridge? | de, and
have for some years. And then 10
think of poor Silas going away the same
tine, and never coming back Could it
be judgment on me for my treatment
of Amasa? Well, well Was there
ever woman so thoroughly alone as
this forlorn old maid p
Betsy drew out the table, covered it
with spotless damask, and then piled |
on the good things. There were Gran.
berry sauce, and apple jelly, tiny bis.
cults, and all kinds Of vegetables, and,
at the head Of the table, the twin
"They say Swedenborgians always
set chairs at the table for their recent |
doad am going to make places for
my dead and living both. There!n as
the last touch was given to the we'll. |
filed board. " Brutus, / wish | had |
trained you to carve. Upon my word,
Poll, haven't the least heart for this
dinner, after ALL"
Poll replies, in her usual manner, that
she was starved to death and then
Betsy leaned back in her chair, and
thought-this time silently.
Poor Betsy Partridge This was lone
iness, indeed and none but born
saint or heroine could have endured
such life.
Betsy was both, according to the ideas
Of most of her friends and acquaintar-
,es and one thing was certain no wo-
nan in the county was more admired
md respected than this old maid, Betsy
Partridge.
The crunching of the snow at the side
IF the cottage awakened Betsy from her
iream.
"That good.for nothing Jake ~ said
he. " said, likely as not somebody'd
De here. III let the scamp sit right
iown to the table with me, if he's any
Ways decent"
Jake was the bov who came round
,nce or twice week, to do up out
,ide chores which were too heavy for
Betsy.
why don't the young one come
n? He amt usually as backward as
his ?n
Up jumped Brutus, and, with low
park of recognition, made for the door.
= Who under the sun can it be p con.
inued Betsy. Brutus seldom behaves
ike this :"
The bright winter sun poured into
he cozy kitchen, as Betsy opened the
ioor 10 let the dog out, who had de.
'ided symptoms of desire and ability TO
ear 1T down In case of refusal.