The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-02-20

minute.
"Who Comes? Who is it, Alpie?"
But there was no answer, for Alpie
was already inside the house, wishing
that she could dust everything, the lit
tie sitting-room, Aunt Saidee, the
brown house, and all with gold; she
did SO wish to have the californian
think well of them all.
"Mother mother!" cried Alpie,
rushing through the tidy sitting-room
to the kitchen, there's a gentleman
come to see Aunt Saidee!'
"a gentleman Why, Alpie Luce I"
Yes, mamma.
And Alpie was in minute by Aunt
Saidee's side, and there also was Mr..
Bacon, the editor of the Weekly Bless
ina, walking across the bit of yard that
Law between the gate and the house.
Alpie smiled and blushed, and wished
she knew just what she ought to do
but before her wish was gratified, Mr..
Bacon said:
"Good morning, my little friend
Will you introduce me to your aunt,
Miss Perley?"
"Why, this is aunt Saidee! L
thought you would knoaO," said Alpie
And tell her, please, that am con-
nected with the Weekly Blessing"
Then aunt Saidee and Mr.. Bacon
shook hands and began to talk to-
gether, and Alpie stole away to tell her
mother all about it.
In the time we have been telling this
story, the poor little red COW was wan
dering farther and farther from home.
She was, as Alpie had said, "clear"
lost. High up on one of the hills of
the White mountain range poor man
had made for himself home. Even
in New Hampshire there was no land to
be obtained without money, and he had
none.
His winter and summer fuel he drew
down from the heights above him, and
he had cleared and cultivated a little
space of land about his hut. The
pathway that led to this place Blessing
got into and followed until she came to
the hut on the height.
The little red COW could not have
strayed to any spot where she could
have been more of a blessing than to
the inhabitants of the rude dwelling.
They welcomed her with a gladness
that exceeded that of her arrival mt
the little brown house in the autumn of
the previous year.
Hungry, ragged uncared for little
children shouted, "a COW COW has
come ~ They gathered about Blessing,
patting their brown hands on her and
cried out, go well keep her Wen
keep her We've got cow"
AS for Blessing, she was glad of a
kind word or touch from anybody.
1--WE didn't steal it, it Just come to
us, and nobody will ever find it out up
here, so of course we're just agoing to
have it., said the eldest little boy of
the family, carefully detaching the bell,
lest its tinkling should be heard on
some still, sound-bearing night in the
valley below.
Mr.. Bacon made his call and was
gone. Aunt Saidee watched him safely
out of sight, then she began to cry,
and all the long burden of the years
during which she had been imprisoned,
seemed to gather themselves heavily
together, and then they rolled away in
the tears.
"What is it, Saidee o. urged Mrs.
Luce, who had never known her to
shed so many tears in all her life.
80, Auntie tell me; did he say any
thing to make you feel bad" ques-
toned Alpie.
81 told you Blessing was coming
back, Alpie, and it has come, and / can
go to the mountains now.
How? What? When?" asked Mrs.
Luce and Alpie.
"why," said Aunt Saidee. "Tve
made an engagement.
"Oh oh E" they cried in q breath.
you're not going to marry the editor
man."
ooh hush l" cried the little lady.
"You know better. / was going to say
that l had made an engagement to
write every week for the Weekly Bless.
ing, and l am to get money enough fol-
us all to live upon"
Then / just hope our Blessing has
gone to some folks that are great deal
Aunty-poor enough to be awful glad
to get her.
1 think if the little boy who took of
the cows bell lest the owner in the val
ley below should hear the sound of it
could have heard Alpie's words, h,
would have left the bell on, and enjoyed
the tlnkle OF 1T many days.
"That is right, Alpie, even though
you did say awful poor and awful glad
/ hope so too. Perhaps Blessing knew
OF the good things in store for us, anC
so took herself off where she would b,
more of Blessing than to us, for nov
we can go away from here when the
SHOWS fall. ;"
"And see the great world? o Aunty
Aunty DO you mean it ?" Alpie haC
very strong wish to see what lay be
yond the circle of mountains that haC
always closed her life in.
Yes, mean it, Alpie, and it would
not have happened had Blessing staiC
at home therefore don't complain whei
dark looking things come to you, anC
always try to do your utmost to max,
them turn out, as this has done, o bless
ing greater even than our Blessing, 70
had you not done your best to find tin
COW, Mr. Bacon would not have known
that there was such little girl anon,
the white hills of New Hampshire as on
Alpie. "-HedrM and Home.
, Adde'S Wisdom.
, "Good afternoon, my dearies ! anC
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