Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-08-17


of that
There's danger of anything between
your butter-iingers, Ann. SO if it should
happen what theny
The Lord will provide said Miss Ann,
sweetly.
The Lord helps them that help them
selves said Miss keturah. Well, I'm
gone. I'D wrestle longer with you ii it was
any use-you're ss set AS Lots wife. i
suppose she said, turning round after she
had reached the door, you'll come and see
me before you go. rve-l've something
you might take Jack; you know I've been
knitting socks all the year and we've no
men-folks.' and then she was gone.
Poor Miss Keturah--s good soul after
her own fashion, which was not Miss Mog
earldge's fashion, once she expected the
wicked Jack TO come home from sea and
marry ner; and the expectation and the
disappointment together had knit a bond
between her aud his sister that endured a
great deal OF stretching and striving. The
ueighbors said that she had pious spells :;
but If that were so, certainly these spells
were sometimes so protracted as almost to
become chronic. and 10 fact frequently TO
assume the complexion OF a complaint ;but
they never hindsred her from driving a
bargain home 10 the head, from putting
royal exactions on the produce of her dsi-
ry. from sending her small eggs to market
and from disputing every bill, from the
taxmans to the tithes that ever was pre-
sented at her dopr. But it is probable that
somewhere down under that crust Of hers
there was a drop of honey to award the adj
yeuturous seeker, aud Miss Ann always
declared that she knew where To find it.
So Miss Moggaridgc went away from
the scacoast for some seasons, and the
tides ebbed and tlowe.l, aud the moons
waxed and waned, aud the years slipped
of after each other and the villagers found
other matter for their gossip; and most Of
them had rather forgotten her, when
some half-doZen years later she returned,
quite old and worn and sad, having buried
tnr wrrtcnd Jack, and a goOdly portion Of
her modest fortune with him, and bringing
back nothing but his dog as a souvenir OF
OF hls rxi-teucc.-a poor Little shivcrinS
hound that IL no wise met the public APP
probation.
But Miss Mogearidgc did hot long allow
her old acquaintance TO remain unaware
of her return among them. The very day
after arrival a disastrous fire in the village
had lett a family destitute and sheltcries~; !;
aud heading subscription list with a
u
person. AZ she had been wont To do in the
times, til the sight OF her approachiu.
shadow had caused the stingy man 10 flee.
And now. with every rebuff She met. every
complaint Of hard times, bad bargains poor
crops, she altered the hsurc1 against her
own name for those ofa larger amount, till
by nisht-fall the forlorn family had the
means OF being comfortable ain,throush
the goodness OF the village and Miss Mog-
yarid.e; tor had not the village given the
cipher, whatever might be the other d.-
urcs which Miss MOg.artd.e had OF her
SELF prtiixed thereto: True to her instincts
Ms, keturah Meteyard waylald her old
friend next day. I've heard all about IT,.
Ann. - you needn't pretend ignorance.
>hc began. And you may think IL very
fine. but call il totally unpriuciplcd. Are
you Crnsus. or Rothschild, Or the Queem
OF >hcba come again, 10 be running 70 the
relirt IL all the lazy aud shittIcSs folk, Ia
the country Everybody j. talking about
ii; every body i wondering a, you Ann
Esars' s'hn.ls- .-~y .-i''|'''"~ 60, i -.
just as .oon as they please.
Perhaps they will, when they re angels.
The idea of your
But. Kitty. couldn't see those poor
Morri.es without a roof over them; and il
= -
turning like the trodden worm, Il can'l i'm
agine how you could. Why, where on
earth could they goF
There was no need OF seeing them with
out 4 roof. The ueighbors'1 have taken
them III till they rebuilt the place. Per
haps that would have spurred Morri, up
enough 10 make al exertIon,which he nev-
er Lid IN his lie. II he'd been one atom
- y a lT, "A l,ts
IN bank TO fall back on at such time. 1
declare. I've no patience" cried Miss he
turah. with nobody to dispute her. And
any one would be glad of those TWO girls
as help, she continued. Great lazy hulk
ing, fuc ladies they are And the first
thing they'll do with your money will be
TO buy an ingram carpet and looking
glass and a couple OF silk gowns whether
there's enough left ior broom and a I'll, h
cloth or not. Cor cried Mis- ketnrah,
now quite at the climax Of her vrtuous in-
dignation. They could 90 to the poor
house where you'll 90 il some Of your
friends don't take you Ia hand aud have 4
guatdian appointed over YOU
But Miss MoggariGge only laughed ana
kissed her censor good By, and made up her
mind 10 save the sum Oi her prodi.aiity
out OF her own expenses IN some way; by
giving up her nice boarding place, perhaps,
and boarding herself in two or three OF
three rooms of Il house she sull owned.
where she could 90 without groceries and
yoodies. for Instance, in such Things as
fruit and sugar and butter and eggs aud all
the daintirs TO be coucOcted therwiih :;
bread and meat aud milk would keep body
and soul together heaIthily, she reasoned,
and acted on her reasoning. But Instead
of making good by this economy. the SUN
she had extracted from her hoard, she pres
emily found that the saving thus accom-
plshed had been used upon the outfit OF d
poor young minister going to preach to the
Queen of Madagascar. Miss keturah was
not so loud in her disapproval OF this as of
some of Miss Moggardge's other less &C.
centric charities; but as giving away In
any shape was not agreeable TO her, she
could not help remarhing that, II she were
Miss Aoggaridge. sh" should ieel AS II she
had leat IA hI.u Il ~ licip cast hlm into a Il
Sry furnace, for that would undoubtedly
be the final disposition Of the unfortunate
Young minister by the wicked savages
whittier he was bound. She herself only
bestowed upon him some OF her knitted
socks to walk to the furnace in. What she
did cavil at much more was the discovery
that Miss Moggaridge was living
alone. without help, Ann Moggarldge
she said, laying her hands along her knees
in an attitude OF fine Egyptian despair
And pinching yourself TO the last extrem-
ity, IN be bound, for these Morrises and
Young ministers and what not! What
would your father say to see it? And if
YOU should be sick in the middle of the
night and no one near to hear you call
The Lord'll provide for me Kitty said
Miss Moggaridge, for the thousandth time.
He won't provide full-grown servant
girl, sprnging up out of nothing
But there's no need Of worry, dear. with
such health as mine
ITS tempting providence"
Tempting Providence TO what!
Ami said Miss Keturah. severely, j
don't understand how any one as good as
you,-for you are good in spite of yOul
faults
There is none good but One,' Miss Mos
garidge gently admOuishsd her.
AS good as you continued Mis- keturaf
obviously, and enjoying your lifelong
prviledges, can indulge in levity and Sc
often 60 SO near the edge OF blasphemy
without shudder.'
Dear Kitty said Miss Ann, laughing
I'VE shall never agree though we love eacl
| other SO much; SO where is the use! Fo