Middletown transcript., 1877-03-31
The Seamstress Unpaid.
BY MRS. LUCY E. SANFORD

lie when her face beamed with love and
her tears and smiles seemed frolicing
ID with each other, she was very pretty
,r and sweet.
h The home was full of kinsfolk, and
d hustle, and merriment, and lifelong
t. mates, who came with good wishes,
y good byes and bridal gifts.
d And on that morning came lone
it woman thin and pale, weary and worn
d she was. Very quietly she lay down
!. her heavy bundle
b II could not leave Mamie, last night,
e to bring them," she said gently
o "Ob knew you'd come you never
r disappoint anybody" said the happy
b girl, opening the bundle. How beau
: tifully you have made them Kate,
e Louise, see how nicely Mrs Allen
sews "
0 "I speak for your needle when l get
| married !" cried one
land 1 p laughed the other.
Mrs. Allen needed not, scarcely heard.
! All about her brought back SO wildly
the little while ago when she too stood
between the old life and the new, and
her whole soul quivered with happiness
. when she too leaned, with full love
and trust, Oh one good, kind and true.
Then she heard that shrill whistle of
the proud locomotive; saw it bound
down the deep, dark gorge; heard those
shrieks and means and groaus Then
she thought of that grave, fower-cover-
ed now, where, with a breaking heart,
she had laid that broken body, thank
ing God her own beloved would suffer
no more, and thence came forth to suf-
fer alone Then came sweet thought
of the dear little girl who, in that hour
of bitter sorrow, was her joy: for whom
she lived on then, and for whom (sinee,
in the panic, her means had all been
lost she had labored As thoughts Of
her-her stimulant, her idol, her all
came upon her, she reused herself to
hear:
II am very much pleased with your
work, Mrs Allen, and l am sorry
but. really, money slips through ones
fingers SO at such time, l haven't any
to pay you. Come around tomorrow,
and mother will pay you, and give you |
some flowers and goodies for Mamie"
In dazed way, Mrs. Allen, half
sick and heart-sick, turned to go, but
could not. and said falteringly
''Mamie is sick. and l did hope to
get something for her "
''It is too bad Please go into the
store and ask father to pay you. Tell
him | sent you"
Mrs Allen went to the store, and
asked for the father He was not in
no one knew where he was With o
slow step, for the heavy heart she took
back weighed her down more than the
bundle she brought out, she turned to
her home. Bewildered BY her hope
lessness and need Of food, life seemed
burden she could bear no longer, and
as she crossed her threshold she sank
down. But sweet voice called:
Mamma, dear mamma, what have
you brought me to eat?"
Love winged her tired feet, and she
went to a neighbor near, one who had
always been kind to and thoughtful for
her She had never begged, and now
she would but borrow. The neighbor
had gone to get present for the bride
She went to the road, looked up and
down. then desperately turned back,
asked for pencil and paper, and wrote
it all.
The neighbor came in late. 1t had
not been easy to find anything the like
of which had not been selected by some
one; the teapot was smoking and she
was chilled, and the family impatient
So tea was over and toilets commenced
as quickly as possible.
The church and the home were dress
ed with flowers; the bride looked never :
so we'll /; the presents were very med. =,
ley Of rich and simple, useful and use
less, delicate and common, but by their !
number fattery and charm And
life and light and joy was in all and !
over all.
The morning of SO bright night
found all the gay town weary and dull
and lazy. Over late breakfasts they re- v
lived the last evening Half-envious l
criticism Of dress, sarcastic imitation of 1
manners, just and unjust, took the place e
Of the hOneyed praises and sweet smiles e
Of the last night D
And the heavens, too, were changed. Il
Where shone the crescent moon and the a
brilliant stars now were cloud masses a
charged with snow. Slowly and calmly +
the storm commenced, heavy and thick 9
it grew. The fierce wind came up and Il
caught the little fakes aud hurled them o
and whirled them about. All the day D
long, all the night long, earth and air n
and sky were snow and nought could a!
be heard but the bowling winds. v
Much of the dull day and all the el
night the neighbor had slept, and, with a.
bright eyes and rested body, looked out 1
on the clear, broad. unbroken expanse 1t
pure, clean, white, and dazzling in al
he sunbeams, looked across to Mrs ia
Aliens cottage, and at breakfast said IL
10 her husband sc
"As soon as the snow-ploughs have N
been along, I wish you would sead ii
John over to dig Mrs. Aliens path IT
Certainly, certainly No woman al
could dig through this snow +" ca
"Sbe just looked sick-a- bed when she ca
vas afther writiu' her letter to yez," %
poke the girl. bl
Writing letter to me When 2" to
when yes afther buyin' your pris- 1
mt" bl
why didn't you tell me p th
"Faith, ma'am, put it'on the rack, til
where ye always tells me to-"
"Go. get it"
She could scarcely read it through ca
Ter tear-dimmed eyes W
mo wood, no FIRE, two days ago br