Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-11-28
PATTY BRIGHT.
A Thanksgiving story.

ncr cnln IN ler llaHtS. IA huSc WhiIe
bowl .ot stoned raislus standing by her
showed what she had been doing. But
it could be very plainly seen that Pat
ty's thoughts were resting on some
thing very different.
The truth IS 'Hard Times" was
staring Patty in the face, and, al
though he looked very ugly, Patty
was staring back at him steadily and
unhinchingly.
1t was not at all necessary for, as
far as she was concerned, she had new
er known the meaning OF poverty.
Fortune had been very kind to Miss
Patience Bright, ST., Patty's only
friend and protector. Her barns were
overAowing with plenty her cellars
stored with fruits and vegetables; and
better still, her money was so carefully
put away that il all the banks in the
country were broken and it all OF the
railroads failed it would make no
possible difference to Miss Patience.
So, with mind calm and serene
Patty, ST., moved around her kitchen
grinding her spices and mixing her
mince meat. But, with Il mind any
thing but calm aud serene, Patty, Jr.,
sat by the table, thinking.
Miss Patience ratified the stove
doors, poked down the ashes, aud
banged the shovel and tongs. Still
Pat,ly never moved.
"Bring me the eggs, child, she
said. Still Patty didn't near So Miss
Patience went to the cellar, brought
out basket OF the pule white, ch oco-
late coored and specified eggs, broke
the whites in big blue platter end
dropped the yoks in a bowl f; then,
sitting down by the table, began to
pile them up in white masses by her
steady strokes.
Every little while she looked up
at Pat,y's dreamy face and misty eyes.
"Come, child" she said, at last,
"you've sat there long enough. Beat
up those yolks till they foam. There's
enough to do"
Patty took up the bowl and wooden
spoon but she moved langudIy and
as if her heart were somewhere else.
"Why don't you hurry ?" Miss Pa
tience said, sharply. "There's your
Uncle Eben coming on the i've O'Clock
train, and Aunt Maria III the morning,
and all this cooking to be got out OF
the way"
"Wbat's the good of it all, auntie,
Patty asked. Don't they get enough
to eat at home 2
Miss Patience reddened with ndlg,
nation and dropped her fork in the
midst of the white foam.
"The lands sakes she exclaimed
81 guess there never was Bright yet
but had all he could eat, and more
too !"
"NVhat do they do with the more
too 2 Give it away ?" Patty asked.
Miss Patience looked a, her suspi'
ciously. "Wbat are y.u thinking
about, child ?" she said. "Speak ii
out"
Early in the morning Patty had
gone out OF. an errand, and while she
was gone she had seen something
which had stirred her childish sou, as
nothing had ever done before; and
ever since she came home she had
been trying to think Of the best way
to present petition % Aunt Patty,
and, now that the opportunity had
come of its own will, her heart trem.
bled and her spirit failed.
But Aunt Patty was waiting, with
her fork in the air and her eyes Oh
Patty.
So. with her cheeks burnlngaand her
voice tremulous from hope and fear,
she said:
"Aunt Patty, do you remember the
Brewers ?"
"Shiftless set !" she said, setting hel
lips very firmly and beating her eggs
mole fercely than ever.
"They may be shittless, aunt but
l know lheJ'le hungry," said Patty,
waxing bolder.
"Hungry, IN this land OF plenty !!
said Aunt Patty, contemptuously
"Id like to know what put such non
sense in your head. How did you
happen to see them. anyway
"I'Il tel you all about it, said Pat
ty, feeling braver every minute. II
was going by this morning TO tell
Mary Jane to come up in the morning
and pick the turkeys. when Mamie
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