The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-06-29
HOW PRUE VISITED THE MINIS
TER,S.

81 suppose you have called on the
minister and his wife?' Aunt Hannah
said to Prue's mother.
"No, haven't, YETI answered she.
Il ought to have done so, but I've
been so very busy! You know I'm al
ways busy at this season, getting the
boys clothes made for winter. School
begins next week, and they need new
coats. Pm sorry l couldn't call on
them, as think it our duty to try and
make them feel at home, and not as if
they had come into a neighborhood of
strangers"
Yes, you ought to run over as soon
as you can, if you don't stay five min
utes,n said Aunt Hannah. q like our
new minister ve~v much, and his wife
is such sweet little woman that |
know you will like her. quite fell in
love with her, | assure you. l fancy
she's a trihe homesick, and if YOU
could drop in for a half an hour, soon,
it might do her good. She told me
she'dnever been away from home much,
and you know our neighborhood hasn't
the knack of getting acquainted with
newcomers right away, so | don't Won
der she feels lonely. What's that
you're doing, Mary-putting in the
sleeve wrong side to, as sure as can be!
Let me help you," and then Aunt Han
nah and Prue's mother fell to work on
the coat and quite forgot all about the
minister's wife for time.
Now Prue had heard every word
Aunt Hannah had said. If you had
been watching her, as she busted her
self with the doll, you wouldn't have
suspected that she was paying any at
tention to the conversation, but her
sharp little ears heard it, and it set her
to thinking. If her mother ought to
call on the minister's wife, wasn't she
under some obligation to do the samep
OF course she was. She'd been want
ing to 90 somewhere all day. Why
couldn't she run over and make her
call now?
"Say, mamma, SAINT tall on re
min ster's fo' ksesp" asked she, pulling
at her mothers sleeve.
"Dear me, how queer that can't get
these pieces to ftp Mrs. Deane was
saying when Prue made her inquiry.
This facing ought to go here, hadn't
it, Hannah? What's that, Prue?"
Want to call on the minister's folks?
Why, yes; they'd be delighted to see
you, of course. There! that's the way
that goes, isn't itP And now the pocket
lid has to be sewed in this way before
it's stitched, doesn't itp Pockets always
puzzle me-"
can may do now, an wear our
new buntit an tloak?" asked Prue, all
on tip-toe with anticipation.
Yes, you may get your bonnet and
cloak, for all | care" answered her
mother, without any idea of what
Prue's request had been beyond the
vague one that there was something
about the bonnet and cloak in it.
" Hannah, | do wish gould see what
ais this pocket-lid."
Prue ran upstairs as fast as her feet
would carry her. She dragged open
the bureau drawer in which her moth
er kept her new "buntit and tloak,"
and proceeded to array herself in them.
The cloak was a great deal too large
and long, but she tried to remedy that
by gathering it up under her arms.
That didn't look well and she conclud-
ed to wear her mothers broche shawl
instead. So she got the shawl out and
spread it over her shoulders. The cor
ners were inclined to trip her up when
she attempted to walk, but she gath
cred them up in her hands, and set out
on her "call." She stopped in the
garden and broke off big branch of
white chrysanthemums. "Pll tarry
'em to the minister's wife," she said,
and then she spied a late carnation,
and added that to her bouquet.
"For goodness sake, Robertr' ex-
claimed the minister's wife, as she
looked out of the window. "Do come
herer'
"What is itp" asked the minister,
coming to her side.
81 don't know" she answered; Il" Old
Mother Goose herself, guess" and
then both of them burst out laughing
at the comical figure coming up the
path. 1t was Prue, trying to look dig