American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-01-11
.. Norton is only fifteen miles awav,,'

miles. You are not going to get rid of
me yet, Mrs. Gresham"
"When there is nothing else to offer,
there will always be a welcome" was
the reply. "Mary has secured two rooms
for us, and has arranged the furnitur.
| sent over, SO we have home r''"uy
A coy little room it looked "neh 'hey
reached il. There was table set, ana
Aunt Mary, a thin pale spinster-Mrs-
Cresbam,s sister-waiting to make the |
pexv co,Trers welcome.
Eoen stayed to dinner, and then babe
them farewell, while the young girl
went to learn little of the duties she
had undertaken.
She was a brave-hearted little woman,
this pretty farmers daughter, in spite of
the petted seclusion of her quiet home
life, and she earnestly tried to remember
all the confusing distinctions of flowers,
feathers and ribbons, and took her first
lesson in trimming. She brought
smiling face to greet her mother. Alto
gether, the first days experience was
less than they had feared it would be,
and the two were tired enough to sleep
early and soundly.
Many times, in the first two weeks,
the gay silks and feathers floated in
bewildered confusion before the weary
blue eyes longing for sight of the but
tercups and daisies of home; but moth
er and daughter had only brave words
for each other, and hopeful prospects to
picture of the return to the farm at the
end of the two years of trial.
But in spite of brave hearts and low
ing words, Mrs. Gresham white cheeks
and heavy eyes were perpetual witness
to her hours of lonely toll and the sor-
rows of her widowhood.
Alice was not so easily borne down
even while sharing both work and
grief.
Eben was faithful, and came often for
cup of. tea, leaving ever the sunshine
of his bright presence behind him, and
Alice was becoming a favorite in the
house.
Many a song rippled over her lips as
she helped her mother in the evening
over the "piece work." and she had
many a merry jest of customers eccen-
tricities to relate to her.
And Mrs. Gresham, after being a
month in her new home, had also a
story to tell.
"You have met the feeble old body
who lives in the next room, Alice?" she
said, one evening as they worked.
"Ofteni I've run back in the morn
ing many time to carry up her basket. ="
"She spoke to me to-day, and came
in q minute for a cup of tea. She is
more to be pitied than we are, dear, so
miserably poor, SO old and alone. We
have each other"
"And Eben," said Alice, blushing
brightly.
"And Eben. But she has no one !;
she told me so to-day"
"What supports her?'
"She makes bags. She is pleasant
old body, and asked her to bring her
work in here when I'm alone"
Mrs. Kaighn, the poor old bagg-maker,
was often q welcome visitor to the
rooms. But she never offered to re-
turn the hospitality. keeping her room
tightly closed against all intruders.
1t was very soon apparent to Mrs.
Gresham and Alice that saving would
be but slow work in their new home.
Wages were not high, and the two peo-
pie found that their own support con-
sumed all their earnings.
| Winter settled in, and the farm seem
ed even more distant than it had in the
spring. Only a small sum had been
saved, and the prospect of increased ex-
penses was disheartening. Mrs. Kaighn,
now almost one of the little family, was
often present at the discussion of future
plans and prospects, and knew quite
well how the hearts of the friends were
bound up in the hope of one day re-
deeming their old home and returning
there.
"And when we CO." Mrs. Gershan1
would say kindly, you must come and
see how strong you will get with our
country air and food"
And the feeble old woman would smile
and say: "I've lived SO long here, my
| oOdh AOhS yOohS-A WYNN AAOFOA
feel at home anywhere else"
"But you must come to my daugh-
ter's wedding" Mrs. Gresham said,
smiling; and the old woman only sigh
ed YEARLY; elm too old for gayety,
dear; but I'll send an old woman IS
blessing to her and her bridegroom; be
sure of that
The winter was half over, when, one
evening, coming in tired and chilled,
Alice found the room empty, the table
not prepared for tea, and her mothers
work hurriedly thrown into a corner.
She was looking around her, half ter
rified, when her mother came in from
Mrs. Kaighn's room.
"Alice DEAR" she said "Mrs. Kaighn
has had fall upon the ice. 1 heard the
men bringing her up stairs, for she beg
ged to be CARED here and not to a hos
pital, and went to her at once. 1 have
not dared to leave her since, for she is
badly hurt
'sHas she comfortable room,
motherP"
"The barest place 1 ever saw, and
not one bit of fuel this bitter day. Her
bed is hard straw mattress with poor
coverings. I've done what could for
her."
"Has she doctor?''
eyes"
"Did she break any bones, motherP''