The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-09-04

ate her breakfast alone, the traces Of 4
tear or SO on her pale cheeks; she daahed
them away with = merry: joyous laugh.
"This will never do, and now. that
George has gone for six weeks, to prepare
for his return. And pray Heaven that
it shall be such u coming as shall delight
his SOUL"
"1'm sure don't know what TO say,
The land knows need help bad enough
but it pears to me that such slender
little midget as you couldn't earn her
salt. What did you say your name
was?"
"Mary Smith. And, indeed, if YOU will
try me for a week, I'm sure you will keep
me till the seasons overs
Mrs. Clements looked out of the win
dow at the great clouds that were piline
gloomily up; and then the wind gave .
great wailing shrek around The corners
Of the house.
"You can't cook, ken you? OF shake up
feather beds~-good big ones, fo,ty pound
c!s" -
| Agleeful little laugh came from Nary's
lips.
"Indeed can. 1may not cook to suit
you, but can learn"
Mrs. Clements walked out to the huqe
open fireplace in the kitchen, where the
deacon was shelling corn.
| "What dye say, deacon; keep her or
not! kind o. like her looks, an the dear
knows it 'ud be a good lift while we're
| KILN, if she couldn't do no more'n set
the table or make mush for the bread"
''Take her, Of course, Hannah. You
are hard drlv', know. Let her stop i
! week or SO, anyhow"
So Mrs. Clements came slowly back
| and sat down again.
"You can't got away tonight, anyhow
there's snowstorm been brewing these
| three days and it's on us now, sure enough.
See them 'ele flakes fine and thick. You
may as we'll take your things up stairs to
the west garret and then come down and
help me to get supper
Then followed directions 70 the west
garret, and when she was gone Mrs.
Clements turned to the deacon, and
sand:
II never saw Il girl before that I'd
trust upstairs alone. But such as her
don't steal. can tell you that, if moth
ing else."
Directly she came down in a purple
print dress and white apron: her hair
brushed off from her face into net;
narrow linen collar, fastened with sail
or's loop Of narrow ribbon. Itseemed ss
if she had life, too, so handily she fitted
in and out of the pantry, and then down
the cellar. Then, after the meal, she
gathered the dishes in neat, quiet way,
that was perfect bliss to old Mrs. Glenn
cnt's ears.
"Shcs determined to earn her own
bread, anyhow, and I like her turn, too"
And the deacon had "taken shine" to
Mary Smith. One by one the days wore
on; the hog killing season was over and
done; long strings of sausages hung in
fantastic rings arranged by Mary's deft
fingers; sweet hams and shoulders were
piled in true honsewifely manner, and
now Mary and Mrs. Clements were sit
ting in the sunny dining room, darning,
patching, and mending.
II don't know what I am going to do
without you, Mary. I dread to see you
pick up your clothes
\ blush of pleasure oversprcad Mary's
face. II am so glad you have been suit
ed with my work. indeed / have tried"
1T amt tho work altogether, though.
goodness knows, you arc the smartest
gal I've seen this many day. As say,
it amt the work, it's you Mary-me and
the deacon
Ma1y's voice trcnlblcd at the kin sness
Of the old lady's voice, but she sewcd
rapidly on.
"It,s SO uncommon lonesome since the
hoy LETT the farm she went on, "but it's
worse since he got married. 1t seems
like dc-erting lis altogether
"Havc you a sou: You never mention
c'i him.
$40, George has gone his way, and VIC
must go ours. Yes, he married one Of
those crack headed boarding school peo-
rlc, who can't tell the difference between
a rolling pin and Il milk-pa
But despite her >corn, Mrs. Clements
dashed off the tears with her own brown
fist.
SIS his wife pretty: suppose you
love hcl dcarly:''
Il don't know anything about her, and
never want to know. He's left us for her,
and us old folks will leave him for her,
too. Mary, just turn them cakes around;
seems as. If they arc burning
When Mary had turned the cakes, Mrs.
Clements was leaning on tho arm OF her
| chair.
"Mary, supposin' you stop with us an
other month yet, anyhow. The deacon
will make it all right"
ut isn't the money care fUr, Mrs.
Clements, I only wish might stay al
ways. You don't know how much love
| YOU"
Glove us! do you: Bless your heart.
If poor George had only picked you out,
what comfort it would be to US all!
But it can't be helped now.'
She sighed wcarily, then glanced out
of the window, looked a moment and
then threw down her work.
''Blcss my soul, if there amt my son
George coming up the lane! Deacon!
Deacon! George is coming!'
| With all her mother love rushing to her
heart she hurried out to meet him. oh,
the welcoming, the reproaches, the carcss-
cs, the determination to love him still,
despite poor, innocent little Marion!
Then, when the table had neen set in
the next room by Mary's dcft fin
gers, and she had returned to her "west
garrett" Mrs. Clements opened her heart.
'Therc's no use talkln, George this
ne, fancy lady O yours'li never suit me
Give me i smart girl like Mary Smith
and III ask no more. Come into supper
now. Mary, Mary"
She raised her voice to call the girl,
when low voice near surprised her.
"Oh, you dressed up in honor of my
boy? Well, must confess never knew
YOU had such handsome dress, and you
look like a picture with your net "ff, and
them SHORT, bobbing curls! George this
is Mary Smith, my
George came through the door and
glanced carelessly at the corner where the
young woman stood. Then, with cry,