Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-12-31

Sarah was moving on when John
called after her.
"say, sls, it's q shame! but those
pum,heuds went and tole that pooty
muslin thing Of yours all to pieces,
thinkin' cause you asked tor one
bandage you'd want twenty more -
Miss's Wait was dreadful sorry, Said
if there had been enough lett for an
apron twouldn't ben 80 bad
Sarah laughed and went on, smooth
Ing down dusty alpaca overskirt-an
old cue Of Jenny's cut down.
A few days after, the Earle family
were all In the kitchen at supper when
there came n knock at the front door,
Sarah answered It, aud returned d.
recty with a package in her hand,
reading on the outside wrapper in
rather disgusted tone as she walked In 4;
"To tho little girl who learns her
lesson at school so well.'
"Susle, of course" said she, with a
lofty air for Hattie had looked at
her, while Susie was aged six.
~ don't know why 1t mayn't mean
YOU, too" returned Hattie. at looks
like Squire Waits hand, though III.
tic shaky."
Sarah had half mind not to take
the proflered bundle. AS she took of
the newspaper wrapper she saw a
note, slipped under the string OF a
brown paper parcel from city store
as was evident by the advertisement.
The note was directed to Miss Sarah
Earle" and read as follows:
DEAR SARAH | was dreadful sorry
you lost your overskirt, and the squire
was, too, anu said you shouldn't lose
nothing by it. So l went to the city,
and went round and round till | was
tired to death, and my head was all OF
dsze. Finally ! went into the mic.
es, looking store and the one lecom-
mended the highest, and was showed
to the proper clerk for such things,
aud says to him in n despairing way
I expect:
"Show me the gen;eeles', handsome
and most sootable dress for young
lady of fifteen years." lie asked was
you dark or bland ?
Says /, "Middling, with rosy
cheek and q bright eye, and. such a
look as you might guess girl to have
that tore her bran new overskrt all to
bits to stop my husband from bleed
ing to death" I eau tell you folks
near oy was interested to hear all
about it and one gentleman CIV me
the book you find lnclosed, with his
respects The end OF it all>was, that
the head of the store came up and
sold me- the dress very reasonable, and
leave 10 change if you don't like it,
and likewise put in the piece OF mus
lin for school overskirt, rs near like
yours as l could see, free.
With my earnest hopes that you
will be as good wop'an as girl, ire
main, your humble servant,
M. E. WAIT.
Sarah had read the note aloud at the
eager request OF the family but it
had been hard work for her, and she
now burst into tears and was running
off without even looking at her treas
ures, when her father called out cheer
lily:
"Come Sadie, let's see what the
squircs wife bought for you! l al.
lers thought she was a close woman
and guess its pink Calico
"How can you tather?" asked Sa'
rah but she did dry her eyes, never
theless. ...
There was a chorus Of "oh's" aad
splendid" when piece of silvery
summer silk was unrolled.
Enough said Hattie, "for a
whole suit. You deserve it, Sadie;
and I'm real glad of it,
"That's organdy muslin aud very
nice,' remarked Jenny, as the muslin
came into view. ...
The book proved 10 De q pocket eoi'
ton of Whittier. She said softly as
she took it in her hand: "That's the
best of all, because / can keep it al
ways"
On the fly leaf was written:
Miss SARAH EARLE.
A token of admiration tor her nc
BILE conduct. JOHN BREWSTER
1t was from one she never knew, or
was ever likely to see; yet it was all
the more delightful to think that, to
o,e person in the world she would all
ways seem mobile Her soul thrill
ed at the thought.