The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-02-13

peep into the room. Fifteen or twenty
boys and girls from the mill gathered
into night school. Then those won.
derful words read so slowly and en-.
phaticaily, seemed suddenly to assume
a new and deeper meaning than Mrs.
Wilkin had ever thought of their pos
sessing-some things do show so much
more clearly in the dark than in the
light
As the timid little woman, who would
have been frightened at her own voice
in any other audience as large, explain
ed in her simple, gentle way the pas
sage read, it occurred to the listener
outside that some one was keeping a
"sharp watch" on these mill people,
after all, and that this might be better
way of doing it than would be practiced
by any police force. 1t was a very in
formal school. One girl had brought
her best dress that the teacher might
show her how to mend a rent in it, and
another was trying to knit a pair of
mittens for her brother. Every heart
has its thaws. Mrs. Wilkin had heart
down under all the crust of opinions
that she christened duty; she became
interested despite her uncomfortable
situation.
The position was unpleasant She
did not like playing eaves-dropper to
this innocent gathering, but there
seemed no help for it. She could not
escape through the locked door; and
boldly revealing herself, and explain
ing her absurd suspicious, and the re-
markabie way in which she had come
there, was more than even her thought
could endure, so she kept her place,
hoping that when the pupils We're dis
missed she might slip out among them
unnoticed. But when the lesson hour
ended they departed slowly by twos and
threcs, the open door f1inging flood OF
light out into the hall. At last only one
fingered, and Mrs. Wilkin listened in
tently as she caught his voice.
"Now, Tim," said the little knitting
woman, II like to have you come, you
know that, and I'll help you all I can,
but you must really tell your aunt about
it."
"Well, you see, I don't know what
she'll say" began Tim, irresolutely.
"But that shouldn't hinder you from
doing your duty"
Don't know about that" said Tim,
still doubtfully. You see, Aunt Liz.
beth's got an awful mount of duty OF
her own, and it's such a partic' lar kind
that other folks can't get much chance
to do theirs only when hers is a nap.
PIN. Why, Uncle Reub gives my
mother lots of meat, but he just slips
off and don't tell"
"Well, if you don't know what is
right for you, know what is right fol
me-" said the little teacher, with quiet
laugh; "and can't let you come again
until you tell your aunt how you spend
your evenings"
Mrs. Wilkin nodded a vigorous ap.
proval, but it was evident that Tim de.
parted in a state of dissatisfaction.
There was q sound of a crutch tapping
on the floor, and Mrs. Wilkin remem.
bered that q little lame brother had
sometimes gone about with the knit.
ting-woman. They two were left alone
in the room, and went around shaking
out the fire and putting up books and
papers;
that's so little" said the boyish tones,
musingly.
Yes, but it isn't so very much can
teach them," answered the little WON.
an, humbly. "And then it is all they
can afford to pay, poor things! And
you know we began more for their
sakes than our own, though we do need
money. Courage, though, Johnny! il
all counts, and you shall have your
overcoat pretty soon, now. Besides,
this is work that bIesses both ways-in
what we give as well as what we get -
If she could only pass that open
door. Mrs. Wilkin was growing be-
numbed by standing so long in the
cold. Finally the lights were extin-
guished, and the two came out. Just
then, fortunately, Johnny remembered
that they had left book behind them,
and as the unconscious jailers turned
back, the prisoner seized her opportuni.
ty and escaped.
She was sitting alone by the fire when
Tim, who had made his homeward
route sufficiently circuitous to include a
call on his mother, returned. He sal
down near her, twisted his fingers un.
easily, and Mrs. Wilkin guessed what
was coming.
There's been an evenin, school
started here, Aunt 'Liz'beth."
$50 understand" responded Mrs.
Wilkin, coolly.
"Why, Ithought''-began Tim, with
wide open eyes of surprise, and then
checked himself with the sudden re.
Election that it might not be wise to re.
call the conversation of the morning.
I'D like to go TO it-that is, I've been
once or twice." he said. Fact is,
Aunt Liz beth, when we lived down
the river, before you took me, there
wasn't any school for me to go 10, and
SO I'm behind other fellers. Miss Kel.
sey, she makes 'rithmatic so plain, and
helps me with writin', and So"
You might do worse" said Mrs.
Wilkin, briefly. go if you want to.
Only one thing, Timothy Stone, won,
Honest is honest, and it's worth more n
ten cents a week to teach you anything,
I know"
Tim forgot to be astonished at his
aunt's knowledge, and overlooked the
reflection upon himself, in the pleas.
ure of expressing desire that he had
cherished secretly but hopelessly.
"She wouldn't take any more pay,
cause she'd want to serve all alike,
but, oh, Aunt Liz beth, if just could
give her and Johnny something nice
for Christmasr'
"Humph! I'll think about it," an.
swered Mrs. Wilkin, disapprovingly.
"'Liz' beth," began Mr.. Wilkin
nervously, the next morning. ~
wouldn't say nothin' to anybody about
thieves, or watchin' them mill folks, il
was YOU"
al don't mean to-" replied his wife,
with an odd pucker about her lips.
"Well, I'm glad of it-I really am
said Mr.. Wilkins, in a tone of great re-
lief. 81 don't think anybody's stole
anything, and somehow it seems to me-
as if our duty nowadays is good dea
like it was when them Israelites tool
Jericho-only just marchin' against the
bit of wall that's right in front of US,
and lettin' our neighbor take care ol
what's in front Of him. II sort oi
seems that way, Liz BETH"
Mrs. Wilkin did not answer, but she