The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-05-11


thin frame. We all sprang up from the
table and rushed to her with exclama-
tlons of alarm and commiseration. At
last Mercy sobbed out the story of her
appeal to her aunt, and its unsuccessful
issue.
"And now 1 shall have to go back
and drudge and slave from morning till
night and never see the inside of
book. 1 just wish l was dead this
minute, and lying close by the side of
mammal"
1.-THE old curmudgeonl I've good
will to get two or three of the boys, and
go down there and give her flogging
she'll remember till she's greyer than
she is now," said Gorham, glancing
at his horsewhip which stood in the
corner.
81 wish you would, Gorham. I'd
peep through the window and clap my
hands with relish," answered.
"Children, children, it is very wrong
for you to talk so" said the soft, grave
tones of cousin Miranda Carter. "Of
course 1 do not attempt to deny that
Mrs. Sharpe is very unkind to Mercy,
but you see her conduct doesn't excuse
our talking about her after this fash
ion."
=" Yes it does too," retorted Gorham,
in his fiery way. "Oh, wouldn't like
to-" an expressive pantomime with
his clenched hand concluded the SEN
tence more emphatically than any words
could have done; and could not help
thinking how handsome he looked with
his great, bright, flashing eyes all aglow
with generous rays.
But we gathered round poor little
Mercy Lane with what words of SYM
pathy and consolation we could. At
last we prevailed upon her to sit down
and take supper with us; cousin Miriam
da telling her in that soft cheerful voice
of hers not to despair, for some good
would surely come to her yet. Oh, it
was because of her faith in God, the
Father, that cousin Miranda Carter's
voice always dropped like sweet balsam
to wounded heart.
After supper Gorham pulled Miranda's
sleeve, "Come into the parlor with me-"
he whispered.
So they went into the parlor together
and stood by the window, and Gorham
said very rapidly as he always talked,
"See here, Miranda, you know that
twenty-five dollars earned by carrying
the mailbag last winter"
Yes, Gorham."
Well, you see l intended to buy
Deacon Hubbard's colt with it, (love of
horses was Mr.. Gorham's greatest pas
sion.) Now I've concluded to go with
out the colt this year, and I'll give the
money to that skin.fiin if she'll agree
to let Mercy come here five nights out
of the week to study with Lettie. You
said she told you she wanted new
carpet for her front room, but the
deacon couldn't afford to get her one.
Twenty-Five dollars will buy it, and /
know she can't resist the temptation.
I'll leave you to manage the matter,
women folks always understand tn ese
things best"
"Gorham! you are noble, noble
boy God bless you'll" said cousin Miran-
da Carter, in an unsteady voice, for she
knew how Gorham had set his heart on
the colt.
swell, mind now you must give me
permission to slander the old witch Just
as long and as hard as it suits my
pleasure to do. must be off now to
Jack Howe about that fishing to-mor-
row." and he plunged out of the room
in his usual nervous, graceful way, and
standing at the window his cousin
watched him, ,murmuring with unsteady
lips, "He has the eyes, oh, he has the
eyes of his fatherl"
Cousin Miranda returned home with
Mercy Lane, and had a private inter.
view with Mrs. Sharpe. The prospect
of new carpet for her parlor reached
the one vulnerable corner in the heart
Of that lady; and under its softening
influence Miranda succeeded in obtain
ing promises of unexampled magnitude
and generosity. Mrs. Sharpe consented
to Mercy's coming to recite five eve
nings out of the week for the next year
and half, and to her studying two
hours each day at home.
or Mercy's delight and gratitude to us
all, especially to Gorham, 1 cannot tell
you now, because cannot write 1t with