The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-11-25


manner of deaf people, to catch Chris
gruff reply.
He seemed very much disappointed,
and it took great deal of Milesian ex-
PLANTATION. which taxed Chris talents
hardly, particularly as he knew Jim
was bursting with laughter at his
efforts. r.- - - -.
The old gentleman had kindly face,
and Chris. fearing that he might be one
of Maudie's friends, asked him If he
would leave q card or note. :
1t took good deal of shouting to
make him understand, but at last he
did so, and gladly accepted the Offer.
foraged about until he found pen, ink
and paper, which he laid on the table,
and the old gentleman said:
"Thank you, my good woman" 7"
and sat down by the light to write.
He seemed to make quite letter, as he
was long time about it.
Meantime the boys were set quite at
their ease by his infirmity, and went
on with their chat, as they wiped and
polished and set in order the newly
washed dishes.
That's an old compete I bet
you," said Jim, pointing over his shoul-
der with a soup-ladle at the stranger.
whats q compete should like
to know?" ..--. --...-
why, one of those old fellows who
come walking into q city with five cents
in their pockets and by-and-by get to
be IA rich as mud. They stand and
teeter on their rich old toes, and talk
about "a competency" So take it, il
a man has a competency he's a 'com-
pete,' isn't heP"
"what would you do if you were a
'competern
"Doa Well. I wouldn't do this, any
way" and Chris wiped a dish a little
spitefully.
"'Cause it's women's work, but then
we are doing it for Maudie, and when
we've got no money we can give her
lowing service, can't we?"
MAYBE he's an uncle, like the
uncles in books. Who has come back to
right everything wrong" "a-tI .[7-ia
Where would. we get an uncle, I'd
like to know, when we never had one
to begin withP'
"Well, s'pose he was story-book
uncle, what would he tell us to do for
Maudie?"
"Wel1. we would have a red chair
for Maudie there, and new carpet
here, and q pot Of flowers over there in
the window. and VS. and KS in her
porte-monnaie. Oh! wouldn't that be
grandP'
Look out, Jim; maybe he's after
the spoons. Set the basket up in that
corner. Can't always most generally
tell" 4- ~
Wonder what he's writing such long
letter about? How he's starin' at poor
Harry's picture that Maudie cries over
so much, and now into the corners.
I'm glad thought of the spoons"
"Oh. he's all right; deaf people al
ways act kind o. queer. You see they
never can tell but what somebody
they don't know about"
There! could Miss Mulloy beat that
herseif?''
Jim look complacently at the shelves,
all in perfect order, as clean and sweet
as Maudie's hands could have made
them.
won't Maudie be glad. thoughP''
and then Jim whistled, so that even the
old gentleman seemed to have heard it,
and stared with a queer but mot unkind-
ly glance st the two boys as he rose to
go, saying he would not leave the note
after all, but would call again when
Mrs. Warner came back. asking par
ticularly about the hour of her arrival.
One never could have guessed that
the two handsome lads who emerged
from the house door at four o'clock on
Wednesday afternoon had ever been
concerned in the cleaning of the pretty
little cottage.
Presently they returned in triumph
with Maudie, grandma and Aunt Nellie
through the growing twilight.
Chris sprang up and lighted the
lamps quickly in parlor, hall and
kitchen. f. .
In the dining-room the tea-table was
shining with clean china and snowy
cloth. On the glowing kitchen range a
kettle was singing and rocking merrily,
and the beds in the upper rooms were
smoothly made.
A big basket had arrived with the
party, and Jim had taken it under his
care to bring from the depot, and was
now unpacking it.
All! that homemade bread of grand
mas own making, and the roll of gold
en- butter, and the slices of pink ham,
with parsley garnishing, and the big
turkey stuffed and ready for the next
days honor, and the red apples rolling
out here and there and everywhere.
Z No wonder Jim's arms ached when he
reached home with the basket, and no
wonder Jim shouted when it disclosed
such treasures. .,--a- .r..
1t did not take Maudie five minutes
to see and enjoy the order and cleanli-
ness of her little home, and she gave
the lads new kiss of approval as she
said between her trips to and fro, up
and down: '-t'~-'7 . A-
Boys, how did you ever come to
think of getting Bridget in to clean it
all, and how did you find herP'' 49,
Then the boys laughed, and looked
at each other, and ran out of the room
il hurry without answering.
In few moments Maudie was start
led by q gruff voice in her ear.
"There,s me and Mary Flynn, mum. ="
There were the workers in the queer
old duds, Jim's merry dimples coming
and going inside the old sun-bonnet,
and Chris soft mustache looking SO
queenly beneath the calico hood.
s.Grandma! Nellie! Were there ever
such boys as these to think, and plan,
and feel no shame in doing this to help
me! The darlings?" And then Maudie
laughed and cried; and coming closer,
kissed them softly, and whispered:
Heaven bless the ladsI'
Grandmamma laughed until the tears
ran down her old cheeks, and even pale
Nellie hufhed with happiness, and
asked for the pattern of the polonaise
Jim wore; and then they all sat down
to tea, where they did full justice to the
cheer.
@ But the adventures of the day were
not ended, for there was a ring at the
door, and the expressman who brought
Maudie,s trunks had two other large
parcels, directed to Mrs. Warner. ol
which she knew nothing. There they
were. however, all done up in bagging
and boxing, and were certainly intend.
ed for her. A smaller package. direct
al IN bar provod IN have an incIoS,,rf