, 1881-12-09


| They are considerably pretty
As she spoke. Miss Pely opened her
/ basket and took ont dozen smooth, red
apples. fragrant and fair
''Oh. how nice, Thank Won ever and
ever SO murhg cried the CaljwcLl-. IN "a
heartfelt way. DO stop and sit with us
while.
"Nc~, / was meaning to. returned
Miss Pcay. Il live over to the cross
roads a good hit from here; hut I rode
with my brother Philip Is far as the turn
of the road. He brought his grist to the
mill here. for he thinks Cooley griuds
better than the man does at our place
And he had one or two arrants at the
store; so [ don't need to be back to the
turn under half an hour, or such mat
ter"
and You live with your brother?"
asked Mrs. Caldwell.
''Oh, yes; him and me, We never,
neer a one of Us married, and we've al
ways lived together. We was twins,
but we arn't any alike. You would
not think we was anything to each
other"
SIS it on a farm like this where you
live?" asked Mabel, forgetting her dis
content at once.
Something like. returned Miss Peay
'My brother, he carries on the outdoor
work, and keep house for him"
''Do you do all the work your own
self-every hit?'' asked Mabel, in a tone
of pity and wonder.
LA, yes, Miss; / hope so; and have
a good bit of time left for my knitting. l
knit twenty-five pairs of white muslin
mittens and twenty-five pairs of feeting
last winter. Mr.. Call, to the brick
store, takes them, AMI pays one-half the
money and One-half the goods"
'teeting. What are feeting?" asked
Mabel.
''Feeting! Why, don't you know?
Mems socks are stockings, or whatever
they call them. l finished off IA pair this
morning"
"Oh, mother" exclaimed Mabel.
Cant get pair of Miss Peay's feeting
and send them to Mr.. Winamaker"
Mrs. Caldwell smiled; and the quick
black eyes under the calash caught the
smile and the thought behind it.
''Tisn't likely" said she, my home
spun, blue yarn would be suitable for a
city gentleman, but L would send him
taste of my sOpsOvines IN welcome, if
there was chance"
"Oh, yesp cried Mabel, do serd him
some apples. We are just sending a box
of ferns and mOsses for his aquarium and
there is plenty of room"
Send them, to be sure" answered
Miss Peay, opening her basket again and
as though it had been the widows barrel
that never lacked its handful, producing
another dozen of smooth, red apples,
fragrant and fair.
Miss Peachy Peay went away presently
with another brisk little courtesy. But
the effect of her visit lasted longer. 1t
even outlasted the apples. Mabels good
nature continued all day, and as she oc-
cupied herself filling letter to Mr..
Winamaker with a picturesque and
enthusiastic account of the visitor.
But that was not the last of the visitor.
She came again upon another day, when
Mabel was in the midst of another tit of
dissatisfaction.
This time Miss Peay brought some
early blackberries and great handful of
water lilies; and she came in dress still
odder and older fashioned, with the same
little dipping courtesy and the same
quaint cheerfulness of manner.
'Mr. Winamaker was ever and ever so
much obliged for those apples, Miss
Peay," cried Mabel; land he says if you
are as nice as your apples, he wishes We
would take you home with us. Will you
go, Miss Peayl Now, please do"
''Home with you" exclaimed Miss
Peay, her black eyes shining with mirth.
"a plain country body like me would
make pretty figure in the city. And 1
should be worried to death by all the
noise and buz. Somebody a-going by IN
the road pretty much continually, ! ex-
pect; and a fire likely enough some
where's about almost every day. But L
thank him and you, too, for the invite" +"
''Oh, Miss Peachy, you must go! Mr..
Winamaker wants to see you awfully. He
truly does" persisted the incOnsiderate
child.
Miss Peachy laughed heartily; but be-
fore she had time to do more, the village
coach drew up before the door, and Mr..
Winamaker himself got out.
At that sight Mrs. Caldwell rushed
eagerly upon the piazza, followed by ali
the children; and Miss Peay was left
but through the little square entry,
where Mr.. Winamaker stood paying the
driver and shaking hands with the
Caldwells.
She had no idea of meeting him, though
and so she darted across the room to
seek an exit through the window. But
her dress caught on an ugly nail that Ma
bel had driven in the easement to hang
thistle-down upon.
II am awfully glad you've come.
And l do love you so!' she heard Mabel
say; then the party began to move toward
the room.
Miss Peachy Peay at this made another
effort to escape, but the nail held firmly
to the stout chintz gown that couldn't
tear, for alas! it was not woven in our de-