Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-09-07
THRIFT WINS.

paper and locked NJ Her ~ aliiazemeh
over ihe rim oi his speclacles,
"Nloney" he repeated what Tory
"Yca," her liz quiyerlng IN spite o
her assumed bravery, "t0 hny nov
dress have nothing really decent
aud wanted II for cousin jonnio'l
party viii got something scryieeablc
please, father"
"iiuml inoed MI my money to buy
bread aud meat aud neceRsarics nov
frocks for parties are not down IN tie
list" and lao took NJ hls hat aud strobe
away,
ooh, doarl Mother, it's Just too had
NV old dress II no shabby, d-and
am never 10 have anything now like
other girlSY' and again She buried hcl
face IN hcr glngham apron and sobbcd
bitterly,
Couldn't You altor my gray silk 10 II
would anSworY
"Your gay silk !" with q look OF dis
gust. "and besides It's the only respect
able dress you possess Mother" with
red checks and bright, indignant eyes,
"arc We no poycrty'Stricacn ~ father
pfctondsY
"Woll-I don't know" said loyal,
tendcrhcartcd Mn, Merton there's
that bill Of RogerS's due this summer,
and tho crops last year, father says,
weren't over good
"Nonsensel The crops were fine, and
the bill OF Rogcrs's IL by no means any
reason why wo should bo shabbily
dressed tho remainder Of our natural
lives. It's what you call fathers thrift,
but what our ncighbors namo stingi.
ness. However l suppose Ill have 10
give up the party. oh, dorl II / only
had some way OF earning the money
myself"
"IIctty," said her mother, in n serious
voice, "thcrc arc the Strawberries, that
father says don't pay TO gather, aud rc'
fuses TO do anything with this year. We
cannot possibly use them all iiyou can
scll them you are welcome TO them,
dear, and Tom can help You gather and
dispose of them"
ooh, mother! the very thing How
fortunate you thought OF them
And pretty little Hctty hastily dress.
cd herself in n light print dress, tied on
IA white sun bonnet, and called to her
fourtccn-ycars,old brother, who was
wedding in the garden, and revealed
her plan TO him and asked for his assis-
Ia lcc.
"Good for you, sisW he answered,
tossing stone aftera refractory chicken.
"Ycs, I'll help, and | say, why not sell
them to the squire ~
Hetty started, tho sweet rose color
dcepcned in her cheeks. The squire
was the rich new landlord Of Cloverdcen,
tho finest place in all that country
round, and said to be very handsome
and immensely wealthy, and foolish lit
tie Hetty had cherished some romantic
notions in regard to him, but Toms adj
vice put them all to flight.
"Yes," she thought, closing her red
lips firmly, "why need ! care? His
money will he rs good as anyone's."
II was q very beautiful mansion that
she paused before and regarded with
doubtful, trembling heart, yet passed on
up the qravcled carriage way, wise
enough to 60 around to the back door.
A portly.looking lady, in black silk
and gold earrings, looking up from an
account-book she was glancing over rs
tho maid ushcred her into the house
keepers room.
SWELL" said the lady, interroga-
lively.
give have some fine Strawberries
to sell. Do you care to buy any?"
And the upshot of the matter was,
Hetty went home with light heart, for
the housekeeper of Cloverdeen had
promised to take all her fruit at an OK
cellent price.
1t was hard work picking them in the
hot, dewy mornings, and not altogether
pleasant carrying them over the fields
every day to Cloverdeen, but Tom
proved valuable assistant, and the
work progressed smoothly until one
day, as Hetty was passing out of the
squire's grounds, she was met by a
dark-eyed young gentleman,
riding superb and highly mettled
black horse, that SHE'D aside at the fut-
ter of her bonnet so violently and sud
denly, as to fling his rider to the ground.
ooh |" cried Hetty, in wild alright,
toward him. "Are you nurt ?
Oh, I hope you are not harmedr
"No," said he, slowly. 81 believe
not, only my shoulder has received
wrench"
Down from the house fastened anx-
ious friends, while Hetty took up her
basket and went on her homeward way,
her mind still seeing that handsome, in
telloctual face, and the dark, gentle,
penetrating eyes.
Hetty," said her father one day,
SISTER Mary met me at Maytield last
night, and seemed anxious about your
coming to Jennie's party. So if you
want that dress, I suppose you'd better
get it. Here's the money"
"Why, father!" she exclaimed, great
ly amazed. "Why, L Oh, thank you
father, if you really mean it, and she
skipped up behind him and dropped
light kiss on the top of his bald head.
"My Hetty's the handsomest of the
;wo," thought the old farmer. ayes,
she's the handsomest lass in all Loan
'hire, for that matter. Surprising 1
give her a chance to show the folks
what she can do, just as little sur
,rise."
Get something handsome" he said f;
4 don't know much about women's fall |
lis and such like but have it made in
own and all right, and If that amt |
enough you shall have more"
"Oh, father, how good yOu are but
hink this will be sufficient" said mod
st Hetty.
That morning, entering the shaded
rounds of Cloverdeen with her last
,asketful of fruit, she came directly
Ipon the young gentleman she had seen
O ANONYMOUSLY dethroned.
"Ah p said he, with smile of de-
lighted recognition, lifting his hat gal
intly, and extending his white hand for
Ter basket, 'it's our good little fairy,
Tho has been bringing to MS such de-
cious strawberries. Permit me, please"
And, Notwithstanding her embarrass-
d protests, he took her basket of fruit
nd, wslking beside her, talked so pleas. !