The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-04-23

could not rid herself of the impression
that some one was near her, that odd
sense We have of another's individuality
near US, though not present.
"Theres some one hangin' round
here, I know" said she to herself
Nabby was one who always met
things half way. Accordingly she walked
to the outside door, and opening it
quickly, peered out into the darkness.
There stood Josiah, wet, sheepish, sorry.
Once he started to go in, but his moral
courage failing, he fingered in dubious
hesitation on the doorstep.
"Why don't you come in, Josiah ?"
asked Nabby.
81 didn't know as you'd want me,
Nabby," replied Josiah, with all the
meekness becoming returning prodi-
gal.
"Want you? Of course I do" said
Nabby, heartily. "Come right along in
I'm going to have good griddle cakes
for supper, and you must tend them
while 1 set the table," Griddle cakes
were one of Josiah's weaknesses, and
Nabby knew it.
Josiah came in. Ii he ever gets into
heaven probably his sensations will not
be one whit more delightful than they
are now, as from forlornness of his
| wretched wanderings he came into the
cozy brightness of the kitchen, and felt
that he was home once more. How
good the tea smelled. The fire roared
and snapped, the tea.kettle boiled and
bobbed its lid up and down, and from
the griddle the savory odor of the cakes
assembled like homely incense. Josiah's
face, shining with mingled heat and
happiness as he turned the griddle
cakes, was something worth seeing.
Nabby stepped briskly around getting
supper ready. 1t seemed so pleasant to
see the table for two again, to have some
one to praise and appreciate her cook
ing. The November wind might howl
its worst now. It's hold on Nabby was
gone. In place of all the bitter sadness
that had hung heavily round her heart
was warm feeling of happiness, of
comfort and hope.
All the explanation they had was
this: Josiah drew from under his shabby
coat an exceedingly awkward and knob
by bundle.
| L w UOuS1b oOIuCl1lln lOI you,
Nabby, he said.
The "somethin' undone proved to
be very Handsome brittania teapot.
The teapot must have known that it
was offering, with such prefer
natural brightness did it shine and
gGsten. Something in Nabby's eyes
shone and glistened, too, although she
had winked hard, and scorned the weak
ness of pocket-handkerchief.
"Thank you, JOSIAH" she said; "it's
a regular beauty, and I shall set lots by
it,"
| Which, so long as they understood
each other, was perhaps as well as if
Josiah had made long-worded speech
of repentance and reformation, and
Nabby another of forgiveness.
wish I could say that Nabby never
scolded Josiah again. But I can't
However, she " drew it mild, and there
was general understanding between
them that this was only sort of exer-
else made necessary by habit-a barking
by no means involving biting And
Josiah was SO accustomed to it that he
would have missed it, and not felt
natural without being wound and set
going for the day by Nabby.
One day, later in the winter, Nabby
was washing for Mrs. Hosley.
$50 you've taken Josiah back again,
after ALL" said Mrs. Hosley.
"Well, yes, I have said Nabby,
giving the last twist to sheet she was
wringing out. "Josiah mayn't be very
much to brag of; but then, you see,
he's my own and all I've got We're
getting to be old folks, Josiah and me,
and we may as well put up with each
other the little while we've got to stay
. here"
Chow has he been doing since he
came back /"
"First rate. He's walked as straight
as string ever since. He's q good
provider, now he's quit drinking, and q
master hand for fixing up things around
the house and making it comfortable.
I tell you what it is, Mrs. Hosley, we've
got to make 'lowance for folks in this
world. We can't have 'em always Just
to our mind We got to take them
just as they are and make the best
ont"
I'm glad to see you so much hap
pier and better contented, Nabby."
" well, l used to fret and complain
a good deal because things hadn't
turned out as / expected 'em to; but
lately I've thought good deal about it
all, and I've made up my mind that
there's considerable comfort for every
one in this world, after all. We mayn't
, git just what we want, but we git some
thin"
, In which piece of philosophy be-
lieve Nabby was about right.
Satisfactory.
A gentleman writing to the Danville