The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-11-17
DOT.
a story OF the Fresh-sr FUND.


T..
sIt's harum-scarum idea said Miss Re
lance RoXbury, as she stood among the cur
rant bushes az the garden fence "a most
ridiculous idea | wonder what this gushing
American people viii do next3" and she gave
emphatic witch 10 her purple calico sun
bonnet.
There was faint murmur of dissent from
liitle woman on the other side of the moss
grown fence.
Moot course YOU don't agree with rue,
continued Miss Reliance, as the clusters OF
ruby and pearl flew into the six-quart pail at
her feet. YOU'RE soft-hearted that your
feelings are forever running away with your
common sense. You never say word about
the National debt, or the condition of our
navy. but let anybody start a subscription for
sending blanket shawls to Brazil or putting
up monument to Methusaleh on the meeting
house green, you'll give your last quarter.
And now YOU'RE going TO open your house to 4
lot oflittle ragamutiins from New York;
The motherly brown eyes on the other side
Nof the fence We're full of tears and a pleasant
voice replied:
at makes my heart ache to think how the
poor things suffer, crowded together in dirty
streets, with never breath of a'clover field or
a glass OF milk. If you'd just read about it,
Reliance, you'd count IL a blessed privilege to
give them bit of our sunshine"
''ldas soon have a tribe of Znlus on the
place said Miss Reliance, ''aud if you'll take
my advice you'll save yourself lots OF trouble.
Mrs. Lane stopped her work FOR moment
and said;
- l-t3kiTu and me are all alone now. ke-
lance. One by one, we've laid Kate and Sarah
and baby Lizzie over there in the old burying
ground; and Jack is in Colorado, and Richard
N Boston, and we get hungry some ines for
the sound OF little feet. When | began 30
read about the fresh-air fund it kind OF sent
thrill all over me, and 'Lia1im he reads about
10 every day, and he wipes his glasses pretty
oncn, too. Then, when we heard the par
son shy that party would come here If
places could be found FOR 'em, 'Liakm spoke
right Oft for four, and they'll be here next
Tuesday, and I'm going 10 make il Just as
much like heaven as / cam
" QUIZ make yourself sick, that's what
you'll do, Amanda Lane replied Miss Re
lance, but II YOU want your garden overrun
and YOUR silver spoons stolen, and your house
fun of flies, and your nerves Frustrated, why
rs your own fault. must go in and set my
Jelly started.n
Miss Roxhurv went up the pa h between the
sunfOwers and hollybeeks, entered the large,
sunny. airy kitchin. and set down the pail OF
currents for Hannah, the house maid, to pick
over. Then she hung the purple-caico sun
bonnet on the nail that for forty years had
been devoted to that purpose, and went into
: the cool sitting room to rest in her fayorite
' chintz covered rocker. Miss Reliance Rox-
bury had been for twenty years, with the ex-
ception OF a gardener and housemaid, the sole
occupant OF this ancient stone dwelling, that
had stood for more than a century beneath its
ems and naples, the pride of the village of
srLyrford. She was a stern woman, who liked
but few people, and had horror OF children,
dogs and sentiment. The village boys, with
keen perception of her unsympathetie
nature called her s'Old Ironsides' .
She was proud Of her birth aud OF the sub
stantial property that had fallen to her at the
death Of her father, old Judge Roxbury.
she a member OF the Presbyterian
Church, aud paid high rental for the ROxbury
pew, but with that considered that her pecu-
MARY obligations to the cause were at an end
As a general thing. she had not allowed con-
victions on the subject OF giving to trouble
her, but somehow, ever since Sunday, when
h.a ,aet tor So fba - 81,
fund and made ferVsnt appeal for ''these
little ones that suffer- she had been sub
iectcd to numerous vague but uncomfortable
sensations. She rocked back and forth in the
spacious sitting room that no hv dared to
invade, and noted the perfect order of the
apartment From the china shepherdess on
the mattel to the braided rugs at the doors,
everything occupied the same position ss in
the days OF Miss Roxbury's 9irlhoOd There
was torture in the thought of having the able
cover pulled awry, of seeing the shells and
prim old daguerrotypes disarranged on the
what-not, of having 5 and tracked in by small
feet over the faded Brussels carpet, and her
pet verbena bed invaded by eager young
fingers.
surely, religion and humanity could not
demand such sacrifices of her.
Please, ma am, the currants is ready to be
put over, said Hannah at the door
Miss Roxbury rose at once, glad of another
channel for her thoughts but. amid her weigh
ing and measuring, and her careful calcula-
lions OF pints and pounds, the strange impress
sion did not leave her mind.
After the rich crimson syrup had been poured
into the row of shining tumblers on he table
she retur0ed to her chntz covered rocker and
TOOK up the Bible to read her daily chapter
Opening II at random, her ewes fell upon these
words:
Then shall He answer them, saving: SIN
asmuch as We did it not unto one of the least
of these--@
Miss R9xbury read no further on that pape
but hurredly turned back to Chronicles, which
she lett was perfectly safe ground. Bur
mingled with the long genealogical tables, she
saw other words between the lines, so that the
sraeitish records read thus:
ne son OF Eikanah, the son of Joel, the
son o. Azariah. exc did it not. )n
The son Of rahath, the son OF Assir, the
son OF Ebssaph, the son of Korah. eye did
il not. ~
Finally, the whole page seemed to resolve
nseit into these four monosyllables.
She closed the Bible and put it in its accus-
toned place on the table, bounded on the north
by the lamp, on the south by the ma CHI box
on the east by Bnnyan's "Pilgrim's Progress
aud on the west By a bunch of worsted roses
under glass case. She was restless. misera-
BILE tOrmenied. She endeayored to read the
:. Life OF Napoleon Bonaparte,'' but even the
thrilling story of the Russian campaign was
lacking in interest, compared with her own
Upward conflict between duiy and the cold self
ishness OF lifetime.
She did not enjoy the dinner, although the
butter beans were from her garden, and the
black raspberries were the first of the season.
She could not take her accustomed afternoon
nap, and for the first time in years the daily
paper was unopened. She even put il out OF
sight in the china closet A wonderful new
design in patchwork known as The Rocky
Mountain pattern could not fasten her atten-
ton.
She ordered the horse and rockaway and
drove four miles after wild cherry bark, for
which she had no need, as her garnet was al
ready great herbarium.
At last the dreary day came to its close, but
was succeeded by an equally uncomfortable
night Amid frequent tossing and waking,
Miss Roxbury dreamed of thin little hands
stretched out to her in piteous appeal, and of
sad, wonderful voice that said with infinite
reproach:
. lie did Il not"
Rsv. Joseph Alder was surprised soon after
breakfast the next morning by the appearance
OF Hiss Reliance R0xbury "a the parsonage
porch. She brought basket of raspberries,
and said
4" won't come in this time, thank YOU 1
just waited to say I'il take one-one OF those
children"
III.
I" Mamma, is il mornin'ln
mo, Dot, go to sleep"