The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-12-01

y
IN day or two. aren't your" she said; what
are you going to wear?"
My shoes, my flannel petticoat, and my
calico dress, responded Chrissy, promptly
"H you've got pair of stockings and some
underclothes to spare I'll take 'em, but let her
that has two dresses give to her that has
nothing but a night-gown, the Bible would
read if it was bein' made now and here"
It'll fit you better than any one else
know of, said the woman, refectively: @you
can take two breadths out of the skirt and
make it over beautifully You won't have to
alter the waist one mite It's a plain, round
waist, made before the days of basques; and
made that dress had never used a sewing
machine, I'll warrant" She broke off abrupt
ly; Here's note in the pocket" she said,
taking it out and reading it.
@Chrissy Bronson" she calculated, after
moment holding out the note, Read that
That dress is yours by a special indication of
Providence"
Chrissy's energetic face wore softened look
as she read the little slip. She read it twice
and handed it back to the woman, who put it
absently in the pocket of the dress again
SHow kind people have been to us, !" she said
@The woman who sent that dress loved it for
the sake Of the one that used 10 wear it.
wonder where that box came from?"
"This lots all marked Middleport, L. L ;"
".
@that's the place where your folks live amt
it? l never thought of it when read the name
at first"
Eyes" answered Chrissy, musingly aChris-
tlana l remember most everybody in Middle
port, but | can't seem to think who could ha'
sent that dress But I'll find her out"
Deacon Joel's handwriting was so small and
close, that they had taken it for woman's.
We'll you see Providence clearly means
this dress for you," said the other, Tefolding
and handing it to Chrissy
Il will take il, :" said Chrissy quietly, shut if
everybody else amt as well supplied as | am
l shall give away the one I've got on when [
so away.
Chrissy Bronson had laid violent hands on
many Il dress before to remodel it, she had
been feminine Wecumseh's main-stay in mat
ters of dress making for years. Since her
father died her busy fingers had supported her
mother, until, one day, the last thing they
could DO for her was to make her shroud and
lay her in it. | say she had laid violent hands
on many dress before, but when she took
her scissors to the marvellous stitches in that
blue dress her quick, capable hand hesitated
81 declare" she said to herself, lit seems
almost wicked to cut one of those beautiful
little stitches. Chrissy Bronson, do believe
you're great goose! You can't wear it as it
is. You've got to cut into it, and you might
as well begin first as last "
But before she began she took the slip of
paper from the pocket and read it again; then
she put it back She did not say in 80 many
words that she should leave it there as long
as she wore the dress, but there was tacit
understanding to that effect between Chrissy
Bronson and herself. She was woman of
quick instincts and clear-sightedness, and that
simple-hearted, child-like note had touched
her
"When it's all told It amt all been loss to
me, this ire business" she said, gong at her
shipping in earnest Il don't know but I
was CROWN to think folks was mostly self
ish lot always skimpin' you in the cloth,
giviu' you sixteen yards where you ought to
have twenty, and expectin' you to get founces
an pleatlns, an panlers, and every other
earthly thing woman puts on her back out
of it. But | shall always remember now how
kind the folks all over the country have been
to the folks here in Michigan
Many times since she had left her dead
mother there had the thought of going to
Middleport to live arisen in Chrissys mind;
but there had been little property and tho
surety of plenty of work in Wecumseh to keep
her there. After her little property had been
burned to ashes the thought grew to pur-
pose
"There was an old man I've heard my
mother tell of, down in Middleport, that used
to say, BLESSED be nothin', for you ant got
IL.
when the first shock of her loss was over.
There amt anything to hold me to Wecumseh
any longer. Everybody that belongs to me is
at Middleport, and I'm going there | amt
afraid but what can get livin' anywhere.
And so it fell that one week from the day
she put her scissors for the first time into
Deacon Joel's sisters wedding dress, Deacon
Joel himself, down at the depot with old
Suke and a load of barreled caulitioWer, saw
Wis in
dress, stepping out upon the platform with
her brisk, Independent step.
Apparently she was looking for no one to
meet her, for she immediately walked down
the platform, at the end of which Deacon Joel
stood, transferring his cauliHower from the
wagon to the freight-house.
The deacon had recognized both her
and her blue dress, for Chrissy's def
fingers had contrived to modernize
the dress with little alteration. AS
she came toward him he let the
barrel he was handling fall, and it went
rolling away down the narrow platform, Civ
ing Chrissy scarcely room to turn out
81 heg your pardon" said Deacon JOEL fol-
lowing helplessly after it.
Ohriasy laughed brightly.
"That was nothing, she said, holding out
her hand. "How do you do, Deacon Emmett?
Don't you remember me?"
She herself never forgot any one she ever
saw She knew everybody in Middleport that
had been there six years ago.
Deacon Emmett shook hands with her in a
dazed sort of way, answering at random a
question or two concerning her grandfather,
uncle Siny," and then she went on crossing
the track and stepping out into the village
road.
The deacon finished unloading his wagon,
got in, chirruped to old Suke and drove off.
Less than quarter of mile down the road
he passed Chrissy, walking with quick, firm
step that set the short curls under her walking
hat to dancing softly.
When old Suke had trotted few wards be-
yond Chrissy she suddenly stopped.
"Whoam said the deacon, and then he looked
around. Suke's reason for stopping was cas-
lily found this morning; hearing Deacon En-
NETT say whoa, and seeing him look around
toward her, naturally Chrissy looked up
inquiringly when she neared him.
Hadn't you better ride?" suggested he with
clumsy grace. cts a good mile and half tc
Uncle Sings, and I'm goin' right by there"
Il don't mind walkin' ore mite" responded
She in of fact way, "but if you have
plenty of room, and are going right by there
may as we'll ride, and thank you"
So saying she handed up small bundle
that was her only baggage, and climbed
nimbly to the spring seat of Deacon Josrs
ox-wagon.
"Come, sukey, geddup!" said the deacon,
with little fear and trembling at his heart
lest she should not obey. but as I live, that
animal gave little contented whisk of her
tail and started off as good as a kitten.
II guess Uncle Sings folks want expectin'
you to-day, said the deacon, by way of con-
versation, after little, cor he'd ben down to
the train to meet YOU"
No; didn't write what day I'd come" said
Chrissy, "for | don't mind wallin', and
didn't want to make 'em any trouble He's
getting to be an old man..
"They tell me you've lost all your property
out in Wecumseh, and you're goin' to make it
your home in Middleport," said Deacon Joel.
"'Twasn't much to call property" said
Chrissy, only little house and little inter
est in store there. Yes, lost it, and there
wasn't anything to keep me in Wecumseh
any longer All the folks that belong to me
are here in Middleport, and everything I've
got in the world is on my back and in this
bundle"
at seems kind O hard for woman that's
alone i'll the world to lose everything" said
the deacon, with a sympathetic quaveT
Il don't know" Chrissy replied, with a
laugh that had a bit of tremble in it, at
amt so hard for old maids like me as it is for
them that's got families to look out for 1t
would make your heart ache to see some
folks that have raked and scraped for years to
get a bit of land cleared and house made
and paid for, lose everything, and have to
commence all over again with lot of half
clad little children around EN-"
The thought of halfzclad little children
touched a tender SPOT in Deacon JOel'S heart