Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-03-09

with pang that she had been 80 wrap
ped up in her own gloomy and selfish
thoughts the past week that she had
paid but little attention to her boys in
any way, and she reflected, "Shall l
let the good seed sown by stranger in
the hearts of my children perish for
want of car. from their mother? Will
! let my own selfish ease rob these
poor boys of pleasure which might
always be a pleasant remembrance to
them? No, / will rouse myself and
make the best Of it.
bridget, in the meantime, had been
summoned again to the alley gate, and
had secured two more guests, one a
pale little cripple on clutches, who had
not only succeed in obtaining substi-
tute, but had borrowed an umbrella;
which umbrella had seen its best days,
t.. be sure, being minus two stays and
patched with a different color, but de-
moralized as it was, it did not prevent
the guest it sheltered from being joy
fully welcomed by their compatriots
already under shelter. The crippled
boy in particular was warmly welcom-
ed by Mrs. Longman, whose heart went
out in sympathy to suffering in any
form. She had just been upon the
point of proposing that the boys
should, until supper was ready, adjourn
to the attic, which, like the rest of the
house, was warm and comfortable, but,
out Of consideration for the lame boy,
she changed her plans and sent two of
the guests with her Sons to bring down
such playthings as they desired into
the parlor, when q ring of the bell
drew them all scampering to the hall
door, where stood three boys, one Of
whom, the Euening Wisconsin, was
spokesman.
~ hope you will excuse us, maam,
for not coming to the alley gate this
evening"" said he, bowling over the heads
of the boys to Mrs. Longman, who was
coming to see what this method of an
nounccment might portend, "but Buddy
here" pointing to one of his followers,
sis blind, and ! thought you would not
mind us coming to the front door; and
l could not find lame boy" continued
he, apologetically, to the Longman boys,
$50 | brought the charcoal mans boy,
who is deaf and dumb"
Mrs. Longman escorted them to the
kitchen to remove their wet wrappings
and to dry their shoes, and then took
them to the parlor, where the other
guests were sitting rather silently gazing
at the parlor and its contents, which
though to some persons it might have
been considered plain, was to the boys
q scene of unaccustomed luxury; then
she went back to the kitchen to hold
council with Bridget in regard to the
all-important event of the evening
supper.
"What in the world will we ges, Bird
get % SAID she. "There are eight of
them in there beside our own, which
makes ten, and there may be as many
more for all know, and it is too wet to
go out for anything"
"The aisiest thing in the world,
ma'am. | have been considering the
same while you were in the parlor.
There's the chickens in the yard, that
you were fattening for Thanksgiving;
nothing in the world would be suitabler
than them"
"But that would be only one kind Of
meat, Bridget, and perhaps some of
them do not eat chicken; ar d, now that
they are here, | would like them all to
be satisfied"
"Trust me for that, ma'am. Inever
saw boy yet that could not eat his
weight in chicken, only give him the
time. / will go Immediately and tell
the fowls their presence is wanted at
a party, and the kettle is singing as
though it expected broth of time"
"And | will make lots of biscuits"
said Mrs. Longman, "and while you
are cooking the chickens Wen set the
table"
can if you please, ma'am, while the
houer and other thing are around,
will make Il lot of my gingercakes; for
next to chicken stew With oceans of
gravy, there's nothing q boy likes better
than hot gingercakes."
"Oh, Bridget you are 80 thoughtful"
said Mrs. Longman, and somehow her
heart began to grow lighter, and, with a
cripple and mute III the next room, she
began to realize that she had mucn for
which to be thankful.
Several new additions were made to
the company in the parlor, and by the
time the supper was smoking upon the
table the mirth was growing "fast and
furious"
The boys were almost dazzled by the
brilliancy of the dining room, the gilt
ter of the china, glass and silver under
the strong gas-light. Mrs. Longman
had exerted herself to make it feast
indeed to those who so seldom Jared ex-
cept upon the coarsest viands, and her
table showed no lack of dainty pre-
served fruits, jellies, and all the little
knick- knacks which she could muster
on such short notice. She knew that
the boys leading the outdoor, active life
of the majority of the guests were not
troubled with NERVES" so coffee the
richest, and tea the purest, graced the
board, while the perfume of the baking
gingerbread iloated through the open
kitchen door, where Bridget, in the
goodness of her heart, was importing a
choice stock of horses, cows, and other
animals for each and all OF the guests,
cut from luscious gingerbread.