The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-12-26

reliance ROxbury, as she stood among
the current bushes at the garden fence
ga most ridiculous idea! Iwonder what
this gushing American people will do
next ?" as she gave an emphatic twitch
| to her purple calico sun-bonnet,
There was faint murmer of dissent
| from little woman on the other side of
the moss-grown fence.
"No-of course you don't agree with
me-" continued Miss Reliance, as the cus-
ters of ruby and pearl flew into the six
quart pail at her feet
" You are so soft-hearted that your feel
ings are forever running off with your COM
mon sense. You never say word about
the national debt, or the condition of our
navy, but let anybody start a subscrip-
tion for sending blanket shawls to Brazil
or putting up monument to Methusaleh
on the meeting house green, and you will
give your last quarter. And now you're 60
ing to open your house to lot of little
ragamutfins from New York.
The motherly brown eyes on the other
side of the fence were full of tears, and
pleasant voice replied:
&C 1t makes my heart ache to think how
the poor things suffer, crowded together
in dirty streets, with never breath of a
clover field or glass of milk. If you'd
just read about it, Reliance, you'd count
it blessed privilege to give them a bit
of our sunshine"
"Pd as soon have tribe of Zulus on
the place." said Miss Reliance, Sand if
you will take my advice you'll save your
self lots Of trouble
Mrs. Lane stopped her work for mo-
ment and said:
"'Liakim and me are all alone now. Re-
lance. One by one, we've laid Kate and
Sarah and baby Lizzie over there in the
old burying ground and Jack is in Col
orado, and Richard in Boston, and we
get hugry sometimes for the sound of lit
tie feet. When l began to read about
the Fresh Air Fund it kind of sent a
thrill all over me, and 'Liakim he reads
about it every day, before he ever looks
at the Egyptian war, and he wipes his
glasses pretty often, too. Then when we
heard the parson say that party would
come here if places could be found for
them, Iiakim spoke right off for four,
and they'll be here next Tuesday, and
I'm going to make it just as much like
heaven as ever can"
you'll make yourself sick, that's
what'll you do, Amanda Lane" replied
Miss Reliance, "but if you want your
garden overrun, and your silver spoons
stolen, and your house full of flies, and
your nerves prostrated, why it's your own
fault. / must 60 in and get my Jelly
started"
Miss Roxbury went up the path be-
tween the sunbowers and hollyhocks, en-
tered the large, sunny, airy kitchen, and
set down the pail Of currants for Hannah,
the housemaid to pick over. Then she
hung the purple calico 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 favorite chintz.
covered rocker. Miss Reliance Roxbury
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 elms and naples the
pride of the village of Lynford. She was
stern woman, who liked but few people
and had horror of children, dogs and
sentiment. The village boys, with a keen
perception of her unsympathetic nature,
| called ner - OLD lrOnSldeS.
She was proud of her birth and of the
substantial property that had fallen to
her at the death Of her father, old Judge
Roxbury.
She was a member of the Presbyterian
church, and paid high rental for the
Roxbury pew, but with that considered
her pecuniary obligations to the cause
were at end. AS a general thing, she
had not allowed convictions on the sub
ject of giving to trouble her, ever since
Sunday, when the pastor stated the work
Of the Fresh Air Fund, and made fer
vent appeal for these little ones that
suffer-" she had been subjected to numer.
Gus vague, but uncomfortable sensations.
She rocked back and forth in the spacious
sitting-room that no fly dared to invade,
and noted the perfect order of the apart
ment. From the China shepherdess on
the mantel, to the braided rugs at the
doors, everything occupied the same po-
sition as in the days of Miss Roxbury' 3
girlhood. There was torture in the
thought of having the table cover pulled
away, of seeing the shells and the prim
old daguerotypes disarranged on the
what-not, of having sand tracked in by
small feet over the faded Brussels carpet
and her pet verbena bed invaded by ca
ger young fingers.
Surely religion and humanity could not
demand such sacrifices of her
Please, ma'am, the currents is ready
to be put over" said Hannah, at tht
door.
Miss Roxbury rose at once, glad of an
other channel for her thoughts, but amid
her weighing and measuring, and hel
careful calculations of pints and pounds
the strange impression did not leave hel
mind
After the rich crimson syrup had beer
poured into the row Of shining tumblerl
on the table, she returned 70 her chintx
covered rocker and took up the Bible u
read her daily chapter. Opening i d
raadom, her eyes fell upon these words
Then shall He answer them, saying
Inasmuch = 70 did il not INTO one d
the least sc these 4
Minoa aRoxbueyreod no further on that