News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-05-25

the fire to the dining-room door with
gleeful EXPLANATIONS Of" Crikey, what
jolly fire She's an angel, Miss Prue
is =! There's turkey bigger than a
wash-tub. Bless her heart don't it
just make a fellow feel like going to
church What a cake Amt it a
screamer etc., until Mrs. Baker re-
quested him to shut his mouth and not
make fool of himself.
Miss Prue felt that she had an ample
reward in the happiness she had the
means of bestowing upon these poor
creatures, into whose lives so few such
CLEANS as these had fallen.
eff people would only seek happi-
ness in this manner they would find it
oftener," she thought.
Meg, who was helping her aunt lay
the table, found the affair rather an in
teresting experiment, and even Mrs.
Potter conceded that lending to the
Lord was not bad investment.
Miss Merriweather was just finishing
off her table arrangements with great
glass dish of oranges, when Daddy
Skifkins came skipping out, in much ex-
element.
Miss Prue," he exclaimed, " there's
fellow outside says can he come in, be-
cause it is showing very fast {? And
Mrs. Baker and Granny Larkins says he
shan't come in; but it seems rather
rough on a fellow that he has no place
to go to, and I don't think he has,
and -
"Of course he can come in" said
Miss Prue, settling the last orange.
Wait-I'll let him in myself"
AS she opened the door tall form in
rough gray overcoat, all dappled with
snow, walked in.
"Prue p exclaimed deep voice just
little tremulous.
And without further notice the tall
and saucy stranger gave Miss Prue a
very snowy hug.
"Jim-Jim Griggs-is it really you !?
cried Miss Prue, returning the hug, in
the face of all the guests, who had
trooped into the hall, with Mrs. Potter
and Meg close behind.
"It's Jim Griggs and nobody else,"
returned the stranger cheerily. "And
every year for the past ten it's been my
intention to come home on this very
day Of this very month, because it's
the anniversary of that day promised
to come, when 1 got all but killed and
robbed afterward !; and when I got into
a travelling condition come back 1
wouldn't, with never a penny, when I
had made fortune and vowed a VOW
not to come till I had it back-which
I've done at Iast-and to come this
night when I did. Letters we poor
wretches couldn't send oftener than
once in six months, and then they mostly
went astray; so I wouldn't risk it, not
beng any hand to write anyway, and l
always said next year I'll go sure. I
knew you'd wait for me, Prue, my
darling, and here you are, with every
thing and everybody to welcome back
the prodigal."
Mr.. Griggs finished his explanation
before the bounteous fire, with Daddy
Skifkins revolving around him in a
perfect ecstasy, and everybody talking
at once.
Miss Prue took the opportunity to
indulge in thankful little cry behind
the dining-room door.
But it somehow happened that while
the guests were enjoying their banquet
for which Mrs. Bakers appetite was
not found to be seriously impaired by
Daddy Skifkins's presence-Mr. Griggs
persuaded Miss Prue to take little
walk with him as far as the minister's
residence.
1t appears like it was her wedding
dinner she was cooking, after all" said
Miss Jonquil, when she heard the
news. "But, law sakes p she added,
with litter, sit wasn't very stylish
affair. 1 wouldn't have such a we'd
ding"
Which remark did not trouble the
late Miss Merriweather in the least.