The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-06-03

y The sunshine, you know, and the flowers and
J.. the birds and the Lake are so lovely I'm
t glad came Do you think, now, you would
. care to buy bunch of fat wood'?"
Every bundle in your basketr' SAID Aunt
s Janet, who was thinking fast and furi0usly,
a and mentally vowing that, If this living lesson
r of content and humility being thrust, so to
c speak, in her brothers very face, should fail
to open his eyes to his own state, then there
l was no hope for him.
MIR. Storm was thinking to u better purpose
). than Aunt Janet was giving him credit for or
b, was willing to.
That very content, one of 'Lizbeth's chief
l virtues, SO manifest in every word she spoke,
! in every smile that lowered about the tender
lips, In the bright, even tones of her voice
Content with toll and prlvatiOn that needed
no word of hers to confirm, ana grateful even
for the sunshine, the birds, and the flowers
touched the mans real heart, that, after ALL lay
snug and warm, "a little warped, true, by too
much prosperity under the rubbish that sci.
! tishness had piled high-touched him, we say,
as no loudly.spOken reproof could have done
u "Haveyou always lived over yonder?" ques.
toned Nettie, who had sobered while listening
to Liz beths story, and quite forgetting her
i queer shoes
j so! NO, Miss. We used to live two miles
further down but Auntle thought, if we NOV.
ed up here, could sell more wood, because OF
there beng so many big houses up this way,
you know"
Liz beth looked around her audience so
smliingly, it should have induced some one TO
believe that selling "fatwood" was one OF the
most delightful occupations IN the world.
There is another thing am glad we moved
over yOnder tor" she added, quickly in naive
and extremely business.like manner, which be-
came her as well as the smiles. at won't take
me so long to get Auntie In the old Ladies
Home over in the town yonder, cause earn
more money here. I've got fifty cents put
away already Auntle don't know how much
it will take; either"
"And when the old aunie is well housed
and kindly looked after at the Home then
what is TO become of Liz'beth ?" questioned
Aunt Janet gravely, in whose voice was Il sus
piclon OF huskiness.
"Me O! goodness! 1t don't matter about
me, you know. Why, can sell fat-wood and
live oyer yonder, and visit Auntle; and she'll
have good dresses, | wouldn't wonder? o no.
II don't matter about me, at all'
Liz beth, having disposed OF herself in this
summary manner, smiled Contentedly all
around.
"if should give you the money that would
place Aunte in that Home at once and spare
then ~ asked Mr.. Storm, gravely
For moment the soft eyes rested upon his
face then the sweet lips quivered painfully, as
she answered, between a smile and tears:
Il don't think you would do that, Sir; but,
ii you did, | would 90 right home, up to the
big room where the chimney is out and the
roof knocked in, and Ia get right down on
my knees and I'd pray very loud. I'd ask !
God to bless you forever and ever and ever,
and to give it back to you again some day"
Not even Nettle laughed at Liz beth's ear.
nestness. Mrs. Storm thought her very pc,
culiar child, quite uhseltish. Mr. Storm was |
hastily comparing her short life with his own,
to his shame and discomfort; while Aunt
Janet was deciding, if ner brother failed to
carry out the idea he had advanced, she should
do it.
Mr.. Storm was quite IN earnest, however;
and, after a whispered consultation with his
wife, while Aunt Janet emptled the basket di-
rectly before the porch steps, he drew Liz beth
close beside him, and, with the wistful eyes
fixed steadily upon HIM, he gave the promise
that sent thrill alter thrill through the grateful
little heart, while the smiles chased eaCn other
so radiantly and swiftly around the tender lips.
Mr. Storm drew the golden head to his bosom
in sudden tenderness and pity.
While Aunt Janet was filling Liz beth's bas
ket, without ceremony, from the store.roOm
Nettie and Mrs. Storm were searching through
Nettie's rooms and closets for superflueus
clothing; and as Neitie was found to possess
an abundance of the latter, their arms were
filled when they returned, later, and exhibited
before astonished 'Liz'beth every article that
henceforth was to be her own.
To say that 'Llz'beth beamed would not ex.
press it. She dubbed and quite run over with
gee. The mad, wild snatches of low laughter
N ~ from he ar uh nj nlaI
was so highly contagious that it soon set them
all afioat and no one save LIZ beth could have
told what the laughter was about.
"She must take OFT these queer shoes, papa,
and put on this pair of mine. She will walk
so much better" said Nettle, heart and soul
alive to Liz beths comfort in some extraordi.
nary way and laughing every time that little
woman did.
They're very handy shoes, Miss" said LIZ.
beth, wishing to do justice to the poor shoes
that had served her double purpose so long.
Nettie remained silent, although unconvinc-
ed, while 'Llz beth, very soberly and almost re.
put them aside substituting a pair
of Ncttie's, that fitted perfectly, much to the
latter's delight.
'Llz'beth took step or two in the new shoes,
looked up shyly and sweetly, and with it all
so gratefully 1t seemed impossible to leave off
granting tavors: therefore, Mr.. Storm decided
on the spot both basket and bundle were too
heavy for 'Liz'beth to carry, and we should go
with her; and then Nettic clamored to go, also,
and, as the morning was SO fine, Aunt Janet
proposed to Mrs. Storm that they, also, should
walk around to the old house, which they did,
to the superannuated aunts surprise, who, be.
ing IN her dotage, believed the Judgment Day
had surely come.
Shall we go on and tell of the peaceful end.
ing of the old Aunt's days in the "Home" she
had coveted so many weary years, until hope
died and age had bent almost double the poor
form and bleacned silver white her hair?
Enough that, at last the poor, feeble prayers
were answered, and the great, unselfsh hope
of 'LIz' beths life was gratltied.