The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-02-07
TRUSTING IN PROVIDENCE

mother and so tell YOU said Miss Elsa
Robbins. warming her claw-like fingers
over the blaze of an armful of pine logs
which she had just flung on the fire. And
I'm very glad, mother, that we've got the
Iusset-apples safe into the cellar, for its on
them I place my main dependence for the
interest money this year
Mrs. Robbins sat knitting in the cush-
Toned rocker-a wrinkled, bright-eyed little
old woman, whose caps were always spot
lessly clean, and whose dresses never seemed
to wear out
"Frost, eh?" said she.
81 rather guess so, responded Elsa, with
a SILVER "Stars shinin' like so many little
diamond specks, and c new moon behind
the pines p
Well, it's good thing we amt stinted
for wood" chcerfully observed Mrs. Rob-
bins.
You're always finding out some good
thing or other, mother" said Elsa, little
petulantly.
La, child, the world is full of 'em !" said
Mrs. Robbins, who had sweet, plaintivo
voice like whip.poor-will. "The Lord,
He's deal better to us than we deserve !"
Well, them" quantity remarked Elsa, ~
may as web tell you, now as ever, that the
roof IS leakn' dreadful bad"
Leakin', is it?n said Mrs Robbins
"Where %
Up garnet, v said Elsa Over the west
store-room."
'a.Well, it's luckily it amt leakin' over the
rooms we live in" said the inveterate old
optimist If it was to leak at all, it
couldn't have selected better spot
And the fence is down in the north lot,
remarked Elsa, land Neighbor Gamers cat
lie are all in!
Bless me :" said Mrs. Robbins. ''Well,
there amt much but rock and mullein-stalks
/ in that lot, anyhow, and Neighbor Carter
don't half feed his cattle I'm glad the
poor creeturs can have good bite for once
in their lives p
"Aud I've had letter from Walters
widow added Elsa 'and she wants to
come here, with her children
:" Tell her to Gomez said Mrs. Robbins.
=" II amt fine city place, and maybe she
and the little ones will find it hard to make
cut on mush and moasses and baked pota
toes, as we do. But she's my nephew's
widow, and she'll be welcome here.n
I" But MOTHER said Elsa, "ihink what
you are doing. Another family in this
oramped-up little house-a lot of noisy chill
dren, racing and screaming about--a fine
| lady to be waited on, who is certainly rs
able to take care Of herself as we are to take
care of her. Aud you know that we owe q
large bill at the grocer's, and we haven. paid
for the COW yet, and the tailoress business is
getting duller every year, now that folks
have taken the notion to go to the city fo,
their little boys suits. And"
Well, child-well,n serenely interposed
the old lady, God will provide. He always
ioes And it's a dreadful thing to be .
widow and homeless. Write to her, Elsa
and tell her to Gomez
but she has no money to travel WITH
bluntly added Elsa. "She wants us to send
her twenty dollars. She has written to
Cousin MTarrett, up at the Grange, and they
won't even answer her letter.
Dear, dear! that's bad !" cooed Mrs.
Robbins. mo money at ALL Poor soul!
poor soul |"
Well-but, mother" pleaded Else, Eve
haven't got any money, either-to spare -
There't the chicken money! said Mrs.
Robbins looking wistfully up.
But that was to buy you warm, new
cloak, MOTHER
Well, III make the old gray shawl do
for another year." said Mrs. Robbins And
Walters widow must have money to pay
her travelling expe nses--poor thing 1t was
very wrong of Olivia Marrett not to answer
her letter-very. But Olivia aud her hus.
band was always close It's their nature, 7
do s'puse.'
And Elsa broke out laughing with tear
IN the corner of her hard, gray eyes.
" You dear old mother" said she. al
believe / should have lost faith in human
nature aud everything else, long ago, if ii
hadn't been for you. Let Walters widow
and her children come. We're poor, and in
debt and can't find bread for our own two
selves but | believe, for once, I'll follow
your example, mother, and trust in Prov-
deace."
And she sat down and wrote to Walter
Robbins widow, inclosing that last twenty.
dollar bill, which was to have bought the
warm winter cloak for the old lady, who was
so contentedly knitting in the coral glow of
the freight. /.
Mrs Walter Robbins vas sitting by the
fire also, but not such a fire as illumines the
farmhouse kitchen with softer shine than
any electric light. 1t was mere handful of
Goals, in q rusted CRATE, over which she bent
with shudder, as the wind howled by.
shaking the window-panes and rafting the
paper-shades She was mending the chill
dren's stockings, and as she worked little
girl crept ont of the bed and stole across the
floor to her side
Mamma, can't get warm" said she.
Isn't there any dre?"
"There's fire, DEAR said Mrs. Rob.
bins but we can't have much, for there's
only peck of coal left in the box"
Mamma" went on the child, "why
don't our fires shine red and bright like the
fires see through other peoples windows,
sometimes ?n
We can't afford it, dear" sighed the
widow. :" II you let the coal blaze and
erackle it soon turns into ashes, and we
must economize."
Mamma" spoke up tiny voice from
the bed, 9 didn't eat quito enough supper.
Can't have another half slice of bread?p
There is no more, Bessie" said Mrs.
Robbins, with pang, sharper than any SER
| penis tooth, at her heart go to sleep,
dear; you'll soon forget that you are hun
+ cry, and in the morning We are TO start for
tho country. you know"
Bessie's eyes sparkled.
We can have all the milk VIC want then.
mamma, can't we ?" said she.
! And pick up nuts where they grow
among the leaves, and eat apples without
paying two cents apiece for them" chimed
III Iiine. On, mamma, why don't every.
one live in the country? Mamma, don't