Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1883-05-30
BARRY.

BARRN.
Miss Abigail Burr was little brown
old maid, who lived in a little brown old
house with her cat, Debby, and heI
woman-Of all-work, Prudence. sharp OF
tongue, long of viSage browner and
older than the mistress herself. There
was nothing of grace, nor beauty, noI
sweetness about Miss Ablgail's life:
everything was dry. and hard, and
husky. Indeed, some people We're st
uncharitabe as to say that her heart
was like very much dried-up kernel il
nutshell, and would rattle if she were
TO be shaken hard enough. But | never
quite believed that. Ialways said there
was a soft spot III Miss Abigail's heart.
TO be found when the time came to find
it,
One spring twilight boy opened
Miss Abigail's garden gate and walked
up the path between the rows of strag-
CLING lilacS. He was not a boy who
lived about Caperstown or he would not
have dared venture, L am sure, for
Prudence's sake, besides having moth
ing TO venture for. He was an un-
kempt, Staryed-looking little specimen
of humanity. His coat was world too
long and patched at the elbows; and
his trousers were a world too short and
patched at the knees. His hat was
guiltless of brIm, and through "A hole in
the crown bObbed a little tuft OF hair
which had once been brown, but was
now wofully faded. He went straight
49,, ATigz- 4 lirra f1-s r,nrrh stems Miss
Abigail was sitting on the porch IN her
high-backed rocking-chair so intent on
binding off her stOcking-heel that she
heard neither the click of the gate-latch
nor the footsteps on the hard-trOdden
path. and she did not look up until the
BOYS figure interpoSed itself between
her work and the fading sunset light.
He DOTTED his tatteTed hat-crown.
If YOU please, ma'am, viii you
NAV | have something to eat?''
1t was not at all a tramp'S manner OF
asking; there was maniness III the
voice which Miss Abigail could not help
but notice. Perhaps that was the reason
she looked at the boy sharply for a
moment before she answered. In that
moment. Prudence, tall and angular,
stood i'm the door, with shawl thrown
over her head, and her right hand swath-
ed with soft cotton.
I'm have to git Jonas Barrow S man
to do the milkin', sad she: can L
I've burned my hand that bad. >.
The boy looked up quickly. 'Can l
I-could milk for you!n
AS | have intimated, Prudence did
l,a- sh
expressed her dislike III very 1orclDie
manner many of the village urchiiis
could testify. Now, she surveyed thlS
boy standing by the porch steps, from
his bare brown feet to bis brown heda,
not forgetting the faded little TUT, i'll
dumb establishment. =,
e1You might let him try, Prudence,
said Miss Abigail, thinking rather dude
ouslv of the nervous, mouse-coloreu Al
derney in the yard. :,
II chored on farm all last summer,
expIained the boy, eagerly, glancmS
from mistress to maid. 4 want solie
supper. and I'll be glad to do something
We'll. YOU kin try it, > said Prudence,
after a momentary deliberatlon.. II'S
better'n begging favor, anyhow.
She led the way to the kitchen, and
took a shining tin pail from the dresser.
Heres the milk-pail," she sad TO
tbe boy. who stood waiting; IAN the
cows in the yard yonder. ray
comes when the work S done. "
And Prudence smiled grimly as she
went about setting out lunch OF bread
and butter and cold meat. She lell
morally certain that the filghty AiderIies
heifer. used only to woman-klnd, "otuu
he much more likely to spread par OIL
bovine wings and fly away than allo"
herself to be milked by a boy.
lie can't do it,'' she said to MISS
Ahioail. who presently brought her KNIT, u,
ting work in the kitchen. line helieI Ii
send him sky-high. " g bo
R Rut he could and he did. Soon ne
anneared in the doorway, his pan priiii-
ming with snowy foam. D,oo
i'ila'S saSWalI never" calculated Prudence.
.sYon didn't think / could!' S;iid lie
bov. smiling brightly; 49,, p,,dence.
No. didn't" admitteo tn,,not iI,,on
and straightway, in her astoiiisiiii5m,' ., y,
She added to his fare a segnienl VI
barb pie. -. of choose left
from teaY'' asked Miss Abigail IL
prudence thought there was allu ni
uh;ie She was fetching it from the Ger
lar R the boy gave himself healthy a, scfItG. IL.
bng m "a at the pump, coming IN mo nom he HIe
abl1tions fresh and ruddy asa rose, ST. ~
was was very hungry, there was no d9uGt 4 ,,,;tb =, ]
that lie looked at Miss ApiSall Wiz VII ~
S, denrecating smile as Prudence ,;an;SS. eartisc
off the bread-plate for a third repieiii'"
ing. ,,s,;d he This
10 the first bite I've had SINCE ii'oi nm
and it tastes good. , ,b;gai
To he sure it did. Miss Ao,Sef S;ei
tbongbt of little brother VIZ toudel
Years and years before, ere hls 3 'GilSs I;fe,,
feet began to feel the prlekSs II lioht If. q
natb How strange that the 81 ;lsn. cray Y
% tSis little vagrant. satisfying ms hs;Dg uf"t /,
mo at her kitchin table, shoulI y oi Ind ;,
hey g 1e remembrance the child VINO ;mmor Iau J.
early ear nut off the mortal for e, Ine had h fin