The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-03-15

during all that time had only smiled
twice; once when Simon's wife was
giving him to sup, and again on the
gentleman. Simon was delighted
with his workman. He did not ask
him any more where he came from
his only fear was that Michael would
leave him.
One day they sat at home together.
The mistress was putting irons in the
stove, and the children were running
on the benches and looking out of the
windows. Simon was sharpening at
one window, and Michael was ham
mering on sole at the other.
One of the children ran along a
bench to Michael, leaned on his
shoulder, and looked out of the win
dow.
Uncle Michael, look! merchants s
wife and two little girls are coming
to see us. And one of the girls is
lame"
The child had scarcely spoken
these words when Michael threw
down his work, turned to the window,
and looked down into the street.
Simon wondered. Michael had
never looked down into the street be-
fore, but now he pressed close to the
window and looked at something be-
low. Simon looked out too; it was
true. He saw a woman coming up
to his yard, leading by the hand two
little girls in furred pelisses and in
kerchiefs. The little girls were as
like as two peas; there was no telling
one from the other. The only differ
ence between them was that one girl
had hurt her foot-she limped.
The woman went up the staircase
into the passage, felt about for the
door, pressed hack the cramp, and
opened it. She made the little girls
pass in before her, and entered the
cottage
"Good-day, Mistress -
"Good-day. What might you
want?"
The woman sat down on chair,
the little girls standing close up be-
side her; they looked with astonish-
ment on the people.
'These two girls want shoes for the
spring"
"By all means; it's easily done.
We have never made such small ones,
but that's no matter. They can be
double-soled or Of linen braided.
Michael is frst-rate for that"
Simon looked at Michael, and saw
that he had thrown down his work
and kept his eyes fixed on the little
girls.
Simon was astonished at Michael.
The little girls were no doubt very
pretty; they had dark eyes, chubby,
rosy cheeks, and wore pretty dresses
and Pelises, but for all that Simon
could not understand why Michael
fixed his eyes upon them. He had
often seen such before.
Simon wondered. He began to
speak to the woman-to bargain.
They came to terms, and he made a
measure. The woman took up the
lame child and put it on her knees.
"You must measure this one twice
over" she said. make one shoe to
fit the crooked foot, and three for the
straight one. The feet are exactly
the same size. They are twins"
Simon took the measure, and said
to the lame child,-
How comes it that you are lame
such a good little girl? Were you
born so?'
mo; mother crushed me-"
Matrona joined in. She wished to
know from her who the woman was,
and who the children were.
"Are you not their mother?"
II am not their mother, nor rela-
tive of theirs, mistress. They are
perfect strangers-adopted."
''Not your children, and what care
you take Of them!'
"And we'll I may. They were both
sucked by me. / had child of my
own; God took it to another world; |
didn't take such care of it as | do Of
them"
"Whose are they, then?"
(TO BE CONTINUED