The Press., 1883-05-10

fear lest Abe should want to borrow mon- ey of her. lllS 4ta
 Father got home yet ?" said Abe.
 Mrs. Ackley was blowing desperately at 8 crumpled bit of paper which absolutely declined to ignite the kindlings adjoining to it. e s,'f ssl
 ssThat's you, mother, to fT'!'' said Abraham, good -humoredly. "You're too economical even to burn enough waste pa persi Goodness knows, they don't cost
 sHumph l' said Mrs. Ackley. s'Iknow in r
 aAnd that reminds me P said Abe, skating easily away from the subject, l"I'm going down arter my boarder P
 ssWhat boarder ?" said Mrs. Ackley, sharply.
 "Didn't you know ?" said Abe. ''Me and Jane Eliza, we've bid for one of the flown poor. It ain't much pay, to-be-sure. The selectmen are real close this year, on account of the town hall havin' cost such sight O money. But its better than noth- I in. And the old woman will be company for Jane Eliza and the children. It's old Huldah Jones, you know-Cappen Jones' widder, down in Frog Lane.
 ssOh T" said Mrs. Ackley. ..s..,.. ,s . l sI expected her up last night" said Abe, drawing on his blue yarn mittens ; ssbut guess she found the weather one too many for her rheumatiz so now I'm goin' arter her, with an armchair tied in to the box-sled And, by the way" fun bling in his coat pocket, there's letter l father, but I opened it by mistake
 sWho's it from ?' screeched Abigail, who had just come down stairs, half froz- len, from her freless room, tying her apron strings as she came, while Maria was visi- ble, twisting up her back hair in the dis tance. .ss
 .sYour rich cousin in New York; said Abe. .tShe ain't comin'l She's made up her mind to rent furnished flat in New York, where she can be near her doctor and her favorite clergyman l" .t
 Nonsense r said Maria. '"That's only 8 practical joke, as some one is t1yin' to come on us. Cousin Jones is here already. y | ssAsleep in the best chamber, where I'm goin' to light afire at seven o'clock, added Abigail. 1s e5@ z.-l: .-,.,sa- -ltsz:. s4-
 "What P roared Abraham. tsa.. l "Girls!' shrilly exclaimed Mrs. Ackley, ssits a dreadful mistake as we've all of us made! This old woman ain't our Cousin Jones at all Its the town poor as Abe has took to board !-old Cappen Jones' widow, from Frog Lane. :"
 And she struck an attitude in front of the stove like Medea before the sacrificial flames. tss-{,...... ;,.....g.- .-. .,.-s i. 3
 'sAnd we gave her cold fowl and rasp- berry-jam," cried Maria, "and the whole Eof the meat pie. :" "..... .- .- .-=s f asAnd my choicest linen sheets, and a fre, in the best chamber r groaned Mrs, Ackley. My goodness me! how could we be such fools ?"
 -.sGo and wake her up at once,' said Maria to Abigail. q s"Tell her Abe. Ackley is here to take her where she rightly be. longs and ask her how she dared to i'm pose upon decent people like us ?'
 sIt ain't her fault!' sighed Mrs. Ack- ley. ssIts ours. Goodness, what idiots we've beenl"S e5s s-sEssk "Well, you haven't asked me to break. fast" said Abraham, junior, waggishly l "but guess I'll stop for bite and sup, and take the old lady up to our home arter. ward. Tain't good plan to travel on an empty stomach such weather as this l" And the bewildered Mrs. Jones was whisked away on the box-sled before she knew the rights and wrongs of the case ; leaving the Ackley family disconsolate. 'I never was so mistook in my life be- fore" said Mrs. Ackley.
 But Abe, junior, regarded the matter as stupendous joke. sg .tg
 "Old Mrs. Jones got frst-class mea and nights lodgin', free gratis out of moth er," said he ''and I don't remember wheI anybody else has done as much" .