Tolland County press., 1883-02-22
HELPING HANDS.

(which she had just flung on the fire. "Ana I'm very glad, mother, that we've got the russet-applss safe into the cellar, for it's on them place nay main depend ence for the interest money this year. ae
 Mrs. Robbins sat knitting in the, cush- toned r0eker-a wrinkled, bright-eyed lit tie old woman, whose caps were always spotlessly clean, and whose dresses never seemed to wear out. ge gs as psss
 'sFrost, eh,'' sad she. vss. -. 'I rather guess SO, responded ELSA, with shiver. 'sStars shinin like so many liittle diamond specks, and . new moon behind the pine F s1a
 .sWell, its good thing we ain't stinted for wood,'' cheerfully observed Mrs. Rob bins. l "You're always finding cut some good thing or other, mother, 1" said Elsa, a little lpetulantly. o. ,ssa A ..,
 aLa, child, the world is full of 'em r said Mrs. Robbins, who had 8 sweet, plaintive voice like a whip poor will. Issrhe Lord, He's deal better to us than we deserve !''
 s"WeH. then quaintly remarked Elsa, ssI may as we'll tell you, now as ever, that the roofs leakin' dreadful bad''
 "Leakin', is ?" said Mrs. Robbins. "Where ?" e aa
 "Up garrett" said Elsa. "Over the
 "Wsll, it's laoky 1t ain t lealkin' over the rooms we live n, ," said the inveterate ole Ioptimist. eff it was to leak at all, It lcouldn't have selected better spot.
 "And ths fence is down in the north lot" remarked Elsa, Sand Neighbor Cart- er's cattle are all inl" J
 ssBless me P said Mrs. Robbins. ''Well, tLl hut stalks in that lot, anyhow, and Neighbol Carter don't half feed his cattle. I'm glad the poor creatures can have good bite for once in their lives !"
 ssAnd I've had letter from Walters widow" added Elsa s'and she wants to lcome here with her children" a1
 ssTell her to come," said Mrs. Robbins. ssIt ain't a7fne city place, and maybe she land the little ones will find it hard tc make out on mush and molasses and baked potatoes, as we do But she's my nephew's gl glwidow, and she'll be welcome here" | "But. mother" said Elsa, s'think wha Iyou are doing. Another family in thu, Icramped-up little house-a lot of noisy lchildren, racing and screaming about-s Ifiue lady to be waited on, who IS certainly as able to take care of herself as we are tt 1 take care of her. Aud you know that Vt 3 lowe g. large bill at the grocers, and We haven't paid for the COW yet, and the tail press business is getting duiler every year, now that folks have taken the notion to go to the city for their little boys suits And s *@ e'te7 ss5S
 "Well, child-well," serenely inter posed the old lady, 'God will provide He always does. And it's dreadful thing to be widow and homeless. Write ts IL 4oI1 %~ @ tBut she has no money to travel with, bluntly added Elsa. 'tShe wants us t' send her twenty dollars. She has written to Cousin Marrett, up at the Grange, an( they won't even answer her letter." i ? fDear, dear that's bad p eooed Mrs Robbins. s'No money at all. Poor soul poor soul r s3 h.
 "Well-but, mother" pleaded Elsa five haven't got any money, either-t' spareP'Sgg k% .sS s%2AS N s%<s@
 .sThere's the chicken money, " said Mrs Robbins, looking wistfully up.
 ''But that was to buy you warm, neN cloak, mother"
 sWell, I'll make the old gray shawl d for another year," said Mrs. Robbins sAnd Walters widow must have money t pay her travelling expenses-poor thing It was very wrong of Olivia Marrett not t answer her letter-very. But Olivia an' her Husband was always close. It's thei nature, do s'pose."
 And Elsa broke out laughing, with tear in the corner of her hard, grey eyes.
 ''You dear old mother p said she. 's believe should have lost faith Ill human nature and everything else long ago, if hadn't been for you. Let Walters wldo1 and her children come. We're poor, an' lol>& nd far two selves but l believe, for once, IT follow your example, mother, and trust il Providence"
 And she sat down and wrote to Waite Robbins widow, inclosing that last twen ty-dollar bill, which was to have bough , the warm winter cloak for the old lady who was so cententedly knitting in tn coral glow of the freight.
 Mrs. Walter Robbins was sitting by tn fire also, but not such fire as iilumine the farm-h house kitchen with softer shin than any electric light. It was a naer handful of coals, in rusted gFate, owe which she bent with shudder, as tn Iwind howled by, shaking the window panes and rattling the paper shades. She was mending the children's stockings z land as she worked little girl crept out ( the bed and stole across the floor to he side.
 Mamma, can't get warm," said she sIsn't there any fire ?"
 "There's fire, dear," said Mrs. Roh bins "but we can't have much, for there only peck of coal left in the box"
 Mamma" went on the child, "wh don't our fires shine red and bright lk the fires I gee through other peoples viii dows, sometimes ?"
 "We can't afford it, dear," sighed tn widow. eff you let the coal blaze an crackle it seen turns into ashes, and " must economize."
 ''Mamma," spoke up tiny voice fro. the bed, 'I didn't eat quite enough SUI per. Can't I have another half slice ( bread ?"
 "There is no more, Bessie" said Mir, 7 Robbins, with pang, sharper than an serpent's tooth, at her heart. "Go } sleep, dear {; you'll soon forget that 70 are hungry, and in the morning we are start for the country, you know.p Bessie's eyes sparkled.@ 5 4sS8 @.A "We can have all the milk we wal then, mamma, can't we P said she. 'And pick up nuts where they gro among the leaves, and eat apples wlthol 3 paying two cents apiece for them, chime P in Lillie.A "Oh, mamma, why don't ever
 enc live in the country. Mamma, don ! you love Cousin Elsa and her mother Is Cousin Elsa little girl? Will sl