The Republican journal., 1883-10-04
not put them on. They had gone to the


church on Sunday, because they were
not fit to wear.
After ten days delay, a letter came
from Charlemont; a gay, bright letter,
ending with: "Thefe's teachers con-
vention in Ludlow (the next town to
Dennis) on the 24th, and will bring the
five dollars | borrd wed of you when |
come through.
This was the seed 9nd of May. 1t was
the 22d of April the money had been lent
Mary. Eggs we're now drug at the
store. The doctor hever would let her
run in debt and she nd May were all but
shoeless.
In the meantime Mary had said to her
selt-seeing pretty cambria she wanted
in a Charlemont sh0p-"If buy it,
can't send Della her money till next
month, but it's only five dollars She will
not want it before | 90 to Ludlow"
She did not think that Della had been
too poor to pay her own car ticket to
Waterbury, or that she had retained from
buying her shoes there, as she meant to
at first, saying that she would get them
at home at the stor re because Mr.. Clark
had been 50 civil Ind kind to her al
ways.
Mays old shoes soon gave out past
patching. The slight cold she had taken
from wearing mocc$sins hung about her
owing to the damp and cold spring winds.
There came on a heavy shower one day
while she was in sch hool, and running out
at recess her shoes were wet through,
for the patched sole and cracked upper
feathers soaked easily. She sat all the
rest Of the morning. with wet feet, and
went home very hOdrsc.
Mrs. Peck undres ssed her, and looked
for some chlorate of potash in the office.
1t was all gone. The doctor had filled
his bottle that morning with the last.
She did not like tp leave May alone to
90 to the store where a small assortment
OF drugs was kept and even if she would
have left her, her own old shoes were un-
fit to wear it still ra (Ded so hard
She bound some salt pork on the childs
throat, and steamed it with camphor, but
the child grew wd rse and before the
doctor came home dt midnight, she was
in high fever. Wet feet had eXasperat-
ed the cold she had before, and 10y the
next morning she was in the grip Of
pneumonia, and very i'll indeed.
The doctor scold4d about her shoes
but Mrs Peck could not complain to him
of his sister. She cried little and was
silent.
May grew worse. There were many
little alleviations I'd be had, if her mo-
ther could have paid for them. The
child pined for oranges. There We're
plenty at the store, but no money to buy
them with. Her Cruel was sweetened
with maple sugar alhd she hated it. She
cried for coffee and there was none
Only five dollars. But poor Mrs Peck
wanted it After a long struggle little
May began to get better. Her fever sub
sided she needed t6nics.
Il wish we could get little wine for
her." said the doctor, looking wistfully at
his wife,
He knew she had money from the sale
Of her eggs, but what could she have
done with it?
Mrs. Peck grew desperate. She could
not see her darling 50 weak and white
with any patience.
Suddenly she betbought herself Of the
calico dress she had bought Perhaps
Mr.. Clark would take it, for it had never
been unfolded. But how could she get it
to the store
Luckily the doctor had an hour to
spare after tea that day, so while he
stad with May she put on his shoes and
went down with her bundle Mr.. Clark
was glad to buy the dress
''lt'l just suit my wife, Mis- Peck, |
know. It's a dreadful chore, she says,
to make her own gowns, and this is sort
of tasty, amt it, comm from the city?
Well, well, it's amazing how they can
make 'em so cheap
Mrs. Peck did not stay to hear more.
She went to an old maiden lady who "had
the name" of making currant wine as
good as any imported article, and bought
a bottle of her at an eXhorbtant price,
but as Miss Davis said
''lt's seven years old, and think of
them worms | hain't made drop for
two years back: and it's dreadful heal
ing. | don't want to part with none on t
a mite but SEEM it's YOU"
And Mrs. Peck again cut short dis
course, hunying home with her precious
bottle, thinking no more of her calico
dress when she saw the doctors tired
face light up, and little color flicker in
Mays face after the first teaspoonfuls had
beeu cautiously administered.
BY the time Aunt Mary stopped at
Dennis on her way to Ludlow, May was
able 10 sit up against the pillows; and
Aunt Mary was shocked to see how pale
and weak she was.
'Nou precious little morsel !" she said.
"How did you ever get such dreadful
cold to begin with"
only shoes was all worn to pieces, aun-
ty. Mower couldn't get me any new
OneS0
Still Mary did not think why "movver"
could not get them, though the weak
pathetic voice brought tears to her eyes
She had on her new cambric dress, the
dress that meant so much to May and
mother and when Della admired it, she
said:
81 tried to cut it like that pretty jacket
to your calico, Della but | didn't quite
remember about the neck. Let me see
that, please"
The doctors wife bushed. ''I haven't
got it, Mary"
"Why, child, what on earth did you do
with it Z. Didn't it suit you ?"
"Don't ask too many questions, DEAR"
said Mrs Peck trying to laugh.
81 can tell you,' said the doctor, com
ing in from the front room where he was
sitting 81 found her ont Yesterday
Molly. She sold it at the store to buy
her baby bottle of wine," and the doc
tor gave look to his wife worth a good
many more five dollar bills to the loving
little woman than ever she had or would
have.
80, Della" said Mary, "here is your
money. am so ashamed ?"
She held out the five dollars, and May
gave little cry of joy.
go mower! now can have some new
shoes"
"Whathave done p said Mary, burst
ing into tears and hiding her face in her
| hands.
"Iou haven't meant to do anything,
dear enid" sad Mrs. Peck, putting her
arm around her.
80, Della, didn't think | thought
five dollars wouldn't be trouble to you.
1t was too, too bad"
|