The Press., 1883-06-28
Ada Carleton Stoddard, in Good Cheer.l
 BARRY.

BARRY.
 1 Miss Abigail Burr was little brown old
 maid, who lived in little brown old house
 with her cat Debby, and her woman all
 work, Prudence, sharp of tongue, long ot visage. browned and older than the mis- tress herself. There was nothing of grace, nor beauty, nor sweetness about Miss Alb igail's life; everything was dry, hard and husky. Indeed, some people were so un- charitable as to say that her heart was like very much dried up kernel in a nut shell, and would rattle if she were to be shaken hard enough. But never quite believed that. I always said there was a 1 soft spot in Miss Abigail's heart, to be l found when tue time came to find 1t. One spring twilight boy opened Miss Abigails garden gate and walked up the path between the rows of struggling ilacs. He was not & boy who lived about Capers- town, or he would not have dared venture. am sure, fol: Prudence's sake, besides having nothing to venture for. He was an unkempt, starve d looking little specimen of humanity. His coat was world too long and patched at the elbows, and his trousers were 8 world too short and pstch- ed at the knees. His hat was guiltless of brim, ard through hole in the crown bobbed little tuft of hair which had once been brown, but was now wofully faded. He " ent straight up to Miss Abigail's porc}l steps. Miss Abigail was sitting on the porch in her .high-backed rocking chg ir, so intent on binding of her stock ing heel that she heard neither the click of fne gate latch nor the footsteps on the rd-trodden path, and she did not look up until the boys figure interposed itself L~,I xH, RoI | light
 He dofed his tattered hat crown. "H you please, ma'am, will you-may I have something to eat 9''
 It was not at all tramps manner of asking there was manliness in the voice which Miss Abigail could not help but mo- tice. Perhaps that was the reason she looked at the boy sharply for moment before she answered.
 In that moment, Prudence, tall and an- gular, stood in the door wiih shawl thrown over her head, and her right hand swathed with soft cotton.
 ''I'll have to git Jonas Browns man to do the milkin', Miss Abigail" said she ''I can't; I've burned my hand that bad. "
 The boy looked up quickly. "Can't I could milk for you ?"
 As have intimated, Prudence did not like boys and that she sometimes express ed her dislike in very forcibls manner many of the village urchins could testify. Now, she surveyed this boy, standing by the porch steps. from, his bare brown head, not forgetting the faded little tuft, in dumb astonishment. -s-b "You might let him try, Prudence" /" said Miss Abigail, thinking rather dubi- a ously of the nervous, mouse-eolored Alder ney in the yard.
 l "I chored on farm all last summer, ex- ! plained the boy, eagerly, glancing from mistress to maid q want some supper, 1 and I'll be glad to do something to pay ] for it."
 "Well, you kin try it." said Prudence, after momentary deliberation. "Its bet tern begging favor, anyhow" 2 She led the way to the kitchen, and took ; shining tin pail from the dresser, Heres the milk. pail. !" said she to the boy, who stood waiting "an' the cows in the yard wonder. Payday comes whom I the works done."
 5 And Prudence smiled grimly, az she went about setting out a lunch of bread l and butter and cold meat She felt moral A ly certain that hAsAighty Alderney heifer used only to womankind, would be much J more likely to spread pair of bovine l wings and fly away than to allow herself 1 to be milked by boy.
 "He can't do it IT. she said to Miss Alb sigail, who presently brought her knitting T work into the kitchen. "The heifer'i send him skyhigh P
 ' But he could and he did it. Soon he appeared in the doorway, his pail brim ming with snowy foam.
 Well, never P ejeculated Prudence.
 5'You didn't think I could ?" said the
 boy, smiling brightly.
 "No, didn't, admitted Prudence and
 straightway, in her astonishment, she ad
 cged to his fare segment of rhubarb pie.
 Wasn't there bit of cheese left from
 tea ?" asked Miss Abigail.
 Prudence thought there was. and while
 she was fetching it from the cellar he oave
 himself healthy scrubbing at the pnmn
 coming in from his ablutions fresh and1
 ruddg as rose. He was very hungry there was no doubt of that. He looked ai
 Miss Abigail with deprecating smile as
 Prudence carried of the bread plate for 2
 third replenishing.
 1 'Tm pretty hungry" said he. sarhis
 is the first bite I've had since morning.
 and it tastes good.'' r To be sure it did. Miss Abigail though,
 of little brother who died years and years before, ere his tender feet began to feel
 the bricks in life's path. How strange \ that the sight of this little vagrant, satis. ] flying his craving at her kitchen table. should bring to her remembrance the child 1 who had so early put off the mortal for the immortal ! Presently, when the boy had