The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-01-03

moned from a rear-room a small, red
headed boy, who had been polishing sill
yer, as his clothes very plainly showed.
Take those packages aud deliver
them at Alden's and Prickett's, nsaid the
leweler. They're both labeled. And
hurry back"
Miss Jemima could scarcely conceal
her exultation as she watched the boy
start off, package under each arm,
and when, after giving Mr.. Simms her
brooch, she hurried home, she laughed
to herself all the way.
'sMary Alden would bite her tongue
out sooner than apologize to her cousin
Emily" she thought. "Won't she be
in a fine stew when she finds out about
iti How I'd like to be there; but I'm
afraid they'd suspicion something if l
went to call just now, so I'll stay still
awhile"
Meanwhile Mrs. Prickett, sowing by
her sittlng-room window, saw the little
boy come up the path from the gate,
and, on the lookout for present from
her husband, she ran herself to the door
to receive the package.
OF course she picked up the card at
once, and peculiar change came over
her face as she read it. She stood star
ing at it, as il she could hardly believe
the evidence of her own eyes, and then
pressed it again and again to her lips,
the tears chasing each other down her
cheeks. She never knew until that mo-
ment how much she had regretted the
estrangement between her cousin and
herself. r--
go, Mary, Mary" she sobbed, as she
threw herself on the sofa. 'sTo think that
after all I've said of you, you now want
to be friends. Indeedsit shall be peace
and goodwill between us, and it shan't
be my fault if we fall out again"
Mrs. Prickett was very impulsive and
very warm hearted, and, would have
rushed right over to Mrs. Alden's and
flown into her arms had she acted as
her heart dictated; but reason urged
her to IS speak TO Henry about 1t first, :"
and she decided to wait his return in the
evening before openly accepting her
cousins overtures.
That evening when Mrs. Prickett met
her husband at the hall-door her eyes
were red with weeping. 1ir
"Why, Mary" he said, in surprise,
'' what is the matterP L hope none of
the children are sick?"
: "No, no,'' she answered. s'And l
don't know when I've felt happier"
and she led him into the parlor and
pointed to q handsome silver pitcher on
q table. I[Afft Et5FE5
"Who do you think sent me that?"
she asked. - 48 -
"Can't tell, I'm sure," he answered.
" Somebody who thinks great deal of
you, evidently; for it must have cost a
pretty penny."i L3e5zli>ss--
"No, you could never guess" said
his wife, the tears beginning to fill
her eyes again. sit is from Emily,
Henry, my dear, dear cousin. l can
never forgive myself that she should be
the first to offer to bury the past. And
1 want you tn go over with me now"
A ring at the door interrupted her,
and moment later Emily herself, fol-
lowed by heE-lhGsband,- burst excitedfy
into the room, and threw her arms
about her cousin.
"Mary, dear. dear Mary IS.
"Emily, can you forgive mea"
4" 1t was all my fault, dear"
- No, mine. You have acted nobly."
Then for few moments nothing was
heard but the sobs of the two women as
they clung to each other, their hearts
full of love and peace.
Meanwhile Mr.. Prickett and Mr.. Al
den had clasped hands and were trying
to talk without appearance of embar-
rassment.
That is lovely pitcher" said Mr..
Alden, indicating it with nod of his
head. "Mary could scarcely believe your
wife had sent it.''
Mr.. Prickett looked. and recognized
the pitcher he had bought from Simms
that morning. He began dimly to sus-
pect that all was not right. ~
"I bought cake-basket as a Christ
mas present for my wife of old Simms,
this morning." continued Mr.. Alden.
"But il hasn't come home yet. must
60 down ana see about it.
Mr.. Prickett began to understand mat
ters little more clearly; but he very
wisely said nothing.
Mrs. Prickett and Mrs. Alden were
now engaged in returning thanks for the
gifts they had received, and succeeded
admirably in mystifying each other; for
each was ashamed, to confess that she
had sent nothing. They parted at last,
after agreeing to combine their Christ
mas-trees at Mrs. Alden's house, and to
take dinner together at Mrs. Prickett's
the next day. -
Mr.. Prickett explained matters in re-
lation to the presents rs far as he could,
Us he walked home with his wife. though
he was, at q loss to understand how the
mistake had occurred. He said he
would go to Simms' at once and find out
about it. .
"But nothing can alter the fact that
Mary and L are friends again, said
Mrs. Prickett, joyously. "I don't care
how it happened, Henry. i only know
that 1 never was so happy before. And
never, never will / fall out with Mary
again"
Mr.. Prickett went down to Simms' at
once To his confusion he found Mr..
Alden there before him. Both gentle
men laughed heartily, and naturally
explained matters. Poor Simms could
give no solution of the mystery. He
declared that he had sent the packages
Just as directed, and had written nothing
whatever on the cards the gentlemen
themselves had attached to the articles.
He did not mention Miss Jemima's call,
for he had forgotten all about it.
San angel must have flown down tc
write those words, - said Emily Prickett,
as the matter was freely discussed at the
Christmas dinner the next day. And
her cousin echoed the opinion, little
dreaming what a strong resemblance tc
Miss Jemima the angel had borne. 500
A happier group never gathered about
q Christmas table than these two fami
lies that day, for they had buried the
past, forgiven and forgotten, and there
was peace and goodwill toward all mel
in their hearts.
"Well, reallyl how curious" NUT
tered Miss Jemima, as, passing by Mr.
Prickett's house she looked in at the
window and recognized the guests q
the table.
"Things muster got Strengthened ou
somehow or mother. Wonder how il
came about. Can't be possible | helped
matters by that joke of mine! Wishtel
goodness / knew"
L d0r,ht Ynada- bar turEav anC