Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-03-05
into the fire. as II seeking from the
red embers counsel and advice.

AAteS eHo 'tSs 10 ~ oSOA|i5 iAoll cho
red embers counsel and advice.
"Where Is that dictionary2" said he
Goodness only knows " despairlng-
ly sighed Mrs Wildwood.
"Try and think |" eagerly urged her
husband
perhaps Mrs Grubb would know"
said Mrs. Wellwood. "she packed all
the things that were left, and locked
up the house."
"Wrlte to her." said Mr.. Wildwood,
eagerly. "0r, no that would only be
uselcssly arousing suspicion. Go there
yourself, Sarah. Ask her to como
here, and make visit
"What--Mrs. Grubb?"
eyes. Mrs. Grubb."
"But, Matthew, she is such a dread.
full old bore !" pleaded Mrs. Wellwood,
"Never mind that" said Wellwood,
impatiently, finging his cigar-stump
into the red-hot Goals. "Only think of
the fortune that may possibly reward
our efforts Sarah, we must get hold
of that dictionary
So Mrs. Wildwood went to Mrs.
George Grubb, and courteously invited
that lady to make her a visit. Mrs.
Grubb accepted promptly. She had
always wanted to visit the city. and
here at last was a golden opportunity.
She brought her little nephew and her
two tall girls with her.
~ know you didn't specially invite
'cm, Sarah Ann" said she; "but the
dears will SO enjoy the museums and
the park and the Brooklyn Bridge, and
all that sort Of thing. And they won't
be no more trouble than three kittens.
There never were such good children !"
The three young Grubbs were some
thing worse than a pestilence. Mrs.
Grubb was nearly as bad. And at the
end of q week, Mrs. Wildwood felt her.
wood felt herself fully qualified to enter
lunatic asylum.
But on the last day, while George
was smearing himself with bread and
butter and honey in the kitchen, and
the two Misses Grubb were pounding
desperately away on the piano-forte, in
imitation Of the hand. organ man out
side, Mrs. Wellwood ventured to put
the fateful question which had 90 long
trembled on her lips.
"The old ditchnery" said Mrs.
Grubb, who was not over-particular re-
garding her pronunciation. "La, me
What would any one want O that old
trash?"
"Well, nothing much y' hesitated
Mrs. Wellwood. "But Mr.. Wellwood
is rather bibliopole-"
| "a which, said Mrs. Grubb, with
one hand back of her ear.
"a collector of old books" explained
her hostess.
"EIumph " said Mrs. Grubb, scratch.
ing her head with a knitting-needle.
"lf was going to have books, at all,
I'd far and away rather have new
ones"
TASTES differ" said Mrs. Wellwood,
with pang, as one of the piano.chords
snapped resoundingly, and Master
Georges voice was heard below in loud
alteration with the cook. "But where
is the old dictionary"
"Lesba Field has got it," said Mrs.
Grubb. Mrs. Walkers grandniece-
don't you know?-Leopold Fields
girl. She's factory-hand, up to Poke
Hollow-.a dreadful likely girl Soon
to be married to Zeke Hamersley."
"Are you sure of it," said Mrs.
Wildwood.
about the weddin'? Oh, yes
Zeke's folks they set deal of store by
Lesbia, and"
"No, no" interrupted Mrs. Well
wood" about the dictionary"
"Sartin sure" sad Mrs. Grubb. II
see Lesbia pick it off the floor herself,
when l was a-packin' the woolen blank
cts that Mrs. Seeder brought at auction
Says she, Il amt goin' to hev the
ditchnery that Aunt Hammer thought
such a deal of sold for old paper says
she. III keep it myself, JUS to put me
in mind of Aunt Hammer and Uncle
Samuel And she wrapped it in bit
of old calico-I remember the very
paln-leaf pattern on it-and took it
away, under her arm. What is it,
George, darling? The hired girl
won't give you no more honey:
Never mind Mrs. Wellwood'll give
YOU some damsom preserves, l know !!
AS soon as Mrs. Grubb departed-o
period of time which Mrs Wellwood
began to fear would never arrive she
packed little traveling-satchel to &C
to "Poker Hollow" and see Lesbia
2ield, a relation with whom she had
itherto had very little acquaintance.
Lesbia was at home--a blooming
ss, with cheeks as pink as roses, ant
2arkling black eyes-and she was
yidently much puzzled to account fol
mis- unexpected notice on the part Of
Ter city relation.
But Mrs. Wellwood, while making
herself as agreeable as possible, KEEP
her eyes vigilantly on the alert, ant
was rewarded at last.
For there, on the top shelf of littl'
glass-fronted corner-cupboard was tht
old dictionary itself, bulglng leaves
missing cover, and all.