The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-04-12
HIRING OUT TABITHA.


Up in little Janet's grandmother's
garrett, over in the corner by the quilt |
ing -frame, stood an old-fashioned wood |
en- bed-wrench leaning against beam. |
1t was about twelve inches high, and !
had two round arms stretching straight
out each side. 1t stood on two stiff feet, |
and when Janet came in sight of it, it |
struck her that it looked tired and dis |
pirited, as if it never had good times.
"You poor thingr' she exclaimed, |
show lonesome you look! 1 do believe
you are sort of dolly. May be you
were grandma's doll when she was lit
tie, and you've been here ever since.
mean to play with you myselfp'
So she lifted the queer wooden shape
up tenderly, busted it off, Rugged it
little, and then began to think about
dressing it.
There were plenty of pieces of old
calico in grandma's rag-bag. and little
Janet was learning to use scissors and
needle, SO there was no reason why she
should not 60 to work at once.
She ran for her little basket, and
coming back sat down by the garnet
window, where a dusty sunbeam slant
ed over her shoulder.
There she cut and fitted, and with
long uneven stitches sewed her work,
till before long her wooden doll was
clothed with a white petticoat and
green calico dress.
"Oh, how nice you do lookr said
| Janet, rapturously. Tomorrow I'll
make an apron!'
Then finding stub of lead-pencil
in her pocket, she laboriously marked
eyes, nose and mouth, on the side she
had chosen for the face
'.Now, I'll make you,a house." said
Janet, "'up here in the corner Of the big
clock, and it shall be my secret play
house. And I'll name you real old
fashioned name, dolly, l IL name you
Tabitha, after grandman'
So she found an old stool for table,
and arranged little home for Tabitha,
who now stood very straight and proud
in her tinery, with quite an expression
on her face.
80 you darling Tabitha!'' exclaimed
Janet. 81 do really love you, you are
so nice! I'll come up here every day to
play with you, and bring cookies and
apples, and have tea-table"'
| Tabitha looked very smiling, and
when she was laid to rest on sofa
folded shawl in box, certainly APP
peared quite different from the forlorn,
awkward creature of few hours be-
fore.
And now she became little Janet s
most cherished pet and friend. She
had checked apron made, and a
wooden bonnet, and was assisted to walk
about on the garrett floor.
} 1t was she who was told when Janet
discovered where grandma kept the
raisins; and it was she, Tabitha herself,
who was allowed to stand at the garnet
window and watch the neighbors come
up the path when grandma had the sew
ing-society.
, 1t was Tabitha alone who was told
when Janet found where the cat had
, hid her kittens, in the waste-paper bar
rel, and when a few days later two o.
, the kittens were missing, and the hired
boy Jim was seen coming from the di
. rection of the river, it was TO Tabiths
= that Janet rushed for sympathy in he
) first burst OF childish grief.
But Janet had never taken Tabith,
I downstairs. She was her secret treas
ure in her secret playhouse, and though
grandma and the aunts knew that thu
little girl played up garnet good deal
they were too busy to be curious abou
her quiet amusement.
, At last, however it was house-clean
a inc time, and bells We're taken down
5 windows washed, and carpets shaken
Q Janet was sitting in the kitchen witt
9 her spelling book, when grandma calle'
/ out
= I'm ready to tighten my BEDFORD
: Where's the bed-wrenchP Janet, ru
Il ND garnet and bring the bed-wrench!"
= Janet ran up garnet willingly, but a
she did not know what bed-wrenc
was. her search was hopeless one frol
a the beginning, and she went down with
g out it.
II don't know q bed-wrench when 20
o see ito exclaimed Aunt Sue, impatient
3 ", and she went after 1t herself.
Z But she was gone so long that grand
k ma grew tired waiting, and sent Uncl
d Silas TO hurry her.
d Uncle Silas was young uncle, NJ
D more than sixteen, and when he reache
1t the garrett where Aunt sue was movin
10 things about, his black eyes soon caugi
le sight of Tabiha, standing smiling b
" the tall old clock.
I. lila he exclaimed. "Those arm
that head have seen them before.