Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-06-20

lifted the cover by its loop of ribbon,
took out n package of old letters, and
went down stairs with the box, taking
also few bits of bright silk from bun
die in the chest.
| 81 can fix it up for work box she
said, ''and I'm sure Hetty will like it"
| For several daya after this Miss Ben
nett had her secret work, which she care
fully hid when she saw Hetty coming.
Slowly, in this way, she made pretty
needle book, n tiny pin-cushiou, and an
emery bag like big strawberry. Then
from her own scanty stock she added
needles. pins, thread and her own pair of
small scissors, secured to the last extreme
of brightness. One thing only she had
to buy-a thimble, and that she bought
for penny, of bass so bright it was
quite as handsome as gold
Very pretty the little box looked when
full in the bottom lay n quilted lining,
which had always been there, and upon
this the fittings she had made. Besides
this, Miss Bennett knit pair of mittens
for each of Hetty's brothers and sisters.
The happiest girl in town on New
Years morning was Hetty Stanley. To
begin with she had the delight of giving
the mittens to the children, and when she
ran over to tell Miss Bennett how pleased
they were, she was surprised by the pres
ent of the odd little work box and its
pretty contents.
New Years was over all too soon, and
it was about the middle of January that
the time came which, all her life, Miss
Bennett had dreaded-when she should
be helpless. She had not money enough
to hire help, and SO the only thing she
could imagine when that should come
was her especial horror-the poor house.
But that one good deed of hers had al
ready borne fruit and was still bearing.
When Hetty came over one day and found
her dear friend lying helpless on the floor
as if dead, she was dreadfully frightened,
of course, but she ran after the neigh
bors and the doctor and hustled about the
house as if she belonged to it.
Miss Bennett was not dead she had
slight stroke of paralysis, and though
she was soon BETTER and would be able
to talk and probably to knit and possibly
to get about the house, she would never
be able to live alone and do everything
! for herself as she had done.
SO the doctor told the neighbors who
came in to help, and so Hetty heard, rs
she listened eagerly for news.
"Of course she can't live here any lon
ger; she'd have to go to a hospital, said
| one woman.
cor to the poor house, more likely"
said another
"Shell hate that, said the first speaker.
Give heard her shudder over the poor
house."
"She shall never go there!' declared
Hetty, with blazing eyes.
"Hoity-toity who's to prevent o. ask
ed the second speaker, turning look of
disdain on Hetty.
81 am" was the fearless answer Il
know all Miss Benefits ways, and can
take care of her. and l will" went on
Hetty, indi6 nantly; and turning sud
denly, she was surprised to see Miss Ben
netts eyes fixed on her with an eager,
questioning look.
"There she understands! she's bet
teri cried Hetty. "Mayn't l stay and
take care of you, dear Miss Bennett ?"
she asked, running up to the bed.
Eyes, you may" interrupted the doc
tor, seeing the look in his patients face
"but you mustn't agitate her now. And
now, my good women" turning to the
others, 81 think she can get along with
her young friend here, whom 1 happen to
huoW 10 "oHduly young girl, ana Will
be attentive and careful"
They took the hint and went away, and
the doctor gave directions to Hetty what
to do, telling her she must not leave Miss
Bennett. SO she was now regularly in
stalled as nurse and housekeeper
Days and weeks rolled by. Miss Ben
nett was able to be up in her chair, to
talk and knit, and to walk about the
lint ~ 81, b. L. 1afl
Indeed, she had horror of being left |
alone she could not bear Hetty out of
her sight, and Hetty's mother was very
willing to spare her, for the mouths she
had to fill were many
To provide food for two out of what
had been scrimping for one was prob
lem, but Miss Bennett ate very little and
she did not resume her tea so they man
aged to get along and not really suffer.
One day Hetty sat by the fire with her
precious box on her knee, which she was
putting to rights for the twentieth time.
The box was empty, and her sharp young
eyes noticed little dust on the silk lin |
ing.
81 think I'll take this out and dust it,
she said to Miss Bennett, ''if You don't |
mind.
''Do as you like with it, answered Miss
Bennett (; sit is yours"
So she carefully lifted the silk, which |
stuck little.
"Why, here's something under it." she |
said-''an old paper and it has writing
on it.
Bring it to me-" said Miss Bennett
perhaps it's letter have forgotten"
Hetty brought it.
why, it's fathers writing" said she,
looking closely at the faded writing
land what can it mean ? never saw it |
before. 1t says: Look and We shall
hnd'-thats a Bible text. And what is
this under it? "A word to the wise is
sufficient l don't understand, he must
have put it there himself, for never took
that lining out--I thought it was fasten-
ed. What can it mean ?" and she ponder
ed over it long and all day seemed absent
minded.
After tea, when they sat before the
kitchen fire, as they always did, with only
the freight Pickering and dancing on the
walls, while they knitted, OF told stories,
or talked, she told Hetty about her faith
err that they had lived comfortably in
this house, which he built, and that everv-
body supposed that he had plenty of
money, and would leave enough to take
care OF his only child, but that when he
died suddenly nothing had been found,
and nothing ever had, from that day to
this.
"Part of the place let to John Thomp-
son, Hetty, and that rent is all l have to
live on. | don't know what makes me
think AT old times so, tonight"
81 know" said Hetty cts that pa
per, and | know what it reminds me Of"
she suddenly shouted, in way unusual
with her, ''It's that tile over there and
she jumped up and went to the side of
he fireplace and put her hand on the tile
she meant