Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-02-20
TIVE TEL TALE TILE


And they DO say She'll have to go to
the Door house"
ITO the poor houseI How dreadful!
And the children, too?" and Miss Ben
nett shuddered-
Eyes; unless somebody'I adopt them,
and that's not likely.
''Well, / must go,'' the visitor went
on, rising:''I wish L could do some
thing for her. but with my houSeful of
children, I've got use for every penny
| can rake and scrape."
''I'm sure L have. with only myself, :"
said Miss Bennett, as she closed the
door. I'm sure | have" she repeated
TO herself as she resumed her knitting;
Its as much as can do TO make ends
meet, scrimping as do, not TO speak
of laying up cent for sickness and old
age"
but the poor housel'' she said
again. Il wish l could help herr' and
the needles flew in and out, in and out,
faster than ever, as she turned this
over in her mind 81 might give up
something" =" she said at last, though
l don't know what, unleSS-unless, -
she said slowly, thinking of her one
luxury, ''unlesS | give up my tea, and
it don't seem as if could do that"
Some time the thought worked in
her mind, and finally she resolved to
make the sacrifice of her only indulg-
ence for six months and send the moD-
ey to her suffering neighbOr-Mrs.
Stanley though she had never seen
her and only heard she was in want.
How much of sacrifice that was
you can hardly guess, you young peo-
pie who have SO many luXuries.
That evening Mrs. Stanley was sur
prised by small gift of money From
a FRIEND" said the envelope containing
il.
''Who sent it?'' she asked from the
bed where she was lying.
Miss Bennett told me not to tell,'
said the boy, unconscious that he had
already told.
The next day Miss Bennett sat at the
window knitting, as usual-for her
constant contribution to the poor fund
of the church was certain number
of stockings and mitIens-when she
saw young girl coming up to the door
of the cottage.
"Who can that be?" she said to her
self. II never saw her face before.
Come jni'' she called, in answer to a
knock. The girl entered, and walked
upto Miss Bennett.
Are you Miss Bennett?" she
asked.
Yes" said Miss Bennett, with an
amused smile.
"Well, I'm Hetty Stanley"
Miss Bennett started, and her color
grew little brighter.
I'm glad to see you, Hetty,' she |
said; won't you sit DOWN."
''Yes, if you please" said Hetty, |
taking a chair near her.
~ came to tell you she began. simp- |
ly, ''how much we love you for
''Oh, don't say any mOrel' Interrupt
ted Miss Bennett: ''never mind that.
Tell me about your mother and your
baby brother.''
This was an interesting subject, and
Hetty talked earnestly about it, and
the time passed so quickly that, before
she knew il, she had been in the house
an hour. When she went away Miss
Bennett asked her to come again,
thing she was never known to do be-
fore, for she was not fond of young
people in general.
''But then Hetty's Different" she
said to herself when wondering herself
at her own interest.
''Did you thank kind Miss Bennett?"
was her mothers question as Hetty
opened the door.
''Hetty stopped as if struck. why,
mol don't believe L did,
-'And stayed so long, too? What ever
did you do? I've heard she isn't fond of
people generally"
1--WE talked, and l think she's ever
so nice. She asked ME to come again;
may I?''
''Of course you may, if she cares to
have you. should be glad to do some
thing to please her."
That visit of Hetty's was the first of
long series. Almost every day she
found her way to the lonely cottage,
where visitor rarely came, and a
strange intimacy grew up between the
old and young. Hetty learned of her
friend to knit, and many an hour they
spent knitting while Miss Bennett ran
sacked her memory for stories to tell.
And then, one day, she brought down
from big chest in the garret two of
the books she used to have when she
was young, and let Hetty look at
them. k
One was ''Thaddeus of Warsaw"
and the other Scottish Chiefs.n Poor {
Hetty had not the dozens of books you
have, and these were treasures indeed.
She read them to herself, and she read
them aloud to Miss Bennett, who, {
much 10 her own surprise, found her {
interest almost as eager as Hetty's.
New Years Was drawing near, and :
strange, unusual feelings began to stir ]
in Miss Benefits heart, though gener-
ally she did not think much about that
happy time. She wanted to make S
Hetty happy day. Money she had t
none, so she went into the garret /
where her youthful treasures had long
been hidden. From the chest where I
she had taken the books, she now took {
a small box of light colored wood, with I
a transferred engraving on the cover. I
With a sigh-for the sight of it brought t
up old memories-MiSS Bennett lifted \
the cover by its loop of ribbon, took out
a package of old letters, and went I
down stairs with the box, taking also i
a few bits OF bright silk from a bundle
in the chest. I
Il can fit it up for work box. ;, she (
said, land Pm sure Hetty will like
It." :
For several days after this Miss Ben {