News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-12-11
"You might as well," said Sue, "I'll

sober.
81 suppose you'll laugh at me-" sal
she, "and maybe you'll tell, and thel
they all will. But 1 can't help it if yo1
do. It's fot-for Miss Weaver, Sue. IT
funny you haven't guessed"
She dropped her flowers that minut
in Mortified amazement.
"Guessed Cross-patch Weaver T. criet
she. 81 never saw such girl asiyo1
are, Zay Decker I'd sooner hav,
guessed Captain Bakers monkey Wha
does make you SO queer ?"
81 don't know" replied Zsy meekly
"I didn't think it was queer. She's al
alone so, and I'm sorry for her, and
don't know much of anybody else. Ant
I think maybe mamma would want me
to-
sa4nmph I" said Sue.
"Don't be cross, Susy p'
swell, 1 won't" said Sue; "but ]
don't see what ever possesses you to dc
such thing. Well, she'll set her cal
on your
Zay laughed merrily.
81 don't dare to go with you," said
Sue.
She did, however. When the stars be-
gan to come out in the clear sky, Zay
took her basket, with its little offering
of blossoms and sweetmeats, under her
shawl, and together she and Sue made
their way to the tiny brown house. She
waited at the gate while Zay went up to
the path between the rows of lilacs-up
Miss Weaver's trim garden path. Her
eyes grew large, and her cheeks burned,
and her heart beat loud and fast. But
the thought of Sue arriving at the gate
gave her courage; for wasn't Sue black
eyed little girl, and brave as all black
eyed little girls are said to be So Zay
hung her basket carefully on the door;
and then she raped very softly; and
She didn't run. Out at the door
popped Miss Weaver. Sue said after
ward it made her think of a Jack-in-the-
box. And Miss Weaver, with an angry
exclamation, caught Zay's shoulders,
and gave them good shaking before
Zay could realize what it was all about.
For how should she know that on May
night the mischievous village boys took
delight in knocking at Miss Weaver's
door, and in getting out of sight before
she could open it
"But I've got you this time" said
Miss Weaver; and her black eyes
snapped in the starlight. "Now, what
did you do it for?"
Zay's blue eyes filed with tears, and
her voice shook sadly.
"I-I didn't think you would care if
If hung you May-basket."
"Eh" said Miss Weaver, facing
sharply around, with her hand still on
Zay's shrinking shoulder.
"You didn't hang me -basket?"
"Yes'm," said zay. And Sue, who
had come boldly forward, ready to act
in zayr defence, added: eyes, she did
though tried to get her not to. told
her you'd be angry"
For moment Miss Weaver gazed at
the basket in astonishment.
s'What did you do it forp" asked she
again.
Because" Zay said-"because-"
s1'lI tell you," said Sue; ''she thought
you were oil alone aud were lonesome,
and she pitied you"
Because, I'm kind of all alone, too,
this summer" put in Zay, softly.
sits just like her, anyway" said Sue,
still thinking wrathfully of the shaking.
"Shc's the best
''Oh, no p interposed Zay.
Miss Weaver at that minute laid her
hand gently on Zay's head. Surely
surely something had changed that old
face. The thin lips trembled--surely
they trembled, and the black eyes were
glistening.
'I'm sorry / shook you, little girl,
said che, "but I've had my life about
pestered out with their actions and |
hought you was one of 'em. I'm real
sorry I shook you"
But Zay, with beamiug face, declared
it was no matter at all.
"Only I'm glad if you are pleased
with your May basket" said she.
"Well, am" said Miss Weaver 81
am pleased"
As she said it there was a culver in
her voice. Then she tipped zay's face
up to hers and kissed it-a funny little
pecking kiss, and she wondered if that
were the old-fashioned way of kissing.
''And I'd like to have you come and
pay me visit-both of you," said Miss
Weaver.
"Oh, we will" said Zay and Sue.
Then presently they said "good
night" and went down the garden path
again. 1t seemed almost like dream
when, the next Monday morning, they
came in sight of the little brown house
that Miss Weaver had actually kissed
Zay, and then asked both to go and see
her.
81 almost believe we were asleep, :"
said Sue, ''and dreamed it all. %
But that couldn't have been. Miss
Weaver came down to the gate with a
pleasant smile on her face and with her
hand full of ilacs.
'1 made up my mind my bushes will
flower better if the old stems were cut
off, said she. "And I thought per-
haps you'd like 'em."
ooh, we dor cried Sue and zay
in one breath. "Oh, thank you ever SO
much !"
They were so pleased, and Miss
Weaver seemed as pleased as they.
She told the story to the other girls al
school.
'Tu never call her 'cross-patch'
again." said she. "Don't let any OF
us, will we? Because she isn't, really. y
1t was a simple thing to do, and to be
done out of the kindly sympathy of one
loving little heart; but it quite changed
the current of Miss Weaver's hard
lonely life. No longer would her cher
ries spoil on the trees from lack o
cherry mouths to fall into; and sh'
grew to like the little men and womel
who haunted her orchard with suct
good d-natured persistency. And a
length she even came to be "Aun
Judith dear, kind Aunt Judith" t.
each and every one of them but mos
of all to blue-eyed, loving little Zay.