Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-29

way, there amt nothin' else but beans
{" 1t want moral thing to wish, but,
if you'll believe, did almost feel like
wishin' them bows had got hold of one or
two of John Enoch's fat chickens that
night ,
:" Can't your husband get work ? says
I, or your boys?'
"' He's half crippled with the rheuma.
tiz,' says she, and can't only work by odd
spells, and then folks don't seem to want
HIM. And the Toys she Just broke down
and cried l know they amt always done
right, he or the boys neither, but-was
you ever hungry, maam?
d" couldn't answer. l went and tried
to poke up the fire, and stirred them mis-
cradle beans simmerin' on it, and then
set down and looked at that baby.
90 Teethin' ~ says l.
Yes, says she.
al thought of going right back up to
Phebe Msria's and making some arrow
root, mixed with morsel of fresh cream
and drop or two of peppermint tea
But as | shivered in that room, for it was
colder than out in the sunshine, l thought
baby had little chance there. | made up
my mind in minute.
"' Will You let me take it up to the
house for little spell ? says to her.
I'm great nurse my self, and I'll feed it
what it ought to have, and doctor it up,
and I'm mistaken if it don't pick up
pretty lively
" She stared at me, and then she says
"'You don't live in these parts, DO
you ?
Ono, says 1, I'm stayin' spell up to
Piummer's.' She looked in my face sharp
again, and says:
"' Yes, you may take him-he's dyin'
here
81 wrapped an old shawl about him.
He was feather weight to carry, and it
want long before | was standin' before
Phebe Maria, as she sat with her room tidy
and her hands folded, for all the world as
if there wasn't thing left in the world
for her to do. She gave start when she
see what l had.
"'Almiry, says she, how can you
have the heart 20 bring child where l
am?
- didn't speak. 1 just uncovered its
face. It looked right into her eyes with
that same 1ok, and then she didn't say no
when | laid it in her arms. | went and
warmed some milk and brought it. She
took it out of my hand and began feedin'
it. says to her:
Phebe Maria, there's hungry folks
down there. Can l take 'em somethin' to
eat -
"'Yes, says she, take 'em our Thanks
givin dirner-most of it's left
elf you'd seen that basket l packed
Turkey, and mashed potato, and turnips,
and canned corn, and cranberry sass, and
currant jelly, and pumpkin, and dried
loaf of bread, too, and some butter, and
tea, and sugar IL was the heaviest basket
[ ever carried, but didn't seem to feel it,
somehow. l set it down in the yard to go
back for tablecloth, for I'd set my heart
on them poor souls realizin' that it was a
holiday.
"S6e'd got them beans on the table, and
was just goin' to call EN- to dinner when
| went in, but l says:
"Just you wait a minute.
"Aad as quick a could, fixed things
on the table, while she dropped into a
chair as if she'd been clear dazed. AID
when all was ready-snd you'd a smiled to
see how good them victusls did look, for
Pnebe Maria's mother had the name of
bein' the best cook in the county, and she
wasn't the woman not to bring up her
daughter well and as for my share of it,
it amt for me to say, only there may be
places where they begin thinkin' of me
when there's to be extra doins-I went to
her and kissed her poor, pale, pitiful-
lookin face, and says l
"Now, you I'LL your kettle and get on a
drawing of tea, and tell your folks Thanks
givin' dinners ready" and then got out
OF the house.
When l got back to Phsbe Maria, if
you'll believe me, she'd got out the cradle,
and was hushin that forlorn little mite in
it. Ii it had been rosy and round faced,
| like her own, she never a. looked at it
but think it was comfort to find some
thin for her poor, empty hands to do, and
later l see she'd brought down some little
fannels to put on to it, but | never let on
noticed it.
"That evenin' told John EGoch all I'd
seen at the Wigginses and l was glad to
see he seemed to take it to heart.
Well, Almiry, says he, its a cryin'
shame to think how many on Us goes
through the world with our eyes shut
We talk about doin' good, and then set
to our doors. Why there's enough drip
pins off this farm to feed family like
that. l must see about it.
"Djn't you give it to 'em, says L.
That's no way to help folks. Hire the
man to work and pay him in vittsls."
&c staid at the Plummers' till nigh on
to Christmas, and then Susannsh wrote tc
tell me l must come, for she'd invited a
houseful of company, and had sprained her
wrist so she couldn't do a stroke of work.
Another chink ready, you see Bat I'd
staid long enough to see a wonderful
change down to Wigginses.' The house
had been patched up and some good wood
hauled, and Phebe Maria had a brighter
look to her eyes, and brisker step to her
walk as she went about seem to comforts
for EN-. Shiftless and good for little they'll
always be it amt in 'em to be anything
else, but if everybody was forehanded and
capable, how would the Lords work of
| charity be done?
When John Enoch was wishin' me
good.by he took out clean ten-dollar bill
and says he:
90 This is yourn, Al niry. You've airn't
it fairly, for l said I'd give it to any body d
stop the Wigginses stealin', off me. You
stopped 'em. They've never touched a
straw since you took 'em that Thanksgivin'
dinner.
60 Bless your heart, John Enoch =? says
l, what do l want of money = Take it
and buy coat for each one of them boys,
and tell EN- to go to school. And don't
you never tell 'em where the coats come
| from"
THE DEADLY HAIR DYE.-Senstor Fa--
ley, of California, has returned to Wash
ington, but is the shadow of his former
self He is said to be the victim OF hair