The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-04-11

cts cold. ladies' she sail, looying
around with a uepr cat m air. Cod
for the season OF The wear. And they
don't keep fires at 'iewkstownr'
'.Motner," said Nary, recovering
herSe with an hvserical gasp OF relief
''it isn't old Mrs. Dibney's ghost at
all. It's old Miss ABBY, come back
from the Tcwks one workhouse."
You don't mean -" began the
mil widow.
''Tnal Mr.. Drniei Dabney and Mrs.
Eyerard Emerson let their old aunt 90
10 the poor-houseP" said Mary Miller.
Yes. il is quite true. Mrs. Daniei leads
society in Sn.flield, am told, and Mrs.
Emerson is II grand lady in London,
with carriage and horses and servants
in livery. What could they do with a
half-crazy old aunt, who takes snuff
and talks uncertain GRAMMAR Poor
Miss Abby! She has wandered back
to her old home. Size was eighty last
birthdat, and things are all misty and
vague to her. ="
..But what shall we dop" said Mrs.
Miller, in accents OF perplexity. "a
crazy woman here-it don't seem just
right, Mary, does itP"
Iii lake her back after she has
rested a little, and had cup of tea"
said Mary, cheerilv.
''But perhaps she won't goP"
''On, yes, she will" said Mary.
'Poor Miss Abby! she is as gentle as
child"
Her words proved to be correct. Miss
Abby Dabney suffered herself 10 be
lead unremonstrallngly back to Tewks-
town Workhouse, where the matron
read her shrill-voiced lecture, and de-
clared that she should not be allowed
another grain of snuff if she couldn't
behave better. Old Miss Abby smiled
deprecatingly.
'They are peculiar people here"
shc said. 81 think my DEAR" to Mary
Miller, "they forget sometimes l am a
lady. But it takes all sorts, don't you
see, to make world"
The next night, however, just as
Mary and her mother were sitting
down to tea, Miss Abby once more APP
peared, in the midst of a gentle shower
of rain.
II hope l don't inconvenience any
body" she said, meekly. ''But that
woman at Tewkstown has cut off my
allowance of snuff, and, after all,
there's no place like home"
And once more Mary Miller patiently
walked back with the poor old crone to
the workhouse.
The matron was Infatuated this time.
at amt in human natur' to stand
this" she declared. "1'll put her in
the Jug"
"The-Juge" repeated Mary, in sur
prise.
'.It's a room, down cellar, where we
shut up the troublesome cases." said
the matron. II can't stand this run
ming away business, and won'tr'
The jug, perhaps, proved etficacious,
for old Miss Abby Dabney did not APP
pear again for week. At the cxpira-
ton of that period, however, she crept
noiselessly in, just at dark, and seated
herself like u silent shadow in the
chimney corner.
ut is so good to be at home again, !"
said she, rubbing her wrinklcd hands.
81 somehow seem to get lost of late.
Daniel is gone, and Betsy is gone, and
I'm left here all alone. Yes, a cup of
tea, please-sugar. and no milk. They
never remember how like my tea at
Tewkstown. This is good; and butter
on my bread, too! We don't get butter
at wkstown."
Mary burst into tears.
Mother" said she, ''Miss Abby
shall not 60 back to Tewkstown-she
shall stay here. Mother, how should l
feel if you were wandering friendless
and alone through the wOrld?"
''But my dear
''Shc shall sleep in her own old room,
out of the Kitchen" persisted Mary.
She'll be no more care than n canary
bird. Oh, mother, do consent! She
will think then that she is still in her
own home. Oh, If YOU knew how
dreary it is at that Tcwkstown Work
house, with the grass all trampled
out, and not so much rs dandelion or
a daisy to be seen.
And Mrs. Miller yielded to Mary's
fearful solicitations.
do as you please, my child" said
she.
The Tewkstown authorities were but
too glad to be rid of the poor old incu-
bus, and Miss Abby Dabney settled
down into her old home, as contentcdly
and unquestioninglya if she had never
left it. She ate and drank but little,
and talked still less, and seemed to re.
gard Mrs. Miller and Mary as guests,
who had come to visit the old farm.
1.-The Widow Miller and her darter
must be rich folks to undertake to sup
port old Miss Abby sneered one
neighbour.
''She was we'll enough provided for
at the workhouse," said another.
II never yet saw farm succeed that
was worked by women folks" jeered a
third.
"There'll be the biggest kind of a
smash-up presently" observed number
four. '.And an auction sale of every
thing; and I'll be on hand, for them
little Alderney cows is the prettiest
creatures ever set eyes on, and good
mixers into the bargain"
But time wore on; and there was no
flutter or any printed placard an
nouncng q sale over the gate. On the
contrary, matters throve, and Mary
Miller declared, joyously, that farm
ing was great deal more profitable