The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-01-10
A Chyistoas Cir

fclks DO think OF. said Mrs. HAmmersl,
laying the paper she bad been laboriou,
reading 10 her lsp and shoushtiully ~
bing her glasses
"whsts up povi Coin 10 nss b
Icoss instead Of rsilcap' I've been q
psssif' in. said her husband. Who prid'
himself on never being taken by surpri,
''oh, faint nothing Of that sort -iss
charity"
"HumphT sruo,ed Seth disapprovin
ly. He bad little fault 10 find VII
mother" be had called her for the u
80 years though the little one .ha. hs
given her right to the name had erie
but few hours and been hushsd forev,
by the Father. but he did think she vi
Just . ''mite' too charitabls.
Yes. and the best OF it 10. il gives .
folks chance" "mothsr" went on, folt
ing ber hands over the paper and lookin
out TO the hills beyond. They've stsrts
s'cisty called tho Fresh Air Fund Any
body sends money"
"You can bet it's money they want.
interrupted Seth ssrcasti cally. but hi
wifs's face had look such ~ ii wore al
ter . visit to the little plot behind th
church, and he. catching d. yht Of that
Whitfield on In silence
Just what they can from fy cents Il
hundreds Of dollars; and then hey tax.
the poor children just the poorest they car
find, and, o Seth, thank God We dom
know how poor folks can be in them
crowded places, and sends them out to the
country, ont to the hills" she adde With
hungry look in her motherly face, "vdaers
good men aud women give them fort.
nights play spell, fllin' their poor 81 arvsd
bodies with COED country vittlss, and their
souls-O Scth," and the woman's voice
broke, 30 Seth, didn't mean to ask you,
and you worried so about tho mortgage;
but could take one little girl-in MtIy's
place?"
Seth Hammsrsley whitfield on in sils ace.
Yon would have thought he had not b, ard
his wife, certainly not followed her, but
she knew better. She knew that ia 81 ,its
OF his sharpness and shrewdness, Seth hu.
mored her in all her fancies, partly II ON
love to her. and partly because Of tho Ii tile |
one who waited for them "somewhei e,
rs the man would have said. She was. ia |
no hurry for an answer. but sat gen tly
rocking, patting tho folded paper abssr ltly
now and then and looking at the ills
rom whence came daily uplift and siren 9Th
hough the plain, hard working won IAN
carcely knew what they were to her.
That mortgage can't be met, a. -;
- may as well make up our minds to l. -
he place; but moviu and all will co st.
nd know how you'll 20 to bakin' a nd
rewin' il there's company" said Seth at /
lst
The woman palsd ~ he referred to a
loving. Leave the homs they had lived | i
for 80 years-ths home to which baby
ad coms She could not bear tho thought &
it, and showing aside, snid quietly. 8,
"She wouldn't be like grown company. Ia
ed ask them for poor child, Seth, and Il
read and butter milk and egps, with d,
'oky now and then how many cookies b,
"a hs had il our Mary had been spared W
ould seem great plenty. Then it b.
,uld be something for me to do, Seth, to
ep my mind off what's coming, il il hi
ust come
II don't see what's to hind,m-I can't. ol
le only man who could lend as the mon. mn
IL that old skinfint Of Jake Dale, and to,
said no, once, and don't o team 10 ask
n again. What in the world will he do . I
ID his money? He ha'nt chick nor soc
Id left. -
Ne more than we. But we're the bot. di0
of, Seth. for all his money; our Mary DIR,
'afe, while his may be living in sin. poi
what about the little girl?" she asked the
n a moments silence. in
Oh, you may as we'll have her first AZ ed
You amt gein' to have much more =
Hort, poor soul, !" he added to himself. TO b
= went out 70 see TO milkin'.' lisb
lrs Hammersley gave one glad look a. old
bills, thinking Of the little pinchsd face
that would look toward them soon, they
then hustled about to .'get tea" La. it'll,
'n, when tho dishes wero set away aad Mar
lamp lighted, she found the ink bottle sent
ored its rather thick contents with a A.
csiee and vinegar, and with great -.
wrote note to the New York Tribune a.,
'g for little girl named Mary, about .orro
'n old, the poorer and more wretched A..
Better. as she had but plain country 80,
to offer.
' ''e woman uid but /,
ge thing for her, for she was not ciy. =.
much praying. except in very sterso.
fashioned. With some dim remem. 'aK
e, Il may be. OF Scripture warrant 'nen'
, jo;r ~. 1.;s over
mali 5ov, ~ would
(;od re a .l Hsmn
f.,s nI..a h.s,.. >, all els
~. ,ha,ch r.. ,,.,,. ,1 The ol
her for Chriss's sake. Bring tho N'u'
lest. lonsliesi child there is, O God. US =
!, only knowess how hungry and " :
M. >oiher is. Amen. A14
his owl
.ss JUS, the !, lace ior tbs, child you vii. b.
pesking oi, He Wy eo"s good they b.
'nis the poorest and "os' s's'eled dsught
J have. only stipulstin. 'ha' shs Mary.
be Mary. II seems 10 Nc ihH some,
girls name. vasn'tii, hsd bee
> Hall, aged Q, utterly run dow: France,
dead; father drinks" :, he had
We'll. she can spend two weeks had bid
'erkshire hills Has ale anything er To I
she had