Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-02-06

Mrs. Stone looked at her in horror. Wher
the got home she told her daughter that AuI
Mlllet was in q dreadful state Of mind, auC
she thought the minister ought 10 see her
She believed she should tell him IL she wa
not out TO meeting that night.
She was not. This touch of grief had goad
ed that meek, roverential nature into fierce
| ness. The childish earnestness which sht
had had In religion she had now in the othel
| direction. Ann Millet in spite of all eKcuse
that could be made for her, was for the tim,
wicked, rebellious old woman. And sh,
was as truly so as II this petty occasion fol
il had been graver one in other peoples es
timation.
The next day the minister called on her
stimulated by Mrs. Stones report. He die
not fnd her 30 outspoken; her awe of hin
restrained her. Still, this phase of her char
acter was revelation to him. He told his
wife, when he returned home, that he nevei
should have known it was Ann Millet.
In the course of the call a rap came at the
kitchen door. Ann rose and answered it, hop
ping nervously across the floor. She returned
to the minister with more distress in her face
than ever.
''Nothin' but a little gal With Mslty cat,
said she. The children hev got wind Of my
losiu' Willy, and they mean it all right, but il
seems as Of l should Fly They keep comm
and briDgin' cats. They'll find a cat that they
think mebbe is Willy and 30 they bring him
TO show me. They've brought Malty y-and
white cats, nd cats all Malty they've brought
yaller cats nd black-'nd there want one OF
'em looked any like Willy. Then they've
brought kittens that they know'd want Willy,
but they thought mebbe I'd like 'em instead
Of him. They mean all right, know; they're
real tender-hesrted but il mos kills me.
Whv hav Nhnl
hadn't got their eyes open Jest before you
come. They was striped nd white, md they
said they thought they'd grow up TO look like
Willy. They were the Hooper children, md
they knowed him."
1t would have been ludicrous II the poor old
woman's distress had not been 80 genuine.
However, Mr.. Beal, the minister, was not q
man to zee the ridiculous side he could sim.
ply be puzzled, and that be was.
1t was a case entirely outside his experience,
aud he did not know how TO deal with it. He
wondered anXiously what he had best say to
her. Finally he went away without saying
much Of anything, he was 70 afraid that what
he said might be out Of proportion to the de.
mands Of the case. 1t seemed to him border
ing on sacrilege to treat this trouble of Ann
Millet's like genuine affection, though, on
the other hand, that treatment was what her
state Of mind seemed to require.
Going out the door, he stopped and listen
ed q minute he thought he heard cat NEW.
Then he concluded he was mistaken, and
went on. He watched eagerly for Ann the
next meeting night, but she did not come. It
is doubtful whether or no she ever would
have done so il she had not found the cat
She had a nature which could rally an enor-
nous amount Of strength for persistency.
But the day after the meeting she had Oc-
casion to go down cellar for something. The
cellar stair led up to the front part Of the
house indeed, the cellar was under that part
only. Ann went through her chilly sitting
room-she never used it except in summer
and opened the cellar door, which was in the
front entry There Was a quick rush from
the gloom below, and Willy few up the cellar
stairs.
'Lor sakes !" exclaimed Ann, with white,
shocked face. Hes ben down there all the
while Now l remember. He followed me
when come through here that meetin' night
to git my cloak, and he wanted to go down,
and let him. thought he wanted to hunt.
Lor' sakes !"
She went back into the kitchen, her knees
trembling. The cat followed, brushing against
her aud purring. Shs poured out saucer of
milk, and watched HIM bungrily tapping. He
did not look as il be had suffered, though he
had been in the cellar a week. But mice
were plenty in this old house, and he had un-
dOubtedly foraged successfully for himself.
Ann watched him, the white, awed look
still on her face.
II s'pose he mewed nd didn't hear him.
There he was all the time, jest where put
him an me a-blAmin' the Lord an putin it
on Him. I've ben an awful wicked woman.
l amt ben to meetin', md I've talked, nd
Them squashes threw awayl It's ben so
warm they haint froze, and l don't deserve
it. I hadn't orter hev one of 'em l hadn't
orter hev anything. I'd orter offer up Willy.
Lor' sakes think of me s-ssyin' what l did,
and him down cellar !"
That afternoon Mrs Stone looked across
from her sitting room window where she was
sewing, and saw Ann slowly and painfully
bringing in squashes one at 8 time.
Look here, Ruth, she called to her daugh-
ter. Jest you see. Ann Millett's bripgin'
In them squashes she threw away. don't
believe but what she's come to her senses"
The next meeting night Ann was in her
place. The minister saw her, rejoicing. AT
ter meeting he hurried out of his desk to
speak to her. She did not seem to be coming
10 see him as usual.
When she looked up at him there was an
odd expression on her face. Her old cheeks
we're flushing
II am rejoiced to see you out, Miss Millet, A"
said the minister, shaking her hand.
"Yes. thought I'd come out tonight"
II am so happy to see you are feeling bet
ter"
THE cat has come back, said Ann.
Mary E. wilkins in Harper's BGadr.