Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-18
IN BUTTERFLY TIME.
BY MARY E. WILKINS.

By MAXI T.. w lJklNS.
"seems to me the butterflies il dretfui thick
this season, Becca."
"Yes, they do seem to be considerable thick,
| mother
al never see 'em so thick. Thar's hull swarms
on 'em: lots of them common yaller ones, an
leetle rusty red ones; an thar's some of them
big spotted ones, amt thar? Near's kin see
through my specs, thars one now a-settin' on
| that head of clover
| ayes, there is one, mother"
| ''Thars lots of grasshoppers too. The grass
hoppers air a-risn' up around my feet, an the
! butterflies air fyin up in my face out of the
flowers. Lor. hev we got to the bars a'readye /
| hadn't no idee ont. Be keerful about lettin' on
| 'em down, Becca.'
| The younger Of the two old women let down
! the bars which separated the blooming field
which they had been tr;.vcrsing from the road.
and they passed through.
IS pose you'd better put 'cm up asin, Becca,
| though thar amt any need ont, rs see. Thar
| ain nOthin In the field to git out but the but
| teriies an the gra>ShoppefS, an they'll git out
| holt
There amt any need of it. mother"
ayes will. too. Becca Wheat. I'm Jest as
strong in my arms as ever was. You amt no
call to think amt"
81 don't think SO, MOTHER L know you're real
| strong
II alters was pretty strong to iift-strongern
| The bars up the two women kept on down
| the road. 1t was bOrdercd 10y stone walls and
towering bushes. Ahead, just far they
could see. was one white house. They were
gong there To wOmen's prayer-meeting.
The Older OF the two kept u little ahead of the
younger u,, trotting weakly through the short,
| straw bonnet bobbed i'm time to every step;
her sharp. yellow little face peeped out
OF the bonnet alert and half aggressive. She
wore short black shawl tightly drawn
over her narrow. wiry back, and held her
hands folded primly in front over the two
ends.
| The other woman. her daughter, pacing
| dreamiiy behind, was taller aud sienderer. Her
face was pale and full, but slightly wrinkled,
| preston about it was decided that it was
almost smile. Her dress was slightly younger
| her black calico afternoon dress.
AS they drew nearer to the house the old
woman peered anxiousiy ahead through her
spectacles.
..Sce any one thar, Becca?"
II should think two women jest went In.
couldn't tell who they waS.'
You'd Orter wear Your spectacles, Becca: your
eyesisht amt so good as mine was at your age.
she's got her front room open for the meetin'.
kin see the curtains fiappin''
Quite strong soft wind was blowing. AS
they went up the front walk between the phlox
bushes with their purplsh-pink heads, tho
green curtains with fiowery border swung out
of the windows Of Mrs. Thomas best room, the
one on the right of the front door.
The door stood open, and a mildly curious
lace or two, showed through the windows.
"Ihars old Mis-, Wheat an' Becca," said some
one in q whisper to Mrs. Thomas, and she came
to the door.
There was solemn composure on her large
Wheat" said She; good afternoon, Becca
They walked in with staid demeanor. and
TOOK their seats. The chairs We're set close To
the walls around the room. There were nine
or ten women there with good. grave faces
one otd woman sat close TO the mantel-Sheif,
and Mrs. Wheat took a vacant chair beside her
How dye do. Mis- Dili:' whispered she,
reaching out her little skinny hand.
The other shook it stiff1y. She was as small
as Mrs. Wheat, but her little face was round,
and her chin had a square decision in it's cut,
instead of a sharp one. She had Il clean nicely
folded white handkerchief in her lap, and she
wiped her spectacles carefully with it and
looked through them at Mrs. Wheat before re-
plying.
I'm ep3I q! pretty good health jest now,
'h Mns WI Nils Wheat tn Whispered she
said she.
Mrs. Dill gave stony look at her.
The meeting began then The good women
read in the Bible aud prayed one after another
the Others silent ON their knees beside her
Ihelr husband. and sons in the hay fields, the
children i'll the district school, the too light
minded though innocent village girls the min
lister wrestling with his dull sermon faithfully
in his shabby study the whole world. were re-
memoered In their hOmely petitions. The south
wind sang in at the windows; a pine tree
locists cried shrilly over in the blossomns
fields; and their timid prayers went up
oid Mrs. Wheat, i'll her corner, ON her knees
listened with an outward show of reverence
but she WAS inwardy torn with jealousy She
WIS he la t one called upon to take part; even
Old Mrs. Dill was preferred before her. But she
had ner revenge: when She did get her chance
to speak long and weary was the time she kept
her devout sisters on their aching knees.
She had been storing up a good deal to saw
while the Others Were praying and now she
said it. For church and town and common
wealth, for missions at home and abroad. her
empa!ic qaavers for old Mrs. pilf S 20 ko %I
pleaded she. "rememb er pray Thee, this
aged handmaiden at my side MAY she long
enjoy what blessin's are left to her in her age
an decrepitood Sanc!'fy her trials unto her
an enable her to look a yay from the feebleness
an want of strength which is now her lot on
this i,rth, to that better country where the
wicked cease from troubling an the weary air
at rest
When the prayer was ended, Mrs. Dill rose
softly from her knees and sat down Her face
WIS absolutely immovable as she met Mrs
wheat glance when the meeting broke up.
The two Old ladies were left in the best room
aIoue for u little while. Mrs. Thomas, who was
MS DilPs daughter, wanted to see Becca about
something. so she called her out into the sit
You an Mis- Wheat can visit little WHILE
~n M H Ss an, out here said she.
Ms; pm looked at her daughter when she
said this. as If inclined TO decline the proposal
Then an expression OF stubborn fortitude came
over owe her face, and she settled herself soidly in
The two looked prmly at each other when
they were left alone.
:. ad How S., is Mis- Thomas'" said Mrs. Wheat;
II s,pose Adoniram is to work?"
~ thought ketched glimpse Of him in the
nelo over thar when 1 come In. Adoniram
grows old, don't he?"
II dom know"
IL sot lookin at him In meetin' last Sabbath
an thinkin how dretfuiiy he was altered /
hope he III be spared to YOU as long as Won Ii va
Mis- Dill It's consider BILE better on YOUR ac.
it?'' '''A
Mrs. Dill Redeemed, aud stitrened her chin a
niue. Inar good many folks don't git mar
times
"Becca could "A got married dozens of times
II she d wanted to, Mis- Dill"
II spOsc SOL
"See here, Mis- Dill, spose we come to the
pint You re alters kinder finsin' at me an T
Know well enough what it. means. You We
alters blamed Inc cause you thought come be-
WIKI ms Becca an your Adoniram, an didn't
as knows on.
oh no; course you didn't"
Il spose you dou't believe IL, Mis- Dil?"
No ain forgot how Adoniram come home
from your mousse, jest about this time o. year. u
matter o forty year ago.
u uon Know what you mean"
MIS-. Dill sat mp straight in her chair and
wlnked. 0'
Jest about this time in the afternoon an
tiiis time o year, bout IOrty year ago Adoni-
ram come home from your house. They'd got
Tue nay In the day before, SO he had u lectie
restn spell, an he went right over thar /
Knowed where he'd gone well enough, though
W. made up an arrant after rake to Deacon
WHITE L knowed he'd stop to Bccca's before
he got home. Shed been of visi,in', an he
hadn't Seen her for week. She'd lest got
home that mornn'. " ell. AdOniram went An,