The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-03-12

10 she vent ever. kiss Milies wAa 81
tias il her little wooden rocking chair IL
hss kitchen. when ahs opened the door.
i why. Ann Milist, arc yca sickY''
No. I ain't sick
.Yoa ~a'a't ont % msesin' an dian''
kaou--"
4 II ain't never goin' 10 mecsin' again.
"why. what DO you meant"
1 Mn. Stone dropped into chair, and
STARED q her nsiehbor.
II mean iuss What say. lsin't never
eoia 10 msstin' agin. Folks 80 70 mectin
70 thsnk The Lord for blsssin' :. ] suppose
Tvs Lost mine. an / aia't goiu'."
What hsv ycu Lost, Ann"
"Ain'l ! lest Willy?
You don't mean 70 ny you're makin'
Ill this fuss over cats"
/ Mrs. Stone could make good deal OF
disapprobation and contempt manifest in
Der pale, high featured faoe. and she did
now.
"Yss. do"
| ~Wsil. sist sothin' agia cAts. bat
mua ~ r. bsst why. Ann Aillst. ~
|1ewnuieht sinfsl fns 20 - % -. or
ssurss you ~ good deal BY Willy; but
II aint = y be Va hsmAn creature.
Cats i sats- Formy part never thought
Il was right to sst By animals as ef they
vss babes"
Il can't hear what you say
II never thought it Va right 70 Get BY
animals y II they were babas.
II doay ksss. It's comfortin' TO have
live creatures about you, an Ain't never
he'd aDythia' like other women. amt
he'd no folks Of my own since ] kin re-
member. Two worked hard al my life,
an he'd nothin' It III TO love, an I've
thought I'd orter DO thank full Ill the same.
But did want Is much as : cat. /"
"Well. ss ! said before. I've nothin'
agin cats. But don't understand any
human bsin' With an immortal soul . set
tin 20 much BY one,
" can't hsar what yop say" Ann could
usually bear Mrs. Stones high voice with
ont difficulty, but today she seemed to be
dealer.
4 don't understand any human bcin
with an immortal soul a,settin' 80 much
BY cat"
you've got folks, Mis- Stone"
II know hev; but folks is trials some.
times. Not that my children are, though.
Tve got good deal to be thankful for, I'll
own, 10 that way. But. Ann Millet, /
didn't think you was one to sink down 80
under any trial. Thought the Lord would
be comfort to you. Z
II know oil that, Mis- Stone. But when
II comes to it I'm here. an Amt thar; an
I've got hands, an I want somethin' ! kin
touch" Then the poor soul broke down,
and sobbed out loud like baby; II amt
never felt as ef I'd orter begrstch other
women their homes an their folks. I
tIlough haps-I could git along better
without EN- than some; an the Lord
knowed il, an sssin' there want enough
to go round He gave EN- to them that need
"a 'em most. Iain't never felt-as il I'd
orter eomplain. But - thar was cats
= enough. might he'd = that much any
~Ay,'
"you kin cit another cat, Ann. Mis-
MaKwells gd some kittens. an know
she wants TO git rid Of EN-"
y don't rant any Of Mis- Naxwell's
kittens. Nor don't meyer want any other
cat.
"P'haps yesrn will como back. Now
don't take on so.
"What?"
''P'haps yonrn will come back. T"
mo. be won't. I'll never see him agin.
I've felt jest thAt way about It from the
first Somebody's stole him. or he's been
p'isoned an crawled away an died. or he's
been shot for his fur heerd thar was
boy over the river maxim cat skin ker
ridge blanket. an went over thar m
asked him. an he said he hadn't never
shot cat like Willy, Bat .lon't know
Boys ain't brought up any too strict
hope he spoke the truth. /"
s'Harkl l declAr Ithought ! heard 4
cot new somewhar! But guess didn't.
1 don'thear it nov. Well, I'm sorry, Ann
| s'pose I've gotto 90; tbsr's dinner TO EFT
an the baby's considerable fretty today
Why, Ann Millet whar's your s4uashess"
"What?'
Where are your sqnashesg'
= ihroxed EN- away out in the field.
Willy cant hev none Of en- now, an
don't keer about EN- myself
Mrs. Stone looked at her in horror.
Whom she got home she told her daugh ghter
that Ann Millet was in dreadful state Of
mind and she thought tho minister ought
20 soc her. She believed she should tell
him 20 il Ann did not come out 10 meet
ing that night.
She Was not. This touch OF grief had
goaded that meek. reverentisl nature into
Hercsness. The childish esrnestncss
which she had had in religion she had now
10 tho other direction. Ann Millet in spite
of Ill excuses that could be made for her.
was for tho time i wicked rebelious old
woman, And she was as truely 80 ~ II
this petty occasion for il had been eraver
one in other peoples estimation.
The next day the minister called On her.
stimulated by Mrs Stones report. He did
not find her 80 outspoken; her ave of him
restrained her. Still. this phase VI her
character vas : revelation 10 him. He
told bis vile when he returned home that
be never should have known il VAS Ann
Millst.