The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-03-14

hatirons to heat. Then Mrs. Delanev
began 10 cry, and the goat got I'D and
bent contemplative ossic upon n.
stranger within the gates, and Mrs. De.
laney said: May the blessin' of the
Virgin be on yer
It's purity poor kind ev blessin'I
expect, if faint no better'n than she gives
you" said Mehetabel, as she partly I'm.
rolled Teddy who was crying silently
with the sharp pains which came as his
half frozen feet aRd hands began to thaw.
"Sure we must take what comes in
this world" said Mrs. Delaney -" Bit.
ter bad has CO ne to me and mine. and
it's hard to believe that all is for the best.
sometimes, but sure the holy saints in.
tercede for Us, and the hand of God is
over ALL"
Mrs. Delaney wiped her fearful eyes
on the corner of the shawl which wrapped
the lean baby lying in her arms with its
little blue pinched features, and big ewes
staring up into the mothers face, and
Mehetabel rolled Terrence once more
tightly in the skirt, and laid him close
against his little sister in the cold bed.
and put more coal on the fire. Then she
said, quite 6ercely: &C amt much of
saint Z | know of, but guess we'll see
what the intercession of Mehetabel Petit.
grew can do for ye. don't believe it'll
freeze you to death, nor starve YOU,
neither. I'll be back in a minute, and
don't you cry any morn ye need to.
expect it Amt none too good fer the baby
| Ter you to take on So" And with this.
Mehetahel left the house in a hasty and
impetuous manner, and climbed the
snowy hills with prodigious strides, and
was very soon in her own kitchen and
the presence of Miss Benson, whom fiery
dragons could not have driven from her
post of observation at the back window.
where she had been an open-mouthed
spectator of all of Miss Pettigrew's out
of-door proceedings since she started
down through t. chard.
Il s'pose you IN thare an gawp
no matter what neeaed doin'," said Me-
hetabel to her dear cousin, as she
slammed the door behind her.
"Wal, | don't see no use hoppin'
round like hen with her head cut off,
till ye know what's wanted of ye," said
Eunice, with unusua al vigor.
guess some folks d know bout s
much with thare heads cut off s they do
with 'em left on" said Miss Pettigrew,
as she took fiat bottle of Medford rum
off the pantry shelf and put it in her
pocket, and filled pitcher with morn
ing's milk, and tucked a sugar bowl
under her arm. " But if you've got sense
enough to find yer way, ! wisht you'd
put ye. things on an 60 over an tell
Doctor Bascom to come down to see
them Delaneys bout s quick IS the
Lord1l let ye."
"You've got my tippet on, an don'o
what I'll put round my head" said
Eunice.
d" want that tippet. guess We can
find somethin' in the house to wear If
ye try real hard,- m hope you'll man
age to get started before that Delaney
boy dies, If you can" And with this
gracious speech Mehetabel once more
opened her door and fastened down the
hill to the cabin, where she found Mrs.
Delaney still crying, and all the other in
mates as they were, except that the
chickens were assembled at the back
OF the stove, which was now very hot, and
scorched the hair of the goat, which
stood almost touching it, and eyed Me-
hstabel as If seeking vulnerable point
for assault, while the steam blew merrily
from the spout of the teakettle.
Then, with great celebrity, Mehetabel
brewed hot milk punch, which she fed
to Terrence with teaspoon, though the
poor frozen child seemed stupid, and
could hardly be made to understand that
he was to take it. She held Teddy in
her lap by the roaring stove as she dosed
him with this strictly Puritan beverage,
and in the intervals between the spoon
fuls she rubbed his thin blue feet, which
were very cold, though the fire was SO
hot as to almost scorch them, and the
boys hands had begun to grow warm.
Teddy never took his big, wistful eyes
away from Mehetabe's face, and Mrs.
Delaney also gave her individual atten-
ton to the new inmate of her household.
"Wall, hope you'll all know me when
you see me agin," said Mehetabel, with
truculent glance at Mrs. Delaney.
An that goat, too, it haint never took
its eyes off me since came in to the
door,"
God knows, you are friend in need,
Miss PettigEe~ and ;.'s little ever
tho1ght your hand would care for me or
mine when the black day came. It's
easy you'd forgive the eyes of us could
you feel the thanks we have in our hearts
to-day, my LADY," said Mrs. Delaney,
speaking as well as her tears and chat
tering teeth permitted her chill was ex-
tremely violent, and as she crouched
over the stove with her purple nailed
fingers almost touching the glowing sur
face, the baby would certainly have been
grilled but for the protection of the shawl
in which it was wrapped.
You jest keep your thanks till Pm
doin somethin' morn my plain duty,
Mrs. Delaney. If ever see case callin'
for christian charity it's right here In this
house, anil don't want NO blessin,s for my
share ont" Here Terrence interrupted
Miss Mehetabeps deprecations by unmis-
taxable evidence of nausea she put the
glass OF milk punch on the stove, where
it instantly split in two from top to bot
tom, and the punch sid Kissing across
the nf thA - A.