The Portland daily press., 1886-08-10
you know. She was Marie Illsley. And

sure would ike IL, ,,,,. -.
gail, but with an expression of doubt in look
and tone. She was not interested in literary
pursuits herself; the school at Four Corders
would require little beyond general knowl-
edge of the three RS. Then she cleared her
throat again. 81 am sure we might do very
well for ourselves, but. there are Nan and
Bessie-and Jeanette"
There was a pause-a painfully long
silence which everything kept but the old
nette-poor little paralyzed Jeanette
gazed up from her resting place on the spring
less, chintz-covered lounge, with great dep
recating eyes, out of which she seemed to
look, through a glimmer of tears, an apology
for being at all. Bessie stared at a faded
portrait of Washington hanging above the
mantel, with sort of angry defiance, as if,
somehow, the Father of his Country were
chargeable with all her difficulties. And
Nanny-well, Nanny looked into Jeannette's
big eyes, and STOPPING, kissed her forehead
with a great deal Of tenderness; it was
only her way, but the look went straight to
Jeannette's troubled little heart, carrying
with it comfort and blessing.
at Is to be expected that Bessie must give
up her music" said Miss Abigail, regret
fully. "Mrs. Davidson wants girl to look
after her baby, for her board and clothes;
and if Bessie"
''Or she might come with me" interposed
Angelina.
Not for Joseph Briggs!" Bessie flashed,
adding the last word hastily as she caught
Nanny'S disappearing glance: There IL be
so many, you know, Angie. I'd rather-oh,
dear, Ia - rather a, take care of Mrs. David
"Ann we must get Jeanette boarded in as
pleasant and inexpensive a place as posi-
ble,' continued Miss Abigail; 'and each one
of us must put by something for her living.
The rent Of the cottage can go towards that
too. It is the, only way see at present. l
haven't thought much about Nanny, because
she is so willing and capable that more
than one home will be opened to her."
Nanny dropped smiling little courtesy,
though her eyes were misty with unshed
tears. She was but seventeen years old, this
fifth Miss Pettibone, a plump. brown-eyed
girl, with round cheeks, full, red lips, and
pleasant voice, which her father had likened
to the singing of a brook.
'You might turn story-writer, too," said
Gertrude. Everybody said your school
compositions were splendid"
SIT isn't of course that could earn my
bread and butter by writing for the story
returned NaaRRhh brightly i Eo s SRe
me the rent of the place for Jeannettes
board?"
mo one would take her for that"
81 would!" Nanny's full lips closed de-
terminedly; land will Poor little Jean;
strangers. And Bessie shall stay too" she
added hastily as if she feared an opposing
interruption; and there shall be home
here for all, whenever you choose toa come
to it,
The four oldest sisters were breathless
with establishment, but Jeannette's eyes
shone like two very bright stars, and Bessie
was executing little pirouette IN corner OF
capable of bearing up Atlas-llke, the Wnole
world on her shoulders.
''But how? ?" asked Miss Abigail, recover
ing herself
''Dr Greenlan is going abroad" said Nan
ny, speaking very distinctly, land he wants
to sell or let his apiary of twenty-five hives;
| shall take them-that is one thing. Then
| shall turn our half acre of land into a
strawberry patch-all but just enough to
raise our vegetables on-and then | shall
other thing"
SIT is too late for Strawberries" said Ange-
lima, land the bees will sting you"
You're a regular Jobs comforter, re-
turned Nanny, with a half-hySterical little
laugh. II will prepare.the ground, and set
my vines this summer and fall; and Dr.
Greenlan says he will show me about man
aging the bees. In the meantime, before
my income becomes to come in," and Nanny |
laughed, 81 will manage some way, never |
fear. Perhaps | may even borrow Mrs.
Johnson's sign,
WASHING & IERNING DONE HEAR
There was the light of an earnest purpose |
in Nanny's eyes, and look OF determine
with her playful tone, and the badlnage she |
uttered
you're trump, Nanny Petitioner said |
the tall Gertrude, with more force than ele- |
gance, land the rest of us area selfish no. |
bodies! If that three dollars won't stretch, |
I'll pull it in two"
"Don't," said Nanny, merrily; but she |
presently gave Gertrude's hand avery loving
squeeze under cover of her ruffied apron. 1T
is only that you didn't see it quite as l do.
this ever since papa died-and even before;
or / asked him one day if l could not try |
the strawberries, and so perhaps help him |
title, poor papal But he kissed me, and
smoothed my hair" Nanny's eyes grew hui
mid, ''and asked me if didn't get butter |
enough ON my bread"
But suppose you fail ?" queried Angelina, |
returning to the subject.
"Then shall know tried" said Nanny, |
briefly. ''But l shall not. / haven't very |
drawbackS-at first-but I have counted the
cost, many a night, as I lay thinking it over,
and | am very sure we could .live-Jeannle, |
and Bess and |, with economy and not too
a year, and Dr.. Greenlan tells me that he re |
ceived more than twice that sum from the |
sale Of swarms and honey last veal"
st wasn't good year for bees, either,
cried the irrepressible Gertrude.
"And MORE" continued Nanny, there |
Ni1A w iloAAO 1OAO Iva Jous w. SAASAS '-''>'S
has been"
'Bless you, Nanny" said Miss Abigail, |
wiping her eyes furtively; but she found a |
great deal to say against the project before |
she finally consented to trial Oft.
And there were drawbacks, Nanny found. |
1t was no slight task, that which she had |
taken upon herself; and sometimes she al |
most lost courage. The house was very lone
ly when Abigail had gone to her school, Ger
trude and Bertha to Scovill, and Angelina |
had assumed charge Of MIR Briggs and his |
houSehold-an event which shortly hap |
pened. But she found plenty of employ |
ment for herself, and the neighbors were |
very kind, and took much interest in having |
her little venture prove a success; and |
gread deal of plain sewing found its way to |
the cottage, which might, perhaps, have |
been done as we'll and expeditiously at
home.
store, and whose eyes were failing him un
accountably, sent her good many odd bits
Of copying to do-for Nanny wrote a large,
round hand, quite Unlike the, slim, singular
chirography now so fashionable,
"anJ won't be bothered reading my own
pot hooks, when | can get such as hers"
And he paid her well.
So they lived through the summer, these |
three, in the little no-colored house, and |
Bessie did not give up her lessons mol, prac,, |
tice. The bees were asSiduously looked |
after. and Nanny soon became very expert |
in the care of these tiny, intelligent Great |
ures. 1t must have been, as Gertrude would |
have expressed it. ga good year for bees"
for when the sale came, Nanny's stock had |
more than doubled, and the whole number |
of swarms had made very large amount of |
honey.
The autumn brought Miss Abigail home to
spend vacation; Gertrude and Bertha |
came, too, for little season of rest from
their work, and Nanny's sweet face beamed
with pleasure and grateful pride. as she went |
over with them all the account of her sum-
mer's work.
Il have sold fifteen swarms at ten dollars
apiece" said she; "and Deacon Parmalee
will take 300 pounds of honey at twenty-five
cents a pound. And the Strawberries
Squire Bartlett gave me all the cuttings |
had mind to take. since he would throw
them away, and Bessie and l put them, out
with scarcely any cost, except of time.
JEANNE, we'll, 1 shall not tell you what Jean
ME is doing. Oh, girls! Oh, .Abbie / am
so happy, and proud of everything! Ii can
do half as well next year. l shall be almost
satisfied though I'm afraid l shall run ahead
of my one hundred dollar limit And don't
think forget to be glad that Bertha has got |
a story accepted, and that Abbie's scholars
love her dearly, and that Gerty can, ply the