Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-12-20
UNFORESEEN REWARD.
How Miss Hoitt's Act of Kindness
Brought Her Happiness.

Miss Hannah Hoitt lived alone in q
wide old house that had sheltered the
families of hor father and her grand
father before her Its square, low
ceiled rooms were peopled for her with
precious memories and tender associ-
ations. She would not shut the sun
light quite out OF any Of them; so that
they all retained some pleasant look
as of occupancy. And the rooms she
really lived in were bright, restful,
sunshiny, with enough of the old
time quaintness TO give them a pc
cul;ar charm, and sufficient subservi-
ency to newer fashions and fancies Of
adornment to assure you that the
owner lived in to-day rather than yes
terday.
Miss Hoitt was much esteemed in the
little community of Milton as woman
Of means, of sense, of character, Of
generous purposes aud practices. The
farm had dwindled from its once broad
area of tillage and meadow and past
ure and woodland, to less than sixty
acres. Yet it was large enough for
her to manage, for she carried it on
herself, with as careful and capable an
oversight as was exercised by any of
her neighbors on their domains.
1t was the standing wonder of
the neighborhood and of the
little town, chow Miss Hannah could
manage so we'll" Every spring tho
boldness and magnitude OF her vent
ures astonished them. Every fall the
quantity and quality of the crops she
produced therefrom amazed them still
more. Her beans and corn, her cab
bages and cucumbers and onions, her
beets and her asparagus, nodded to
one another from their NEEDLESS rows
in triumphant luxuriance. Her ber-
ries blushed in exultation. Her little
orchard dropped its rosy and golden
fruit gleefully. In truth, it was the
garnering Of her harvests that per-
picked her. She reveled in the long
days when she should dig and tend and
water, and ''sec the things grow"
But when the days grew short, and the
first frosts came, and the pumpkin
vines grew black, and tho potato tops
died, and she began to fear for her
tenderer fruit, then despair and dis.
may began to ill her soul. For then
her housekeeping tasks were more
ouerous, her ncighbors could seldom
be hired to help, and help" proper.
was scarce. And, though Miss Hoitt
was no scold, and didn't know how to
whine, her voice was apt to grow
plaintive as she sometimes related her
anxieties.
Hers was q bright and busy NE, in
all its loneliness; and many q weaker
or less hopeful heart shared its sun
shine. She had not always expected
to live thus alone. Once she had
looked forward TO far different life
Perhaps it had been all the harder
that her own hand had put aside her
joys. But she couldn't have done 9TH
erwise, she would remind herself.
There was only she to take care Of the
aging father. the auerulous grand
mother, the invalid sister-all gone
from her long ago. And he, FALLEN
Maynard, haa his own brave life to
live. She would not let him waste
any Of 1t waiting. She had sent him
away, and perhaps she had not told
him very clearly the reason why. But
she had never ceased to think of him
and pray for him. Wherever Allen
Maynard was she was very sure that
he was still good. and true and brave
and genuine,
Over her low threshold, above which
hopvines grew and morning glories
hung from dawn till noon their dewy
chalices of purple and crimson and
white, came one late September after
noon her nearest neighbor, and one of
her dearest friends, Mrs. Sterne She
was younger by a tew years than Miss
Hoitt but loved, trusted petted, even
sometimes confided in, by the older
woman.
Come in. Lucy! What's the mat
ter, child? Something worries you;
and you're tired out, too. Now just
60 into the sitting-room and take the
easy chair and I'll be ia in a minute,
just as soon as | slip on my ether
dress
s."You see, she resumed, a little
later, coming back freshly attired.
I've been trying'to getin my grapes
and pears, and some of my apples j
had to begin in season and keep at it.
a little to a time, and Tn weefuIly be-
hind-hand now; aud help can't seem
to get, for every body else is busy, toe.
Now, Lucy. what troubles you, and
what can / do?"
George Eliot remarks on the widely
different meanings that may be given
to those last four words bY the tone
and infection with which they are