The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-05-10

Me and Jimmy were on the fence
and-and-he said couldn't jump dow
as quick as he could; and we jumped
and horrible bad old nail caught M
and-Mr. Hine ought to be ashamed
;, have such fence. He don't tend I
things like pa, she added brightly.
:, But all her hopes of thus diverting he
auditor from the offense in view. fe
! fiat. The mention of pa only served t
a exasperate Sophronia's over-wrough
nerves.
AS big a girl as you are to be climbln
!, fences like boy. Abby Tucker sh
, cried scornfully. Now run and get you
other dress, and come straight back here
, There, go on.
The thrust in the last pin. and CAV
the small back little shove.
If | wasn't real big girl | couldn'
climb so nice, observed Abby with prid,
and moving off gladly. Last year
couldn't; | was only so high, l guess
She stopped down and spread her finger
to the height of an imaginary, insignifi-
cant no climber. always fell on my
nose then. Jimmy says | can do il
most as good as he can now.
Go and get your pink dress, command
ed Sophronia, sharply. Do you hear
Yes, said Abbie pleasantly, do. and
resuming her feet. she tapped off, drop
ping pins by the way, to presently re-
turn, the pink calico crushed within her
arms, and the rents yawning in their
original openness.
Through the rest of the morning hours
the doctors eldest daughter was COM
PEELED to sit quietly at the mercy Of her
tormenting thoughts; for what woman
ever drove off an harrassing worry with
the point of needle? In and out with
every stitch went the new, stinRIng con
viction, you ought to help your father.
In despair, Sophronia threw down the
brown dress more than once and paced
the floor, shaking off the hateful gnat-
like visitors; but they always came back
in greater numbers when the needle was
resumed. The only hope of relief was
in seeing the last stitch taken, when che
would fly at some active work that
might shut the door OF mind against all
such invasions.
But before the last stitch appeared, in
came neighbor Hines wife.
come right up stairs, she announced,
seeing couldn't find your ma. declare
if you amt always mendink,
1t becomes necessary, said Sophronia,
with a short laugh, when there are three
boys in the family-no four, / might as
well say, counting Abby.
You do mend splendid, said Mrs.
Hines depositing her ample figure in the
most slender of Sophronia chairs. Dear
me, it's astonishing how stairs do tire
me. wish had a daughter to help me
out. I'd be willing to pay good price to
get my mendng- basket lowered every
Saturday night.
Sophronia gave a sudden shiver, her
breath came thick and fast, and she
dropped her needle. Oh, Mrs, Hine she
cried, putting glowing face in front Of
the large perspirlng one-do you mean
what you say, do you?
What did | say-that you mend real
splendid? Yes do; everybody says so.
Why only the other day, Miss
Oh, | don't mean that, said Sophronia
pattIng quickly the fat arm, the other
thing. Do you mean 1t, dear Mrs. HineI
Neighbor Hines wife wrinkled her
brows and stared into space. Oh, what
did | say? That wished had daugh
ter-and 81 do, just like you. Or il
one of my boys was only big enough,
p'raps you might both make a match.
That would suit me real first rate. Why
only the other day Mr.. Hine said, said
he
Oh, don't mean that either, cried the
girl jumping to her feet, her eyes spark
sedj that Help you dYBs d6B Sup tS pay yr4inS a%{H
Didn't you now, Mrs. Hine. oh, do say
yes.
To be sure | did, cried Mrs. Hine in
astonishment, and what's more I'll say
It again. I'd give anything If there was
any body in Bingham who'd take in
mending. ,
will, cried Sophronia, erect and 1.-the
her young hands clasped together joy
fully.
Mrs. Hine jumped to her feet with the
spring of feather bed set in motion.
You Why you are the doctors 8 daugh.
ter, she gasped,
His eldest daughter, said Sophronia,
with proud smile. who has at last
found som thing that she can do to help
her father.
didn't know as you were poor, said
neighbor HINES wife, with the freedom
of old friendship, your ma always been
savin', but didn't 'sposc you needed to
earn money, as If you was boy.
Oh, we aren't poor, cried Sophronia,
hugging herself in glee, We're rich in
many ways. And as for not being oblig
ed to work and earn money because m
not a boy, dear me, Mrs. Hlne. DON
see the reasonableness OF your remark
She ended in a pirouet that would have
been credit to Abby's agility. Now
I'll 90 back and finish this blessed work
and she seized the brown gown once
more, put herself in her seat, and con
trolling her excitement, set the last
stitches triumphantly.
You're the queerest girl ever see, de
clared Mrs. HIne, sinking belplessly in
to her chair again, that creaked fearful
ly as she did 80.
III YOU hadn't come in and seen me a.
this work, went on the girl quickly,
might never have found out what
could do. Now, will you tell the neigh
bors and anybody you see that l an
ready to execute any jobs at repairing
that they may want done? Will you
she repeated eagerly. 49,
Is your ma willing? asked Mrs. Hln'
doubtfully.
Come and see. Sophronia pulled The
thread through on its last journey, snip
ped it off, and giving hug to the llttit
gown, threw it on the bed. Come
she repeated.
| don't know where you'll find her
volunteered Mrs. Hine, heavily follow
ing over the stairs, for l hollered an
hoilered-Oh, here you be, Mrs Tucker
as the kitchen door, opened by Sophron
las eager hand, disclosed the DOCTOR
wife in the act of bringing out from thu
pantry slices Of ham she was intending
to fry for dinner.
Ma! ma! cried Sophronia jOyfully, I
isn't summer boarders. Oh no, it ism
ma; its my fingers-my idle fingers tC
be set to work.
The doctors wife stared at her daugh'
ter over the plate of ham slices she wat
carrying.
Ain she green? cried Mrs. Hine, de-
lighted to see the confusion into which
the mother was thrown,
I'm to do Mrs. Hines mendlng fol
her and the mending OF all those IT
Bingham who, like her, have no grown
up daughters. See, ma, my fingers car
help pa, cant theyt
In her Joy, SOphronia, regardless ol
the fate OF the ham, that Immediately
slid off from its resting place 10 lh'
floor, rushed into her mothers arm.
Sophronia, cried the doctors wife
wben'd you think OF itI =.
didn't think of it; was too stupic
TO find 1t out for myself, cried the girl
radiantly. Mrs. Hine said she'd be will
ing to pay some one to do her mending
Then il all came to me, here's my work
because you know can mend, ma.
You can mend, said the doctor
wife, quietly, and you are the one wit
| .,,ae,y ~.