Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-10-18

am perfect scarecrow, but no matter,
my beauty viii not suffer-" And with
q nod and goodbye, dearies," not
waiting for an answer to her question.
Miss Prim vanished within the open
doorway, and the children fastened to
| school.
Miss Charity Primer Miss Chatty,
| as she was called-was the village
| dressmaker. She was maiden lady,
thirty-five or forty years of age. small
and delicate in appearance. but always
| in good health. Her face was always
smiling, her soft, blue eyes mild and
| pure as those of a child; her abundant
hair. long and silken, crowned her
! head as with a coronet of silver.
II thought would come and finish
| that dress of yours, Mrs. Laurence,
said Miss Chatty, as she entered the
| irelighted room, the warmth and glow
making such contrast to the gloom
| without Il am little late, but l had
a hard time of it, fighting the wind all
| the way from the cottage. Ny umbrella
is wreck, and look as though had
been in gale, and was flying the flag
| of Distress" laughing merrily and
showing firm. white teeth that had
| never known the torture of dentists
| art: however, .all's well that ends
well,'" and, with sigh of content,
Miss Chatty followed the stately but
| kind-hearted mistress of Pleasant
Park to the sewing-room, where, in a
low rocker. with huge pile of work
before her, the little dressmaker was
! soon busy as bee.
Miss Chatty," said servant, enter
ing with tray on which were mullins,
steak and steaming cup of coffee,
''here is something warm for you"
"Well, declare. all this trouble on
| my account 1t is too bad, but do
believe 1 am hungry" and putting her
| work aside. the little woman soon made
| sad havoc with the dainties before
| her. She was proud in her way, was
this poor, handwriting, sewing wom-
an. She would not own that on this
cold and dreary morning she had
| dressed in her chilly room, and eaten
sparingly of bread and oatmeal. with
small cup of milk to satisfy her
thirst, but never complaint, never a
cross look from the noble woman who
had no luxuries and few comforts, but
| who ever looked on the bright side of
life.
Before night the storm became so fu-
| rious, the snow so deep, the dress
maker was urged to remain until the
next day, and to tell the truth she was
nothing loath, for her humble room
in the cottage of the Widow Green
was not very attractive one, although
clean and neat, yet a rag carpet, paper
shades, a cot bed and small stove,
with scanty TODD for a dainty appe-
tite. was all the dressmaker could earn
for herself in the small village of Fair
| mount.
Evening, with her sable curtain. en-
| folded the snowy earth. The wind
sighed and moaned around the warm
ly-draped window Of Pleasant Park.
The Laurence family were wealthy
and high born, Mr.. Laurence being
| from one of the oldest and proudest
| families in Boston, and his wife. the
| handsome Kate Carleton before mar
riage. was of English birth, with noble
blood in her veins, yet they acknowl-
p, edged the goodness and worth of their
humble seamstress: and although she
did not join them at the table, having
her meals sent into the sewing-room,
she was invited into the sitting-room
when the family met together for the
! pleasant chat before bedtime, and in
her modest brown dress, with snowy
collar and cuffs, her sweet, pale face,
soft voice and charming smile, Miss
Chatty did not look out of place even
in the parlor of the high-born Lau-
renee family.
Miss Chatty, wish you would
tell me story. do so like to hear
them"
This from Master Johnny, who was
basking on the snow-white rug of
bearskin, the glow from the fire light
ing up his curls until they looked like
a mass of gold. and his round. dimpied
face as rosy as the sunny side of
peach.
"Oh. do, dear Miss Prim. tell Us
| something NICE" exclaimed Lizzie,
| shutting up the entertaining fairy
book, and coming forward to the easy
chair wherein sat the tiny lady. her
small hands busy with some tatting she
wished to finish for Mrs. Laurence.
Il never told story in all my life.
my dears. Then I am afraid. even
if could tell you any thing that
would interest you, should disturb
your father and mother in their read
ing"
mot at all. they both cried, with
all the courtesy they could have shown
a lady of wealth. and putting away