The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-02-03
BREAD and HONEY.
Congrcgationalist.

Bolton this afternoon and left Alice
alone in the house they had no idea
that there could be any danger for
her. Alice was their little only daush.
ter, and rather than not leave her in
perfect safety they would have stayed
away from Bolton forever.
10 be sure the house was q good
half mile away from any other house.
and was a very nice one OF its kind. 1t
was large and we'll kept, with broad
piazza all around it, and two bay
windows, and had q general
air OF prosperity. Any one seeing the
house here on this country road,
where nice houses are not plentiful,
would have thought that well.to-do
people lived in it. However, no
one SO far had thought so to the
detriment OF either house or people.
Tramps and burglars were seldom
heard of in this peaceful part of the
country, and the Armstrong; had
lived here twenty five years, and never
once been molcsted. So they never
thought OF such u thing to-day. They
did not even tell Alice to lock the
doors. Once, years ago, a straggler
had come along, and Mrs. Armstrong
had given him something to eat, but
he was quite inoifensive, and that was
go long ago she had nearly forgotten
it. Such IL thin. rs straggler never
entered her mind now; the chief topic
OF discussion when they came to start
was Alices luncheon.
1t might have been bad plan, but
the little girl had always had q plain
bread and butter lunch between meals.
To-day, howevcr,she had an idea that
she merited something IL little extra
to pay for her lonely afternoon and
disappointment. Alice herself want
ed very much to 90 to Bolton with
her father and mother, but she had o.
cold, and it was thought not prudent.
"Mother," said she, when her moth
er was putting on her bonnet, "wlat
can have for lunch?"
"Why, what you always have"
said Mrs. Armstrong. "You can
spread yourself a slice of bread and
BUTTER"
'rhere was II little of-that honey
Lett" murmured Alice, blushing.
Her mother laughed.
are for honey" said she. "You ought
to turn into n bee yourself.
Yes, don't care. All is, ii you have
it this afternoon, you won't have 1T
for tea"
"I'd rather have it this afternoon"
said Alice, joyfully.
She stood ut tiewindow and watch.
ed her parents drive out oisight down
the road. She was u slender little
girl. with q pretty, serious face and
smooth brown hair. When she finally
left the window and looked about the
vacant room, it seemed to her that
the clock licked about twice as
loud as she had ever heard
it. However, she was not in
the least afraid, only of coursc n
tritlc lonesome. She got out her Sun.
day School book, and sat down in
her little rocking chair and read
awhile; then she got her box OF water
colors and painted. She had made up
her mind that she would not eat her
lunch until 3 o'clock, and when her
father and mother would have been
gone two hours. 1t was u quarter OF
{" when she got tired OF her paints.
She put them away. and washed her
hands and sat down ut the window
to wait until the clock struck. She
began to feel quite hungry and
thought pleasantly OF the honey.
She had only about three minutes
longer to wait when she saw q man
coming down the road.
"Why, l wonder who that isl" said
she.
She watched lhimintcrestedly us long
as she could see him; then there was q
shullling step in the drive. and q
shadow stretched past the window;
the man had come into the yard.
He gave quick glance at AIiccin the
window, then he stepped up on the
piazza and knocked on the side door.
Alice went promptly. When she open
ed the door there stood the man,
shabby and ragged, with q stubhy
white beard. 1t was no one she had
ever seen before.
"lIave you got an old coat you
could let NE have?" said he. llelook-
ed past into the house as he spoke.
II don't know" said Alice. "I'm
all alone here this afternoon. Father
and mother are gone away. Maybe
| ii you come again, when they're
home, they'd give you one. "Tm real
sorry"
She was shoncstly sorry. She thought
to herself that the poor old man need.
ed u coat drcadiuly; the sleeves OF
his hung in shreds, and there was q
real fringe OF rags around the bottom.
| "Can't you give me something to
eat?" said the man.
"Oh yes, sir" said she eagerly, II
can get you something to eat"
She showed him in the dining room
and placed a chair for him with the
greatest politeness.
"Please sit down." said she sweety,
! land I'll get something for you"
There was q pretty black walnut
sideboard in the dining room, and
upon it stood the spoon-holder full OF
spoons. AS soon as Alice had left the
room the stranger rose and tiptoed
softly over to the spoons. However,
he was in his chair, where she had left
him, when she returned. She had in
one hand u plate, with three slices OF
very nicely spread bread and butter,
and in the other li.tle tumber with
perhaps four spoonfuls OF honey in it.
She looked hesitatingly at the man
and then at the honey.
ave got some bread and butter for
you," said she, i'll her gentle little
voice; "pnt l didn't know-do you
like honey?';
"lcs," said the man with u kind OF
grunt. 1t hardly sounded like yes,
but it was evidently meant for that.
Alice went up to the dining table
and spread the honey dantily on the
slice OF bread and butter. Then she
handed the plate to the man, and he
fell to eating.
She sat down in n chair opposite
and watched him u little wistfuly.
She was. as her mother said, very
fond OF honey, and she did not have
it every day, and this was the last
there was in the house. 1t seemed
like a little seli-denlal, but then
she was u little girl. and