The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-03-08

him. seating himself at the breakfast
table and helping himself to a steaminl
roll.
Cleared eff nice, remarked Mrs. Jone4
Yes the sun shines: and now am off
seeing have eaten all the rolls myself
he remarked, thinking to himself, thai
saw has spoiled Martha's breakfast
Don't see how wimen folks can be sc
soft hearted when poor folks is around
'Taint my way:
Five years have come and gone. 1t is
summer now and everything IL fresh
and green. The birds sing merrily in
the old elm b. the small brown farm
house, from the open windows of which
comes the busy hum of voices, mingled
with laughter and now and then a song.
The family are preparing for a visitor,
who is to come on the morrow-even
joey himself, who has been gone three
years. Aunt Alice is busy in the pantry
making pies, snowy bread and golden
cake, for she expects a hungry boy.
Ellen-now tall, slight girl of seven
teen-stands by the open window, clip
ping off the dried leaves from her hello
trope and humming a new air. Still
singing she leaves the window and be
gins to dust and arrange the furniture
to its best advantage, then opens the
door just as loaded wagon stops in
| front Of the house. A boy Jumps down
runs up the walk and hands her a letter
for mother. Imagine their surprise on
opening the letter to find a check for
500, with note running thus
! Will Widow Reed please accept thus
piano for her daughter Ellen. and let
her begin lessons at once. and ohtige
AN OLD FRIEND.
With eXclamations Of delight they
FASTENED To inquire of the boy, Who
sent IT: Where he got it. etc. But to
their questions he gave no satisfactnr,
answer, notwithstanding there was q
rogulsh twinkle in hIS dark eyes as he
unloaded and helped Harold to set il up
in the little parlOr.
| would like to try il, said Ellen. and
soon the room was filled with melody.
Rose, minus her hat and breathIess al
most appeared in the doorway, dropuinp
her ba' ket of fl Iwtrs and looking from
one to another in childish wonder, Then
clapplng her hands IN glee, she bounded
in, shouting, Hurrall o goody good, /!
Farmer Jones, hearing the music. siou-
ped IN a minute to see what's going on.
he said, for Of late he had been a fire.
quent visitor. And Ellen, with flushed
cheeks and beaming eyes. showed him
her present and the letter. and gave HIM
song. He seemed pleased, and remark
ed ss he rose to go
Guess | will bring hartha over to see
it, eh?
Oh, said Rose, after Mr.. Jones had
left, am So glad Ellen; and oh, he sent
i, Ellen. he is so glad, Ellen, and oh. he
sent it, Ellen he is 50 good.
He! Who 7 asked they both in chorus
Why Farmer Jones' of course, answer
ed Rose, with toss of her yellow curIs
cause | mt him rs Vas coming home
and he asked me If had seen EIlen's
piano.
And from that the secret came out.
1t was happy group that welcomed
joey home the next morning. Even
Aunt Alice could find time to spend an
hour in the garden listening as he prais
ed the neat white fence which Harold
was just finishing, admiring her fl Iwers.
the new bird houSr, the row of nice
young trees in front, and then Ellen and
Rose took him over the farm and down
to the rlTer,and back IN time for dinner,
Then the new piano was admired and
music followed, until later the table was
spread for tea unheT the shade of the
great elm in the yard. And Rose hast
ened away, returning soon followed by
Farmer Jones and wife, who greeted
Joey heartily and Joined them at the
tea table-a bright, h ippy party.
And so it's all paid my bow said
Farmer Jones, as after tea was over Joey
handed him roll of bills. Wife and |
have kept track Of you, and have seen
how from cutting wood you went to
teaching school, and finally into thai
store, working and studying all your
odd time, till now the ast cent is paid
and the farm free. And now, my boy,
we are getting to be old folks, Martha
and me, nigh on to eighty. 'Taint likely
we will live long, and can't say brt
what have learned lesson from you.
And now, Martha and l want you to 90
to college as our boy, eh? Will that suit
you There, there, don't thank us, but
accept our offer if you would please the
whole family.
And they all laughed.
Come Ellen, give us a song.
That evening the moon looked bright.
ly 1own on Farmer Jones and his wife,
as arm in arm they slowly crossed the
field back to their own pleasant home.
And its bright beams fingered on the
sweet face of Aunt Alice and the manly
form of joey as they sat in the doorway
listening while from within came a soft
prelude and soon the voices of Harold
and Ellen mingled with the sweet child
sh notes of little Rose, were heard, :
| Boston Traveller.