The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-05-26
A BROKEN PITCHER.


Hester from the pantry to her mothers
side. Mrs. Duncan was on her knees be-
fore q basket, and in her hands held the
fragments OF large pitcher Hester
echoed her mothers surprise.
allow did it hsppen?" she asked.
"Im sure I can't tell" answered her
mother. 1T packed it myself and held
it carefully on my lap all the way home
from church. This world is just full OF
unexpected thingsp
Vic, running into the kitchen just then.
saw the broken pitcher, and guilty
feeling that she might have had hand
in it, made her very uncomfortable. She
had carried the basket in for her mother
the day before. and when she set it hasti-
ly on the floor, there had been sharp
crack, but she was in such hurry to go
with Dick to look at the new calf, that
she did not stop long enough to see what
mischief she had done. Now the sight
of gher mothers tears sent pang OF re-
greet to her heart and made the hot blood
creep to the roots of her hair.
The pitcher was large Wedgewood
one, given to Mrs. Duncan at Der mar
riage, and had survived the many moves
the family had taken, to meet its end by
too hurried contact with the kitchen
floor
The church of which Mr.. Duncan was
pastor, was too poor to buy communion
service, and Mrs. Duncan, ashamed OF
the poor white pitcher used, had deter
mined to offer her precious one. She
had carried it safely back and forth after
every communion for two years, and now
it is gone, and the old white one must
be used again
81 had consecrated that pitcher to the
Lord" she said to Hester, sand now we
must go back again to Widow Cheeseman's
old white one. 1t will be long time be-
fore our people can buy one. 1t is more
than they can do to pay your father his
salary"
Vic turned away with sob in her
throat. How could she confess? A wild
desire to make some money and buy a
new one before she told her mother, shot
through her. But how was she able to
earn any money?
That night Dick was awakened by a
faint sobbing. He sat up and listened.
"What's the matter, sis?' he called from
the next room.
81 feel so bad - moaned Vic from her
little bed, and then the desire to tell some
one was 30 great that she confided what
had happened to her sympathizing twin.
swell set some beaver traps" he said,
"and perhaps we can make some money
in that way. I knew q fellow once at
Linesville who made just packs of money
trapping beavers"
Vic was comforted and went to sleep
Dick was up bright and early next
morning, overhauling his traps, so he
could set them as soon as school was out
at four o'clock.
The twins worked until dark and then
went to bed with great expectations of
what they might find in the morning.
"Le.'s see," said Dick, 1--WE have six
traps, and if we could catch beaver in
each trap, and we get dollar apiece for
the skins, there's six dollars. And if
there should be three muskrats and three
beavers, why even that would make four
dollars"
eff we can do that every week" inter
rupted Vic, "we will soon have, enough
for the pitcher and communion SGT, too.
Won't that be nice?"
But day after day passed and no beav-
ers were caught, and the twins began
to be very doubtful about catching any
'I can't stand it any longer" walled
Vic. 81 must tell mother 1 broke the
pitcher. have such a qneer feeling
right here" laying her hand on her
stomach, "when anything is said about
it."
"Just wait till we've set trap in the
big hollow" urged Dick. "I'm most
sure we can get one there. We can go
after school and get home before dark"
So, selecting their best trap, they start
ed for the hollow as soon as their lessons
were over, Dick carrying the trap and
Vic the Ratchet, followed closely by Hec-
tor, the great English mastiff. Hector
had been given to them when a very
small puppy, and had grown as they
grew, had shared in all their games, and
many a time they had divided their bread
and milk with him.
Mrs. Duncan had declared often that
he was too expensive pet to keep, that
he ate as much as grown person, when
it was har denough to fill the children's
mouths. Each time the grief OF the twins
was so great that she never had the heart
to carry out the threat.
The children reached the hollow, and
selecting spot on the edge of the creek,
which Dick thought was good one, went
to work with will. Hector seemed I'M
easy, walking around and around, shifting
at the underbrush and every now and
then giving d low growl.
He must smell a beaver" said Dick.
"Run him out, old fellow Hi there |
That's right Shake him out now I"