The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-12-04


and as she piled the darning-needle in
and out, in and out, tears blurred her
sight, and even then it was plain to see
the stockings would not last much
longer.
clears will never do, Mary" she
said aloud; and she reached the Bible
from its stand. 1t opened at the thirty
seventh Psalm.
She read. She commented aloud to
that less tried twin-self, "Trust in the
Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in
the land, and verify thou shalt be fed"
Her tears were dried. She looked
out Of the window, not upon the lone
some road, but Just across it, at the
sandy garden, where a few carrot-tops
were yet green and a few cabbages
suggested that they and the beets had
better come into the cellar.
am land-poor," she sighed; "with
TOO much sandy laud to run away from,
as ! sometimes dream of doing, and
no one wants to buy so poor farm,
with rickety fences and weather
beaten buildings. Well, next summer
Tom and | will raise melons to sell.
But it is long way TO seed-timel"
A horse and wagon had come in
sight; and, what was still more un-
usual, had stopped at the gate, and a
small boy scrambled down from the
seat aud came to the door.
Mary rose, opened the door, and was
handed a note, which she read, while
the boy waited outside TO keep an eye
on the horse"
The note, YOU will see, was an answer
to Mary's faith:
d" Dear Mrs GidS$ford Il turn to you as
the only person clever enough to help me
out of my dilemma. Mother has spraned
her wrist, and here | am in the midst of
mince-meat and Tom and his wife coming
home tomorrow for Thanksgiving. If you
can leave your own work and help me few
hours I'll pay you in mince-ineat ana love
You better than before. Please put your
self in the carriage and come right up with
Hiram HELEN HUNTER.
Mary put one hand to her heart, one
hand to her head, and in a minute said
to the boy:
81 will be ready to 90 with you in
five minutes"
And she was ready.
The school-house summed itself be-
side the road " halfway to Mr.. Hun
ter's farm, and Mary halted there as
she saw her boys at play outside.
tom, dear" she called, " am 60
ing to stay with Miss Hunter little
while. If anything happens to keep
me till after school is out here is the
key, and you may 60 in the house and
take care of johnny till | come back. "
Arrived at Mr.. Hunters, Mrs. Glass
ford saw Miss Helen waiting at the
kitchen door and received hearty
welcome.
There were signs of mince-meat all
about the kitchen, Mary saw, as she
gave up her bonnet and shawl. Quickly
she tied on her Bingham apron and be-
gan stemming the great plump raisins.
The boy Hiram soon came to the chop
ping-bowl.
- was in despair, when mother
thought to send for you'll Twice as
much apple as meat, mother?" Miss
Hunter called.
A feeble voice in the next room
answered: THAT'S the old rule, my
dear"
" Yes, l was in despair. But now
we shall toss these goodies together in
no time"
"Oh, yes, indeed" said Mary.
There's the sweet cider, boiling
down, and Hiram pared the apples
last night. Have you made any mince-
meat?"
Not yet" answered Mary.
Well, | always make it the Tues
day before Thanksgiving, for Wednes-
day the pumpkin pies are trouble
enough, with cooking the cranberres
and stufling the turkey"
A capable black woman was getting
dinner, so Mary and Helen worked till
the substantial meal was placed on the
table.
Mary was half afraid her friends
would guess she had been scantily fed
of late, her appetite was so keen. But
she answered merrily old Mr.. Hunters
banter about pretty widows, and tried
not to think how dry lunch her chill
dren had found in their dinner-pail.
Dinner over, Mary heaped the bowls
with apples and meat; she shook the
sugar over the layers as Miss Helen
strewed apples and meat in the stone
crock, and she handed the spices in
order. The boiled cider was poured
over all the good things. Then Mr..
Hunter came and stirred the savory
mess with a long pudding-stick.
Everybody tasted it, and a spoonful
was carried to the good housewife so
unhappily set aside from the work she
really loved to do.
A two-quart can was filled and set
aside just as Mr.. Hunter came into the
kitchen with Hiram, each having his
hands full of poultry.-Mary E. Miller,
IN Christian Union.
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.
EPOCH.-The transition from long,