The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1889-09-21

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And she went to little table drawer
where she knew that Mr.. Poland kept his
money, took out q two-dollar bill anC
handed it silently to Amanda.
'I'll replace it when Mrs. Willett pays
me for that BUTTER" she thought. s'It'E
only loan"
1 Atsight of the cash payment Amanda
regained her equipoise and smiled again.
"Have you heard the news?" said she.
''No. What news2"
''Frank Bond is engaged to Kitty
Pell."
Hannah felt herself grow scarlet to the
very roots of the redoubtable cowlick.
How she hated herself for that dreadful
habit of blushing at the wrong time!
"I-I hope they'll be happy" stam-
mered she, and Amanda secretly chuckled
to herself.
"Then its true" she thought. "IIan.
nah Poland was dead in love with Mr..
Bond. As if he would ever have given
a second thought to such coarse, plain
girl as she ISL
Poor Hannah! She had had her day
dreams, and many was the scalding tear
that dropped into the milk pan of cur
rants that she was stemming to make jelly
that day.
She went over to Mrs. Willett to ask
for the butter money as soon as the cur
rant jelly was strained through the fan
mel bag. Mrs. Willett, however, like
many another boarding house keeper, was
short of resources.
81 can't pay ye, Hammer, till my city
family pays me, said she. "And what's
more, don't like to be dunned, neither.
P'raps on Friday or Saturday"
And with that, Hannah was forced to
be content.
On Sunday morning, she dressed for
church in her best white gown, neatly
laundried by her own hands, and went to
take out the pink tulle hat with the hum
ming bird.
But, to her dismay, the closet door had
been left open-she had not replaced the
Lid on the bandbox; and there, in the
very centre of the rosebuds and tulle puff
fings, lay the old gray cat with family
of three downy kittens!
Hannah went TO church dispirited and
sad, in her old straw hat, with its faded
yellow daisies and dyed strings.
Her father stared at her as she climbed
into the wagon.
81 thought you had bought a new
said he.
"The-the old cat has made a nest of |
t." faltered poor Hannah, with tears in
ler voice.
oval, l declared" said Mr.. Poland.
That afternoon, of all afternoons, he
Jaw tit to count over the money he had
been saving to pay the interest on a
mortgage which had brooded on the farm
or full ten years.
1.-THE Bond family are dreadful
he said to himself. "And it
Won't do not to be prepared"
When Hannah came in from church,
he saw her father sitting at the table
With pale, stern face.
"Hannah," said he, 81 shall have to
end Billy away"
BILLY" was the farn-boy, who had
een recently hired-a bright, willing
title fellow, the only support of his
lother, who was widow and rheumatic.
lie was an especial favorite with Hannah.
he looked aghast.
"Why, father" said she, II thought
GU liked Billy"
$50 l did, Hanrah-so did! But
ere's two dollars gone outen my interest
honey. Gone! And if Billy hain't
ook it, who has?"
Hannah sank Imply into a chair and ,
id her face in her hands.
81 took it, father" she sobbed.
And then and there she confessed to
i'm the whole story of her folly.
Farmer Poland was kind old soul. c
nd he remembered that Hannah was |
)unp and mOtherless