Western Kansas world., 1890-12-27

fOOd t0r the greater part OF the winter.
1 thought 1 had right to say:
Dear me, Mrs. Jones, I shouldn't
think you could afford to have two fires
burning at once-and such mild day
too"
She turned as red as a beet and
pressed her lips together, bat she didn't
say anything. fear Mrs. Jones is far
from being sweet-tempered
Then l went on to Sister Harriet's
Her daughter Ella had just met with
quite severe accident, having been
thrown from buggy, while out driving,
and her arm broken. To be sure il
was painful, and the shock had made
her i'll, but then she should not have
been SO foolish as to have gons out be-
hind Ned Pennywick's young horse. I
reminded her of this.
you ought to be very thankful" I
began.
Thankful for having been nearly
killed." she cried. Really, Aunt
Maria, my gratitude is not so easily
aroused"
1 sat down on the bed beside her.
Perhaps I may have drawn the cover
rather tightly over her feet, but she
need not have given such a founce.
my dear child, it might have been
your back or your neck" 1 said.
well, it wasn't.
"But it might have been"
Maria" said my sister at this point,
"too much conversation is not good for
Ella The doctor SAYS it makes her
feverish."
So left there and went to Mrs. Crit
tenden's. She was in great trouble.
She and her husband had not been
married long, but they had had heavy
money losses, and he had been obliged
to leave her with her mother and 60
out West to seek employment.
1 had brought her some wine Jelly,
and after 1 had given it to her 1 said:
"Cheer up, my dear. 1t might be SO
much worse. Suppose he was dead?"
"Oh, don'tl" she cried.
"WeIl, but it might have happened.
In the midst of life we are in death,
and think how dreadful it wonld have
been to see him lying in his coffin in
stead of his just being out West, where
you can hear from him twice week.
Does he write twice week."
"Only once, she said.
"Only once-Dear, dearl" said L II
should think he'd write oftener."
"He is too busy" she replied,
Then, to divert her mind from her
own grievances, I began to tell her
about my new housemaid, Clarissa, and
how many things she had broken in the
last week.
"Three saucers and a teacup-no!
three teacups and saucer, was say
ing, when happened to glance at her,
and saw that she was not listening to
word was saying.
She seems to be a poor, spiritless
creature, and made up my mind that
I would not go to see her again in
hurry.
Indeed, I came to the conclusion that
there is very little gratitude in the
world. You can go around wearing
yourself out trying to do good to others,
and never get word of thanks.
thought 1 would go On to Mrs.
Stones, as she had asked the ladies
of the church to meet at her house and
talk over the new altar-cloth. When I
stepped upon the gallery the front door
was ajar, and sound of voices came
from the parlor, but no one seemed to
hear my knock, 1 paused moment,
when my attention was attracted by the
following remark:
"Mrs. Paulding is one of those people
who are moral fy-blisters to all their
friends and acquaintances."
"Yes," said another voice-it was that
deceitful Margie Hoffheimer-I always
think it was fortunate for Jobs reputa-
ton for patience that he did not know
her."
And the worst of it is that she has
a good heart, and one can't quite hate
her."
"You are are right" replied Gerarda
Abbey's voice, Mrs. Paulding has one
of the best hearts in the world. know
of ever so many sacrifices she has made
in order to help Others"
well, should think you would be
the last"
But I did not wait to hear more. I
was so angry that did not know exactly
where 1 was going when I walked away.
To think that Gerarda's voice was the
only one raised in my defense, after the
way I had always snubbed her! I felt
heartily ashamed of myself. As was
hurrrying along who should overtake
me but Gerarda. She bowed and was
going to pass on, but said: "Your
cold doesn't seem to get any better, my
dear"
She looked surprised and her lip
trembled; then she answered bravely: |
@Oh. now spring Is coming it will soon
be we'll"
%Not unless you take care of yourself.
You ought to get Tom to prescribe for
you"
She hung her head and murmured
something that sounded like: &Tom !
doesn't care"
1 asked what she meant and she an
swered: "Tom and l are not engaged |
any longer. did not write to him |
that / had undertaken the dancing |
school, for fear he would say the work |
was too hard for me. But some one |
else must have told him, for he wrote
to me such a strange letter-that / |
could not care for him much if 1 was
n k11o - lo-oo