The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1890-01-24

- the summer went by. ana she grey
a. home with her new friend, she foun.
much relief In conilding to hsr the per
plcxities Of her position.
~ soe'' Miss Morgan said, ut is tn,
winter that Is the puzzle. will en-
gage 70 come back next summer a
havo this, and that will help along: bu
the time between now and thon Is The
difficulty"
"fes." replied Brie, ''the winter /.
the puzzle. and Reuben's money. W.
have plenty Of potatoes and corn and
vegetables to take Us through. and
there's tho pig TO kill and the chickens
Will lay some; II there was any way IN
which could make enough for Rouben's
wages we could MANAGE
II must think II over" said Miss
Morgan.
She pulled a long branch OF tho bal.
sam hr nearer as she spoke and buried
her nose In IL. 1t was tho first week in
September, and she and Brie were ait
ting In the hill grove.
II love this smell So" she said. ut
IS delicious u makes me dream"
Brie broke OIL bough.
II shall hang IL over your bed" she
said. land you will smell IL all night.
SO the fir bough hung upon the wall
until 1t gradually ycllowed and the
needles began to drop.
why, they are as sweet as ever
swecter" declared Brie. smelling 4
handful which she had swept from the
hoor. Then an idea came into her head.
She gathered q great fagot Of the
branches, and laid them to dry in tho
sun on the floor OF little-used piazza.
When partly dry she stripped of the
needless stuffed with them square cot
ton bag, and made for that cover OF
soft sage-green silk, with an odd shot
pattern over it. 1t was piece of what
bad been her great grandmothers we'd
ding gown.
voNd! Do you realize the situation.
reader? Brio had made tho first OF ali
the many balsam pillows. 1t was meant
for goodbye gift to Miss Morgan.
Your cushion Is the Joy OF my lifc,r
wrote that lady to her a month after
she won't homo. Every one who sees II
falls in love with it. Half dozen peo.
pie nave asked mo how they could get
one like II. And Brie, this has given
me an idea. Why should you not mako
them for sale? / will send you some
pretty silk for the covers. and you might
cross-stitch little motto II you like.
copy some for you. Two people have
given me orders already. They will pay
Tour dollars apiece II you like to try"
This suggestion was the small wedge
d the new industry. Brie lost no time
IN making the two pillows. grand
gown fortunately holding out
Tor their covers. Then came some pref
" silk from Miss Morgan. with yellow
dloscile for the notices, and more orders.
8rie worked busily that winter, for her
oalsam pillows had to be made in spare
moments when other work permitted.
The grove on the hill was her unfailing
reasure OF supply. The thick-set twigs
'ent them to her will; the upper
branches seemed to her to rustic as with
At the aid they were giving
n the spring the old trees renewed
heir foliage with vigorous will, as IL
esolved not to balk her in her purpose.
The FIR grove paid Reuben's wages
hat winter. Miss Morgan came back
he following June, and by that time
alsam pillows were established as
rticles Of commerce. and Brie had a |
,agnificent offer from q recently cstab- |
shed decorative art society for supply
I the needles at three dollars Der
ound. 1t was hard, dirty work to pre-
are such quantity, but she did not
lind that.
As said, this was some years since.
'rie no longer lives in her old home.
Tor mother died the third year after /
Iiss Morgan came to them. the farm Is
Did and Brie is married. She lives
ow on ranch in Colorado. but she has
ever forgotten the fir grove. and the
emory Of II Is q help often in the de-
,ondent moments that come at times
all lives.
II could not be worse of than was
len," she says to herself. There
emed no help or hope anywhere.
II as II God didn't care and did't hear
Y prayers. and yet, all the time, there
as dear Miss Morgan coming to help
! and there were the trees. great. beau
full things, nodding their heads. and
wing to show me what could be made
i Of them. No, | will never be faith
$ again, nor let myself doubt. how
cr dark things may look, but remem-
r my balsam pillows, and trust in I
ID. Susan Coolidge, in Young Wom-
Is Marazinc.