The Globe-republican., 1890-03-26

can hear her scOld mile oil; n SheS
never satisfied, no matter what's done
for her. That's the reason she can't
keep help; they just won't stay to be
quarreled at. You'd have an awful hard
time there, Aunt Eunice."
"'Most every things hard-for some
folks" said old Eunice, after pause.
AN it's either Mis- Saunders or Silas
Howe's place.
Again Mrs. Ponds lips frightened. She
paused in her work of washing the sink
to look around at the old woman by the
stove.
'Then let it be Mis- Saunders" she
said. ANY things better'n the poor
house, seems to me-"
Il amt settled on nothin' yit" said
old Eunice, rising stiffly.
''Goin'?" inquired Mrs. Pond.
'Yes; jist stopped by ter warm. It's
kinder blustery out, n l got chilled
through"
s.Tberer' said Mrs. Pond, as the door
closed on the old woman, and her foot
steps were heard in the crunching snow
of the path around the house. Il de-
clare. l never offered Aunt Eunice
nut cake"
Il guess she wouldn't have cared for
it." said Emmeline. Its awful-ain't
it. mother?-to think of her going to the
poor-house?"
That's the worst O poor relations"
said Mrs. Pond. little irritably. ''Ye
| never know what they're goin' ter do.
Aunt Eunice didn't manage right. She
had enough n ter spare twenty years
ago: but she let that Sam Nettleby
swindle her out uf it, n then she he'd
ter go out ter service. She ulster be
master-hand ter work. but now she's old
n wore out, folks don't want her. She
did well enough for Mis- Jenkins-just
the two O. 'em n that small hOuse-but
she won't last six months if she goes to
Mis- Saunders"
Seems strange some folks should
have SO much, n other folks so little"
said Emmeline, muslngly. as she took
up the bureau scarf again. Now here
| we have more rooms than we know what
to do with, n there's Aunt Eunice with
no home at all
That's the way with life." rejoined
her mother. as she wrung out the dish
| cloth, hung it on a nail over the sink,
and then left the room. She came back
again presently with her thick cloak on.
| and black worsted hood in her hand.
I'm goin' over ter see Mis- Hail." she
said. Il want ter get her to show me
about that stitch for the border of my
bed-spread. won't be gone long"
When she was outside the gate, in the
road, she turned around and looked back
at the house a moment. 1t was a large
red brick house. with wide porch in
front, and rooms on both sides of the
hall. There were evergreen trees in
the front yard, and a graveled walk led
down to the gate. Along the fence was
row of lilac bushes. People always
said that Mrs. Pond hadn't any thing to
complain of about her house, and she
thought SO herself. 1t gave her pleasure
to look back at it now, thinking of old
Eunice and the poor-hOuse. What a
comfortable feeling it gave one to have
settled home!
Mrs. Hall lived in a brown frame house
nearly mile away. There was large
yard in front, and two children were
racing around in the snow. When they
saw Mrs. Pond coming they ran to the
gate and climbed up on it. One was a
stout, rOsy-cheeked boy about ten years
old; the other little girl, whose per-
petual smile and vacant eyes told their
own story to all who looked at her. Both
children got down from the gate whe~
Mrs. Pond STONED before it.
MAS in the Kitchen said the boy
''You can 60 round that way" pointing
to brick walk leading around the side of
| the house.
A thin, delicate-looking girl of about
thirteen years of age opened the kitchen
door in answer to Mrs. Ponds knock.
Mrs. Hall was sitting in a chair by the
fire, rocking a child which had just fall
len asleep. There were traces of tears
on his chubby cheeks, and a sob escaped
his lips at regular intervals.
'What child is that?" asked Mrs.
Pond. taking the chair the little girl
brought forward for her.
Its little Benny Price: his mother
died yesterday" answered Mrs. Hall.
You mean the woman who went out
sewing in Long Center?''
YES"
You haven't taken him, hope?'
"Yes, have"
Not to raise?"
"Yes."
ELIZA Hall.'
There wasn't any one else to take
him. They were goin' to send him to
the poor-house. Think of it! Such
| pretty little fellow. too. Mrs. Price
didn't have any relations except an aun.
over in West Penfield, an she's an ol6
maid, n can't endure children. She
said out n out she wouldn't take the
child. So l just picked him up this
morning and brought him over here"
''As if you didn't have enough
a'ready?'
''Oh. he won't be in the way; he can
play round with Ned and Sissy. It's
about as easy to take care of half a
dozen children as one.''
That's what you said when you took