The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-12-12

1HS ~"Ns ~ SHc ibA 80
a quickly repressed sigh, and, putting her
shawl over her head and taking a basket,
went to the barn to hunt for eggs. This
was a duty she always performed herself,
not having faith in Joe's ability to find the
nests.
She had reached the barn loft, and was
making a careful examination of the con-
tents OF a barrel in a dark corner, when
she heard light footsteps coming around
the side ofthe barn.
Now who EN- tibet be?" thought Miss
Keziab. SIT does beat all how folks will
ruu in when a body's busy"
She went to the big door through which
the hay was thrown. and looked through
a convenient crack. To her establishment,
she saw Joe bending over the wood pile,
pulling at the wood with both hands.
'Now what's tibet boy come back for?n
she muttered. ON what under the can
opy is he a-doin' with tibet wood-pile9''
She hurried downstairs to solve the
mystery, but when she reached the wood
pile Joe had disappeared. She ran around
the side of the barn, but he was not in
sight. Then she ven bach to the wood
pile. st one side the wood had been pull
ed down, leaving a deep hole. Miss Keziah
bentdown andlooked in. Something black,
rolled up tight, had been thrust as far back
in the hole as possible.
Miss Keziah pulled it out with a jerk.
1t was the old black coat, Land O. mer-
cyl she exclaimed.
She stood holding the coat in her hand.
scarcely believing the evidence of her eyes.
The sound of wheels on the frozen road
reused her at last. She looked up, and
saw the low buggy of DR.. Berry.
She hailed the doctor with an energetic
motion of the hand holding the coat, and
he pulled up his horse at once.
Want me, Miss Keziab?"
Eyes; what else dye s'pose I'd stop ye
fol?p
ANY one sick?"
No; l want to talk to ye a bit"
What about?"
Boys
"Struck that s nag, et?"
Yes, I've struck the snag."
Every we'll" said ths doctor, "I'llcome
ill.," He liked Joe, and welcomed a chance
to tell Miss Keziah some wholesome truths.
You've raised five tcys. l b'lieyes"
said Miss Kezish, as she opened the kitch-
en- door and ushered in the doctor.
Yes; and five better boys aren't to be
found anywhere"
well. then. I guess ye understand'em
pretty well. / don't. Here's Joe, now
as eentle'n' mild as a lamb, been deceivin'
me-"
She told the story of the hiding of the
coat in the w~ood-pile. Half an hour later
the doctor went away, leaving Miss Keziah
with a very sober, thou ghtful look Oh her
face; and for an hour after the sound of the
buggy wheels had died away, she sat in
the big wooden rocking-chair by the stove,
actually doing nothing; and that, with
Miss Keziah, meant a most unusual condi-
ton of mind. for she regarded idleness as
the chief of all sins.
Six O'Clock came, bu with it no Joe
Miss Keziah took the black coat and her
big shears and went into her bedroom.
Seven o'clock came, Joe still had not
arrived. Miss Kezish began to worry.
The proceedings at the school house must
have been over long ago. Who're could
Joe be?
He's afraid to come home" she
thought, Afraid of mel That uncom-
Portable sensation at her heart came again.
She had set the supper-table at six
o'clock. Before Joe's plate was a plate Of
c~rullers, AND at one side a generous dish
of apples baked in sugar. Joe had once
tasted apples baked that way at a neigh
boris. and had told Miss Keziah about
them. She had remembered it to-day. She
had baked biscuits, too.
A little after seven O'Clock she went to
the she'd to fetch some wood, and there,
crouchinG in one corner, shivering in his
calico shirt, she found Joe.
Miss Keziaa said nothing, but picked
him up promptly and led him into the
house. He was pale and frightened, and
there were traces of tears on his cheeks.
Under his arm was a book in gay bind
ing. He laid it timidly on a corner of the
table as he went over to the stove TO get
warm.
What's thise" asked Miss Keziah, pick
ing up the book.
''P-poetry book, stammered Joe.
"Where'd you git it?'
ITO school, for my prize
so We got a prize. did yees"
Eyes, m"
well, that's good. I'm mighty proud
O. We, Joe. Come now, soon's We git warm,
set up m hev some supper. coun on ye
to eat every one o them crullers.'
Joe looked at her timidly, question
inply. 1t was plain that he did not under
stand this new mood.
Miss Keziah, for her part, was also visi
bly, embarrassed.
Eye see, Joe," she said, you're th'
fust boy I've ever bad to manage, n j
stands to reason I'll was bound to run intt
some snags. That coat, now, was one oil
'em. Are you warm now? Well then SCI
up to the table; the tea'fl be stun cold.
Joe sat up as desired. 1t was no
until be was almost dome supper that, en-
o,r,,ad bv tho may aud strange change