Telegram-herald., 1890-07-22
PATTY'S EDUCATION.
How Ar. Budd Became Converted
10 Modern Ideas.

down behind the mounts The cows
were mixed The bacon and eggs had
been set 20 warm in the oven. The
r4spberries and the pot-cheese nanked
each other on the white tzble-cloth, and
Martha Bud1 watched on the porch for
her husbands coming Beside her stood
Der little girl Patty, with her arm
about her mothers waist. Ii was hard
10 believe that the woman had once
been as pretty as her daughter. for her
fourteen years OF married life had made
her So thin and sallow and hollOw-eyed.
But people who knew her in her girl
hood declared that Patty was Martha
over again. The soft, sweet, delicate
prettiness OF an American girl fades
early. if fate is cruel 10 her, and hard
work and coarse food ana lack of tender
ness unite 10 break hor down
William Budd was not a pooc man
bot he was hsrd, close-hsted one.
When he courted Martha he had fanc.ed
she would inherit her fathers money,
but the old man had married again, and
six or seven little step-brothers and sis
tors had put that out OF the question be-
fore the Old man died. And the wife
had faded early and they were not con-
genial She had not much education
but she loved TO read. She took a
paper, earning the meney by selling
pot-cheese.
Even William Budd had not courage
enough 10 take that woman's per-
euisite away from her. That pot-cheese
money did a great deal, as well-saved
pennies will. And she had written one
or two little poems: ITO My Little
Girl" "Tho Old Farmhouse" and
Goodbye to Home" in those first
years of married life. They were
copied into a little red blank book in
which she had also copied the ''cun-
ming" speeches OF little Patty before
she was five years old. The girl was
her idol now. To give her good edu-
cation was her great hope, and now
they were waiting for news which the
head OF the family would bring. They
were waiting to know whether there
would be school in the place that
winter, for meeting was TO be held
that afternoon to decide the matter.
The father was opposed to it; that
they knew, but he had only ono vote.
Others wanted the school. Mrs. Nc
Laren, the Scotch lady they liked so
much, was ready to take il, and Patty
could go. She could not walk to the
next town, and her father would not
drive her there, or let her go down on
the train, as she might havo done, as
other girls did. Fifteen cents a day, he
declared, would be too great an extrav-
agance: but IL the school were just over
there on the hill, in the disused church,
then, indeed, what objection could there
be?
81 think they'll carry It," said the
mother; land then I'll offer TO board
Mrs. McLaren. We've got plenty Of
spare room; and you can ask her ques-
tion or two ont of school hours, or get
her to tell you II you're studying right.
I'll make 1t up TO her; and I'll take tho
pot-cheese money and get you nice
garnet cashmere, and you can wear that
with white aprons, and brown
merino for rainy days; and rub
bers III get you, and nice thick cloak;
and can knit you real pretty garnet
hood, and you'll have good time learn
ing, and get on. know. II was you,
Patty, Id set before sne to be teacher.
1t must be real nice to have money of
your own, my dear; and sometimes |
sort Of thing may be we'd do our duty
just ss we'll paying some poor soul TO do
rough work; somebody that had 70 live
that wsy. II God had blessed US with
talents to 20 beyond that and you tako
real comfort in teaching. guess IL it's
nice school, think I'd set it before
me, II was you, Patty"
''Yes. ma; / think IL would be very
nice" said Patty; ''and not to have to
ask some man for every thing. and mako
them angry. Oh! I'd rather go without
shoes than beg thcm of pa
Your pa gets anxious, for fear OF pow
erty, you see" said Martha, mildly.
Now my "a used TO ask NE often
whether didn't want new dress, and
he'd say: Martha, here's five dollars,
when | wasn't expecting it."
why. MAJ cried Patty, in delighted
astonishment. "only 70 think. II was
like thzt With you at home, before you
married.
That" said tho mother In half
guilty whisper, that I guess, is what
has made -four pas boinC just little
near harder for re % bear"
l. was a sort Of confession that she
made her child. and they said no more
until the wagon came Numbering over
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