Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-01-16

"wHERE YER eoIN'l" HE SAID.
half hid at the root of tree, 'aint-that-
prettyl"
Eyes," said the boy, looking at it with in
terest, sit ben
at just bout matches the sky up yonder
SO pretty and so blue" caressing it softly
with one of his huge fingers, sticking tcare
fully into his trousers belt, half APOLOGIZE
cally. sit seems scrter too bad to leave il
die here, and no one to keer for it."
The boy nodded Understandings and
broke off a bit of birch bark and began 10
chew on it. Both went rapidly down the
mountain side. They soon came to the
house of the 'Ellery folks" Two little
mites, seeming to be all pink calico and big
sun-bonnets, were sitting in the dirt out
side. A woman was busy washing with a
| big tub that stood in the doorway. Chill,
dren and country folks take up the thread
CT existence just where they have dropped
| it.
Mothers a.goin' to have her quiltin' to-
night, can you comeln said Uncle Aaron,
without ceremony.
Mrs Ellery rested her soapy hands on the
edge of the tub and answered.: 'tMebbe.
Who's comin'l'
''Most all the north side folks, reckon.
Sarah and Tom, and the babes, and Dun
ham and Susan-most everybodyp' said
Uncle Aaron, sweeping out his arm COM
prehensively.
eyes, said the woman, 'we'll come-but
tell Sarah not to expect much from me.
I'm tuckered out now, and hain't had no
time to do my own sewing"
''That's all right" said Uncle Aaron;
'tell Tom to bring his fiddle with him."
"Yes,n nodded Mrs Ellery, lifting her
head for moment, she'll fetch it."
"Come Oh, Jacob" said his father, but as
he strodeoff he stopped long enough todropa
lump of sugar into the laps of the pink calico
mites, who received this gift from the clouds
without a CLEAN OF thankfulness. One of
them, indeed, inspected hers very closely,
at which Uncle Aaron smiled and said:
"Shes wise un, she is.r
The two trudged along, crossing the long
stretches of distance that lay between the
various houses, with scarcely break in
their silence; and yet that walk was not a
lonely or void one, either to the father
or to the son. The man saw more than the
boy, had lived more-had felt more-but
there was that in the lad Of comprehension
by sympathy that's the next best thing to ex-
perience and knowledge. And then the man,
although great man, was half dumb him
self, not having the gift Of expression, so he
did not speak words that went beyond the
boys understanding.
At last every body had been asked that |
they wished to ask to come that night TO |
the ''quiltini" Finally they came back to |
their original starting point-the old log |
house upon the ledge Of the mountain.
eofl Aar
be all comm, so do yer cleverest to-day. |
How many plates and mugs have yerl"
"Count 'em," SAID Aunt Kate, pounding
into batch of bread vigorously; sail of
'em's on the shelves thar"
A few moments of silence, wherein Aunt
Kate went on kneading up the loaves, and
Uncle Aaron, with puckered-up brow and
much head-work, kept murmuring low:
THAT'S thirteen, fourteen, ffteen-I tel
you, mother, there's fifteen all told, countin'
in them two ere tin ones you bought o. the
peddler. What'l we dot There bees more'n
that a-comin'.u
"They will have towait their turn, them"
said Aunt Kate, cutting that knot of the
with single stroke. THAT |
makes no differ. We're not supposed to
keep a chiney store"
The superior air of wisdom with which
his wife said this was not without its eff
fect upon Uncle Aaron. He felt sudden
numbling estimate of himself that he had
often felt before in the presence of his
wife's practical remedy for an embarrass-
ng situation. He stood big and awkward,
rubbing his cheek with one hand. ssReckon
I'll go and fetch in some Of them ears of
Tried corn, well want 'em tonight" he
said, after vainly searching around for
that he could do to help along
he approaching celebration.
"You'd better fetch in some logs for the ]
zig chimney" said his wife, 1--WE hain't got
my"
"An right" answered Uncle Aaron, i
''thats more in my line-rll
etch 'em,'' and picking up his hat OF the i
ioor, where he had thrown it, he went out.
Aunt Kate went on pounding the bread. {
With smile upon her face. {