The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-04-24
A POOR RELATION

Mn poad sa trying donshuuts q, tb
kitchen storr. her dress turned up "a
ffoni. aud big blue singham spron Gov
efing II She turned around ~hsn Emme
iiDe spoke. .nd weui TO the window, tb'
Iong bsndlea iron fork she bad been usin.
siill in her hand. Enmeline vas hem
stitching bureau scarf, bu, she had lsiC
IL doua to look ont.
little old woman 10 black calieS
dress, a rusty black shawl. aud 80 old
stfav boDbet vas coming down the eouB
try road Her scapty skirts capped iu to,
wind, and her face was purple with the
cold The bare hands holding the shaw
together were purple too She nodded Ia
Emmeine when she reached the gate, hu,
did not smile Her stiff fingers fumbled
With the latch Of the gate some time be
lore she could get il open, aud the old
shswl blew away from her b@nt shoulders,
but she did not look a, Epmpipe
again.
Emmeline put the bureau scarf on the
window seat, and went to open the kitch
en door. She didn't know exactly why
she did II; she had never been expected
10 show Aunt Eunice any attention The
old woman was only q distant relative,
called sunt through courtesy.
jest back from Mis- Jenkins funeral.
amt ye2 said Mrs. Pond, holding the col
ander over the kettle on the stove, aud
dropping the crisp dougbtnuts into 1t one
by one as abe picked them with the long
fork from tie boiling lard 1expect there
was b good many there,
Aunt Ennice shook her head. She had
taken h seat Dear the stove. aud had turn.
ed the front OF her dress up over her knees
that the blaze might not fade 1t. Emme
line could see her coarse gray yarn stock
lngs aud worn shoes. One of the shoes
was laced with with piece OF brown
twiue.
Well she never was any hand to make
lIftLus, ~ sue CouIuu IthIif tAptcl III uuu
Of a funeral said Mrs Pond. Who's goin'
ter take the house?
Sam TarboI, he's movin' in now.
You'll stay right along with them,
s'pose2 Twouldn' seem like home ter ye
now here else, ye lived with Nil jenkins
so long.
The old woman drew a long breath that
was almost sigh. They amt got room
Tor me. she said slowly. There's eight
children.
An expression OF annoyance crossed Mrs,
Ponds face. Her lips frightened In a way
they had whenever she was vexed
Seems If Mis- jenkins ougbter left you
some,hin, bein' as you'd lived with her
so long. she safe, presently
She didn't hev nothin' ter leave only
the furnitoor. Tim jenkins, he took that;
the team come for it jest as the funeral
was movin' out.
Well, spose you've looked out for
another place? said Mrs. Pond. She had
fri, d the last OF The doughnuts, and was
taking the kettle from the stove.
The old woman did not answer immedi
aiely. Her faded blne eyes were staring
straight before her at the shining stove;
her brown, knotted hands were outstretch.
ed to the friendly warmth. There was
tremulous movement OF her lower lip for a
before she spoke.
Yes, I've been round, she said, but faint
so ensy Retiin' a place when body gets
old, n I've worked so hard all my life,
| NJ kinder worn ont And I'm laid up
consld bic with the rheumatiz too, of n
on.
Still. ye got place, s'pose?
Ms Saunders, she said she'd take me.
She won't give no wages, though. n I'd
hev ter do the mikin'.
She spoke in slow, lifeless voice, as II
Tired ont. Emmeline. looking at her
thought what sorry thing il was to be old ,
md irlendless and poor.
Mis- Saundersl she exclaimed wouldn't
iva with he, fo, stv doIls,s a month -, ,
a. ,.,.; po,.. -, ~ ,aL
-, Il. J., -. 80 ..,,,e.a 4,
80, uh.,,. aonnto,h hox rh.,,s na
.oosoo oa,, teon ,.,hev i,s, won,,
,,av IN he o,ar,elled AZ Yon'd have an
.ufnI hard time there. Amt Ennice
Most eve,ytbibo's hard for some folk.
aid Amt Euuice, afters pause. Ants
m or Mis- Ssupdots'e or Silas Howe's :
,lsce
Again Mrs. Ponds lips frightened. She
,aused ip her work Of washing the pink p
o look around a, the old woman by the (,
toye. =.
Then let il be H. S.unders. ebe sa,d.
.nytbipp's bettef'n The poor. .bonse seems
., ma