Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-09-24

good natured garrulity, but everybody
secrets We're safe with her: and. with an
her lack of education and refinement
all recognized in the rough quart ns'
lures true gold -
one came IN now, fair, fat and smil-
ing, the incarnation of good nature ~
Jest run over with few fried cal,as !
know you like 'em when they're warn, >
painting softly with her Journey nm the
stairs-"and, thinks |, I'll Jest run in
and set down minute
How kind of your taking the napkin
covered plate with a smile full of crate
rul tenderness. Anita was strangely
softened in her ways. The unconscious
arrogance of girlish pride. that demands
all the good things of life as its right
mad lei. her. and in its place was a gentle
humility that would bring tears to her
eyes at an unexpected kindness. She
mad fallen into listless attitude. EXPECT
ing nothing of life, feeling only morbidly
sure OF sorrow, finding ever shock of
sweet surprise when friendly heart was
found to plan some small pleasure for
her.
"And what be you doin'?r queried the
guest. bending over the fresh canvas as
II to smell the fresh paint.
Trying to paint this rose" Anita in
diligently explained. indicating the
flower, while she unceremoniously broke
one of the delicate cakes.
sANaccn 1nt,ktf,,ll..
ing. why, you've kind of got bunch
OF EN- here. hain't you: But you hev
got EN- jest the color of roses, for fact
in tone of kindly encouragement.
And how long hev you been a-doin'
thisyr
only yesterday afternoon. and little
while today.
Land sakes! But then | d'know as
you've got anything better to do" as if
good naturally bound TO lind excuses for
such awful waste Of time. 1T must be
awful tedious. though. settin' still that
way. No wonder you look thin and
peaked. You'd ought to go out more !"
do you think so:r with smiling indif-
ference. These cakes are delicious
81 most generally hey good luck, {"
with comfortable complacency. But
you'd ought to get out more, say.
'Twould kind of chirk you up. Why
don't you go over, now, and see poor
Mis- Rogers:'
Mrs. Rogers with quick, sur.
prised gesture of recoil. And why
Mrs Rogers.r
because she's in trouble, that's why.
thought as | was comm along that
would jest speak TO You about her. for
you've got more time and money, too,
for that matter. to spare for neighborin
than the heft of us has"
And what is the trouble? Have the
neighbors been talking about her AGAIN.
her nostrils family quivering. cruel
smile curling her lips.
IF they be. they amt sayin no worse
than that the doctor amt had business
enough to keep salt in THEN porridge,
and that they are about wantin' the nee
essaries Of life,' with unwonted sharp
ness. "Of course they are too proud 70
say anything, but | hev it straight
enough, and | know it is so. And she
has been so poorly that she don't do
much of anything but set and cry.
Mebbe you know that she is expectin' a
baby soon:'
'.No: | did not know" said Anita
slowly, absently watching a lint laden
branch of cottonwood swaying across
the window, one bare twig seeming to
clutch in futile effort after the drifting
silk that sifted in white shower through
the gaunt dead fingers.
Yes, and the poor child-she amt
nothin' more than child when you size
her all up-she has been dreadfully aLin
all the time I've tried and tried TO fix
ND somethin she could keep on her
stomach, but it want no use. And OF
course she is nervous and worried-her
first baby too: and then TO be bothered to
death about money on top of it. ! tell
Won ii comes hard You don't know
what it is, Mis- Bartels, to see the cup
board empty. and know that all the
while another mouth is comm to be fed.
Ii amt that a mother begrudges what
she's got to give her baby-that amt
natur'-but when the world seems chock
full of nothin' but trouble 1t seems as
if there was sufferers enough already,
and woman feels it cruel hard that
she's got to bring one of her own TO fight
his way, with the world all agin' him.
I'VE felt that way myself in the early
DAYS. when Things was hard. May the
Lord forgive mel always seen my
blindness sooner or later. But Mis-
Rogers-the poor thing! she can only
see the dark side now, and it's the time
for the neighbors TO rally round and
help her along what little they can"
Il never admired her" said Anita
coldly, reaching to smell the great pink
rose. She drew back her head sharply,
with startled look; the soft, cool per
fumed mass was like the touch of
babv's check. Anita had the true mother
love for babyhood. How often, IN the
heartstarved loneliness of her life, she
had envied other women to whom had
been given the richest gift Of life, the
love of little child, marveling that some
could seen to hold it so lightly And
,,o,,- ,,,r from the shadows of the great