The Press., 1891-08-20
w. C. T. U. DEPARTMENT.
(Mrs. Kate Tannant Woods, in Union Stgnal.)
 A Little New England Maid.
Icontinued fron last week ,

Continued rom last Week.)
 Lisha went back to his turnips after dinner, without giving any further sign of his poetical tastes. At tea time he came up little early and dressed himself with more care than usual. Maida had already observed his orderly ways, and thought how unlike hic rough father he was. On his way to his mothers room he saw the large table in the kitchen spread for tea, and he smiled as he noticed some late roses dropping over the side of a quaint pitcher in the very center of it.
 ''How pretty it all is" he said; cit seems to me have seen it all just as it looks now, in my dreams"
 It was indeed tempting table; the linen, fine and spotless, had been taken from goodly pile in the upper drawer in the press closet, where it had been sur rounded with small bags of lavender, cut from the garden bed under the front win dows. A faint odor of this delicate per- fume crept through the kitchen as Lisha went on his way.
 It was indeed a rale occasion when such treasures were unearthen; and the lad marveled a little, until his mother re- marked that, 'come what would, she should let the 'squire's folks know that she had as good table-l linen as any woman in the land, if her house wasn't as scrump- tious as some."
 This bit of vanity was productive of good; for Elisha saw the neat table with | intense satisfaction; why, he could only feel, not tell and Mr. Burchmore, who had just returned from market, paused to admire it also, and to remark that ''things | looked as slicked up as if company was coming"
 When Lisha entered his mothers room, Mrs. Burchmore was taking her early tea, sitting among her pillows, while Maida was reading aloud to her. She had been extremely kind to the girl all the after. noon; doubtless owing to some whispered words of her tall boy.
 Well, marmy," said Lisha, cheerfully as he looked first at her and then at the reader, "this looks like solid comfort We shall have you out in a few days, and we can never thank Miss Maida for all she has done." '.@i "Seems as if I had been sick fol months" said his mother, "and it comes all the harder just now, with the county fair coming on, and all the fall work Why, Lisha, do you know that have haG the first prize for cheese, thisll be tht sixth year, and it was doing beautifully when was taken down, and now Hetty Dunlap will be sure to get it, and good ness knows her cheese can't hold candle to mine.'' ...
 "Never mind, mother, r said the boy cneerruIIy, Miss MaIda nas tended i carefully, and I have turned it over a you directed, and if you do not get tn prize at the county fair, we'll think it pretty big prize to have you round again.
 "You're sight of comfort to me Lisha," she said, with little chokin, sound in her throat. q was a-saying t, Ruth Jacobs this very day, when sh come over to bring me some of her nev jam, that if it wasn't for you being s, kind and thoughtful, I should give righ up and die."
 ''No, no, marmy," said the boy, as h. smoothed her abundant hair where peeped out from the lace of her cap, "w are to have plenty of good times yet. Tn snew help will come soon, and then, a. soon as you can tide, will beg day ot and we will go over to Bubble Brool Mill, and you shall visit with Aunt Esther while 1 make a picture of the mill"
 ''I should like it of all things, son" sai, the sick woman, "but there has not bee many days off for either of us thus far and this pull-down has made me awfu weak. just dread seeing the condition of things when get round"
 "Mamma says we must never eros bridges until we get to them," said Maida "and the new girl will perhaps be kin and good"
 "Whatever she is, she won't be tast and fixy like you," said Mrs. Burchmore "I declare, it seems to me you just touc things and they look pretty"
 This was all the praise Maida ever re ceived from Mrs. Burchmore for her fa tiguing efforts, save when the cheese, owe which she had toiled with fear and trem bling, won the prize, and Mrs. Burchmor drove up to Glenridge to offer half tn prize money to Maida, who promptly re fused it. sfs.. .ssR s-..-..-
 The busy day was over at last. Mi Burchmore was fast asleep on the kitche settle, Lisha sat with his mother, and tn men, having milked the cows and "don up' the "chores," were discussing polit cal questions out in the back shed. Tn stage had come and gone, but no help aI ; peared.
 Maida prepared everything for the fam fly breakfast, and gave minute direction to Lisha coicerning it, before she too down her bonnet from the wooden peg the hall. Elisha asked if she would lik to have him walk up the hill with hel but she declined, for she well knew ho' lonely sick room seems as night come on, and his mother might need him. s she started homeward. The moon had a ready risen, but was obscured by clouds and a few golden stars ishone here an there. E&E#sh #E#Ef#k kBF She was very tired, and the cool nigh air touched T her brow with refreshih sweetness: She had already forgive Mrs. Burchmore for her thoughtles words, and her heait was at rest as sh thought of the "dear little face that lie in calm content"
 1t was very pleasant, after all, to g away from home, and to think that MT, Burchmore had so, improved, just for little care and kindness. -'-
 In all her life Maida had never kept secret from her mother, but now, st