Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-03-25
HANNAH DIDN'T GO.

Dlake STORE was an unnedru-Ol
heresy at the Corners. So, astonishing
as this was. the Corners received il
without u shadow of doubt. Ithardly
needed to be known that Mrs. Good
rich herself was the authority.
| She was down at the store Saturday
afternoon as usual to make her week
ly purchases. Arson Blake. who
never failed when groceries were pur-
chased to conduct the customer to the
other side of the store to look at the
dry goods. and vice versa, endeavor-
ing to lead Mrs. Goodrich over to look
at some new winter goods Then ii
came out WIN n bit of pardonable
pride she let him know that she had
no need to look at fall goods in
Witham Corners or Whitman Center
either, since 'her Hannah was going
to the city next week to do their fail
shoppin'; that she (Hannah) had an
aunt there who had the whole sum.
mer been urgin' her to come and that
now she was goin' for a few days"
Mrs Goodrich shook her large
skirus and swept out-figuratively
speaking. of course. as her garments
always escaped the floor by some
inches.
Meeting was hardly over the next
day before Hannah was interviewed
as to her intended trip. and the ladies
who were not present in the morning
interviewed her in the evening on the
subject They were so numerous then
and kept her so long that Jerry
Downing, waiting impatiently for her
outside, concluded she had gone out
the back door on purpose to cut him
and walked home with another girl.
His mother who had not been on
speaking terms with Mrs. Goodrich
since that good lady made some re-
marks on the strength of the butter
Mrs. Downing brought to the minis
ters donation last winter let Jerry
know when he got home of Hannah
intended trip. and suggested that d
girl who couldn't buy her winter dress
at the Corners but must go to New
York for it. was too fine to be farm
er's wife. Jerry went to bed in des-
pair. while Hannah was crying her.
self to sleep wondering how she
conld have offended him.
The next afternoon, when she came
in from her school, Hannah was more
than surprised to find Mrs. Downing
in the sitting room with her mother.
AS the visitor had not been in their
house for year. Hannah was sure
that she bore some message from
Jerry and greeted her accordingly,
wondering meanwhile why her mother
looked so grim. and knit as furiously
as if the whole family were bare
footed and suffering.
1t was no message from Jerry. how.
ever that brought Mrs. Downing
there to-day. The lad was plowine
in a distant field, and did not know o.
his mothers call. After her little re.
mark last night about Hannah's city
shopping tour. she had thought best
to keep this visit a secret from him.
Il was just telling your ma she
began, when Hannah. flushed and ex.
lpectant was seated, that I'd beer
down to Blakes to get my winter
dress and that there wa mt thing
there I'd put on my back"
oh not a thing!" Hannah as
sented, quickly. I'm going to New
York for our winter things"
so heard, and l was telling YOU
ma that as long rs you are going t.
town and going a-shopping buying
one more dress wouldn't be no troubl,
to YOU"
Buying q whole wardrobe for Jer
ry's mother would have been q de
light!
'Oh. no trouble "a pleasure!'
Hannah cried despite her mother
frown.
There's that brown merino I go
three years ago last fall" Mrs. Down
ing went on. The wear I've hat
out of it just beats all. I've worn j
steadily wherever l went. I was tell
ing your ma that / didn't know as
could be suited better than to hav
another just like it. So if you won
mind getting me ten yards of dark
brown merino-say about 80 cents
yard. or you might go as high a
85-rd be much obliged, and will d
the same by YOU"
Don't mention it," cried Hannah
taking out her notebook and addin,
the small item to the long family list
THE money'll be all right" adde,
Mrs. Downing
.Of course it will" HANNAH
laughed
''Going to stay longp"
'From Thursday TO Monday only
1 can't leave my school longer"
IN be over. then, Monday night
after it,"
'Waal / must say" Mrs. Goodrich
burst out, as the door closed after Mrs
Downing, "shes got BRASS The ide
OF her asking you to lug dress u
from the city for her! didn't give he
any encouragement when she spok
to me about it. / can tell you"
"Oh. mother. / wouldn't refuse 70
the world" Hannah returned. "Ho,
could Ip"
Tea was over Mrs. Goodrich wa
washing the disncs, Hannah was dry
ing them, when the kitchen door wa
unceremoniously opened. A tall
| oount woman with n commanding air