St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1892-01-14

package under her shawl, and beck
oned Mrs. Gibbs mysteriously out in
to the kitchen.
I've brought you chunk of
cheese she said. Mr. Brown, he
come over to buy a cheese this morn
ing. got disappointed in getting
some he 'spected from the factory
yesterday, so l sold him my biggest
one, saved out quarter for our own
use, and 1 declared must "a got in
grain too much salt, for it's kind O
hard, and know it'll be awful dry
before we get it used up. SO l brought
YOU over chunk Of it."
"Oh thank you, ever so much.
said Mrs. Gibbs. inwardly regretting
Horace Hands kindness now Pm
afraid you robbed yourself"
"Ohl no, we've got more left than
we shall use before it gets hard as a
grin stun. l dare say. l don't see
how happened to get it oversalted,
I'm sure
1T won't dry up at this house, I'm
sure" laughed Mrs. Gibbs as she
laid it in the pantry. Il feel rich
with so much cheese in the house"
"Oh! la-don't mention it
haint forgot the squash you sent me
last winter, and all them turkey
wings, too"
LAS if you wasn't always sending
us something good" and so, chant
ing each others praises, they made
their way to the parlor.
At five o'clock, when Mrs. Gibbs
went out to make fire and put on
the teakettle, her husband had just
come home. and bringing in a brown
paper parcel, laid it on the kitchen
table
"There's your cheese, Drusilla," he
said. Il amt one to begretch you
anything in reason, but | swan to
mani it seemed kind O tough to
pay seventeen cents for that little
hunk O. cheese, and l told Brown so.
l call it kind O. hard and dry, too"
Mrs Gibbs thought of the piece
three times as large which Mrs.
Stone had brought, and of the other
piece which Horace Hand was to
bring. but prudentlv said nothing.
Once let Jonathan Gibbs know he
had bought cheese unnecessarily,
and it would be long day before he
ever bought any more.
The minister has come" she said
you'd better change your coat and
go in and visit with him"
III do better than that. I'll take
him out to the pasture to see my
colts. He's quite a judge o horse
flesh, our minister is.
Am l too late, mother ?" asked
Eta, hurrving in as her mother was
cutting a generous plate of cheese
for the table Why! where did you
get that cheese? went clear back
to the grocery to get some after |
was halfway home. 1 knew you
would be so disappointed not to
have some"
Your father brought me some,
though l hadn't the least idea he
would, so | sent for some by Horace
Hand, and then, don't you think !
Mrs. Stone brought me as much as
three or four poundsl''
Did you ever!" and Eta sat down
and laughed and famed herself with
somewhat relieved her cheesebur-
dened mind, went on with her sup
per preparations. Eta was a dis
Greet girl, and her mother was prone
to share such burdens with her as
she could not share with her hus-
band.
1t was only a few minutes before
Horace Hand came, swea ting, into
the kitchen.
I'm glad if 1 amt too late he
said; but, VOW, was awful 'fraid
you'd be all through your support
Brown and the clerk was both busy,
and had to wait as much as half
an hour, pears to me then he mis-
took me and put up two pounds in
stead of one; but l reck oned, per
haPs, you wouldn't care. 1t come
to just thirty cents"
Mrs. Gibbs hurriedly went for the
money and paid him (leaving just ten
cents in her purse), thanking him
with a heartiness which, to herself,
savored of hypocrisy.
Its ali from Mrs. Stones cheese,
too" she said to Eta, after he had
gone "She sold the cheese to Mr..
Brown this morning. If we had
variety it wouldn't seem quite as
bad. Well, Pm thankful for once
that Johnny is forgetful, for l spoke
to him about getting me some as he
came back from the Cove (he went
over there ishing), but he was sure
he would forget it."
Trust Johnny to forget anything,"
said Eta. And if he did go for it,
theclerk would know l bought some.
so he would tell Johnny, l should
think. y
"And your father bought his of
Mr.. Brown, for remember what he
said he told him. They say Horace
Hand always buys everything as if
it was for himself-makes him feel
important, l suppose. But l some
how feel it in my bones that Johnny
will come home with another piece
of cheese. 1t never rains but it