The Newtown bee., 1892-08-05

Trimble. She was very short and small
 and there was no painful sense of her be- | ing obliged to stand. The four cups
 were not quite full of cold tea, but there
 was a clean old tablecloth folded double
 and plate with three pairs of crackers
 neatly piled and small-it must be own
 ed, very small-piece of hard white
 cheese. Then, for treat, in a glass
 dish, there was a little preserved peach,
 the last--Miss Rebecca knew it instinct l ively--of the household stores brought from their old home. It was very sug.
 ary, this bit of peach; and as she helped
 her guests and sister Many, Miss Ann
 Bray said, half unconsciously, as she of
 ten had said with less reason in the old days, "Our preserves ain't so good as us-
 ual this year; this is beginning to can-
 dy." Both the guests protested, while
 Rebecca added that the taste of 1t car
 ried her back and made her feel young
 again. The Brays had always managed
 to keep one or two peach trees alive in
 their corner of garden. 'sI've been
 keeping this preserve for treat," said
 her friend. ''I'm glad to have you eat
 some, 'Becca. Last Summer I often
 wished you was home an could come an
 see us, stead O being away off to Plain
 fields.''
 The crackers did not taste too dry. Miss Ann took the last of the peach on her own cracker; there could not have been quite small spoonful, after the others were helped, but she asked them first if they would not have some more. Then there was silence and in the si- lence wave of tender feeling rose high in the hearts of the four elderly women. At.this moment, the setting sun flooded the poor plain room with light; the un- painted wood was all of a golden brown and Ann Bray, with her gray hair and aged face, stood at the head of the table in kind of aureole. Mrs Trimble's face was all a-quiver as she looked at her; she thought of the text about two or three being gathered together and was half afraid.
 ''I believe we ought to I've asked Mis- James if she would't come up, said Ann. ''She's real good feelin', but she's had it very hard, an gifts discouraged. l can't find that she's ever had anything real pleasant to look back to, as we have. There, next time we'll make good heart enin' time for her too."
 The sorrel horse had taken long nap by the gnawed fence rail and the cool air after sundown made him impatient to be gone. The two friends jolted homeward In the gathering darkness, through the | mud and neither Mrs Trimble | nor Rebecca Wright said word until put of sight, as we'll as out of sound, of the James house. Time must elapse before they could reach a more familiar | part of the road and resume conversation on it's natural level.
 II consider myself to blame," insisted | Mrs Trimble at last. ''I haven't no words | 'f accusation for nobody else, an I ain't 'ne to take comfort in calling names to he board of selec'men. l make no re- breaches, an take it all on my own honlders; but Pm goin' to stir about me,
 tell you! shall begin early tomorrow. They're goin' back to their own house, Us been standin' empty all Winter,-an' he towns goin to give lem the rent an what firewood they need; it won't come o more than the boards payin' out low. An you an nell take this same lorse an wagon, an ride an go afoot by urns, an git means enough together to 'uy back their furniture an whatever vas sold at that plaguy auction; an then we'll put it all back, an tell lem they've ,ot to move to new place, an just car y lem right back again where they come rom. An don't you never tell, R'becca, ut here be widow woman, layin' up what 1 make from my farm for nobody ,nows who, an I'm goin' to do for them Bray girls all I'm mind to. should be cat to wake up in heaven, an hear any, 'ody there ask how the Bray girls was. Don't talk to me about the town O an don't ever let me hear the Iame O town poor! Pm ashamed to go lome an see what's set out for supper.
 wish I'd brought lem right along"
 ''I was goin' to ask if we couldn't git he new doctor to go up an do somethin' or poor Ann's arm," said Miss Rebecca. They say he's very smart. If she could ret so's to braid straw or hook rugs gain, she'd soon be earnin' a little some- him. An may be he could do somethin' or Mandy's eyes. They did use to live 0 neat an ladylike. Somehow couldn't peak to tell lem there that t was I bought them six best cups an saucers, ime of the auction; they went very low, IS everythin' else did, an I thought I 'ould save it some other way. They hall have lem back an welcome. You re real whole-hearted, Mis- Trimble. I xpect Ann'll be sayin' that her fathers ,hild'n want goin' to be left desolate, In' that all the bread he cast on the wa CTS s comin' back through you.''
 "I don't care what she says, dear reatur'!" exclaimed Mrs Trimble. ssI'm ull O regrets I took time for that install- tion, an set there seepin' in lot O talk his whole day long, except for it's kind f bringin' us to the Bray girls. I wish to ny heart t was tomorrow mornin' a. eady, an l a-startin' for the se1ec'men.' -[Sarah Orne Jewett iu Atlantic.