Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-04-27

from the blueberry patch and looked around half guiltily, then drew re- assured breath, for no one was within | ear-shot. ''True as stand here," she said, addressing a mingled multitude of ferns, rocks and berry bushes, ''some day I'll do it. And when I'm worth Q million a minute, I'll have gold heels to my shoes"
 She shut her lips tightly, defying | more thoughts to escape; buteven then the line of her mouth was pleasant. She knelt and industriously stripped the low bushes, holding her pail beneath with an experienced hand to catch the dropping berries. She had fifteen quarts to deliver at sunset, and the | terms of her contract left no time for monologue.
 This was Abby-"Miss" Abby to the children, Aunt" Abby among the sick, simply Abby to ordinary adults. People did not trouble themselves about her surname. They did not even think much about her, but ac- eepted her as their just due from 8 friendly providence. Children discov- cred her living in little house in the edge of Pomfret, and spoke of Miss Alp by as an acquisition. Then some sick man, yearning for herb remedies, was gratified by her, and thereafter declared Aunt Abby had saved his life. The wise-those who moiled with an eye single to the inrolling dollar-began by mistrusting her sincerity and ended by questioning her mental balance. They did not perceive how one could live by works non-resultant in stipulated | wage.
 Abby moved towards A competency as steadfastly as did the wise, but by a different path, pleasanter and as di- rect. There were happy, kindly faces along her way. And if they did not al- ways comprehend her they at least nodded and smiled encouragingly as she passed. To such a one, brightening some dark turn of the path, she would say:
 "You wait till get my gold-heeled shoes. Then can smile for you"
 Real gold, Abby9' inquired the 1 practical one.
 'tYes, indeed. Why not? When you're worth million a minute you can do that sort of thing.". At sunset she walked, fatigued, to the village store and delivered the ber- | ries.
 And here's your pay" said the storekeeper. Eight cents a quart, fifteen quarts, dollar twenty. What you going to do with so much money, Abby?" with an expectant, oblique glance for the benefit of some dozen loungers.
 Ut all goes towards those gold-heeled shoes," said Abby, cheerily. Then the loungers followed the storekeeper in a laugh.
 "Abby's all right" said he, after she went out. "You don't have to measure her berries. But she's little queer. l A fellow has to laugh at her now and again."
 Abby plowed herway home along the dusty July road. ''one twenty, one twenty" she repeated. "There's days work for you. There's another peg in your gold-heeled shoes. They're com ing, coming"
 She invigorated herself, mind and body, by this alchemic formula. "Gold- heeled shoes'' to the storekeeper and his ilz was a vagary for their diversion. To Abby the words were mere quanti- tative signs.
 The widow Barker, with her way ward son Jim, were Abby's nearest neighbors. Barker pere had served in the navy. After his death a small pen sion came regularly, affording the widow meager living. It was her sole support, for Jim was thorn. Upright mothers quoted him to children as a warning. He even pricl1ed Abby, until she was half minded to report his lapses to his mother, when she would fall in a temper, and rate herself roundly.
 Gold shoes, indeed! I don't deserve leather! As if that woman didn't have trouble enough without it's being piled on free! Providence has been too good to me; there's nobody to mourn over nobody to worry over. A little cross like this will do me good"
 Abby had intended to stop for a mo mcnt's chat with the widow, but the house appeared deserted, and she passed on.
 Its pension day." she thought. ''l know where she is. Upstairs crying can be. H'm! I'm blest that my past don't sorrow me, nor my future either There it is nowI Million a minute Gold-heeled shoes! Keep it up!''
 Abby spoke of wealth with rich ex | AlSF IuSal 1nuGDOnOcnCe was simply freedom from debt. She had one desire that ruled her lifc-ant that, to possess a home. The knowl edge that her landlord might, on z lapse in payment, turn her out, rode hel as sense of infcriority. Her material standing seemed as insecure as hel credit. But to own the ground she walked on, that was to wear gold heeled shoes. Every step left the i'm press of wealth's equality. All her eff forts, then, were directed to the reduc tion of the insufferable mortgage tha ' threatened her home.
 She labored hard in every channe known to s.~glc countrywomen. Sh' picked and sold berries. She gathered and cured sweethag She had patel of garden with many herbs in it, anC others she gathered wild and dried ii | h1rn111aS fop <11a d -&e