The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-07-02
WHAT A GIRL DID.

mote valley OF New England agri-
cultural district II the soil was thin.
the rocks were thick-so thick, in
deed. that 1t was a grim joke that a
shotgun was needed to get the seed
corn into the first and between the
second. Owing to this bed rock. the
drainage was poor and what the
drought spared. sudden showers swept
away.
All the young men went West the
old shoemaker had moved away. and
even the minister had departed, leav-
ing monumental pair OF crossed
poles to bar the entrance to the meet
in house. And yet these natives
New England men and women-were
not lacking in shrewdness and COM
mon sense. They were simply dis
couraged. With all their hard labor
they. never got beyond the bare me-
cessities OF life. They had no amuse-
ment no expectations no hope. The
women never had time to sit down.
but spent their days cooking and
washing in the kitchens The front
room was always closely shattered. the
front steps were overgrown with
coarse weeds and the front gate re.
fused to open. Everybody came and
went by the back door. along the mar
row worn foot-path. No flowers were
cultivated. and few varieties of vege-
tables. News was old when it reached
Plumville and excited little more
interest than archaeological stories.
Few books were brought and those
fau IF n Lind In tuh inh inpo1 he
ing could feel an interest
In the spring OF 1880 old Mr..
Elkins fell sick. His wife had just
died. and he had no children. 1t was
an added burden to the weary neigh
bors who felt that they must do"
for the old man. At the best 1t was
fragmentary service and the invalid
was alone many hours out OF every
twenty-four The relief was great
therefore when somehow, or other
nephew's widow or cousins daugh-
ter appeared rs nurse and house,
keeper. She brought niece with
her-a slip OF freckled girl about
sixteen years old. whose name was
Milly French. Milly assumed the
case OF the chickens MIXED the COW.
fed Towser, and as she came and
went about these duties the neighbors
wondered to hear her singing like a
happy bird. She threw open the
front blinds and let the sunlight sac
rilcgiously stream through the win
dows She even set the sacred front
door aJar aud sat on the door steps
on pleasant afternoons with her knit
ting work IL the sunset was very
gorgeous she was seen with idle hands.
The spindllng grass was sheared of.
so that the gate would swing back
easily.
1T is enough to make Mis- Elklns
turn in her grave" said neighbor
Flint. But Minnie watered her honey
suckles propped up her daisies put
rich loan into the sandy waste and
was rewarded by multitudes of bios
SONS. When the hens scratched up
her treasures she contrived an inclos-
ure of palings that circumscribed
their operations. By and by she ad-
ded trellis for wild rese BUSH and
long tent OF Irvine for her fluffy
wood clematis. Little by little the
small house implanted. but tinted n
bOIL SllNtTy. WOdbuGE-Dcutcu gray,
began to outline its windows in bright
green. and to throw woodbine gar
lands all over the homely porch.
Season after season went by. Milly
now had seeds and cuttings to give
away. She carried bouquets to the
sick potted root for friend brought
jar OF mignonette from Lincoln or
received a package Of seeds from the
florist. 1t thus came to pass that
every house in Plumville soon boast.
ed flower bed. and in winter every
kitchen had at least one window full
OF petunia or geraniums the steam of
washing or cooking causing them to
grow wonderfully. Cold frames for
pansies were manufactured. Even
strawberries and asparagus were at
tempted. And that these improve.
ments might not fail. the land about
the house was drained low branches
Topped oil, the sink nozzle extended to
safe distance till light and air and
dryness came TO these denizens OF the
kitchen.
You would not have known Plum
Vile Why. the shoemaker who
came DdCk W otay' probchucu hc uttu
never seen it before. 1t was rumorcd
that bakers cart would come over
from Lincoln once a week and on the
strength OF it the postmaster cleared
OIL shelf and drove six nails in the
loose doorsteps But this Plumville
boom is far ahead Of my story. Long
before the flowers had begun to be
very common there Milly French
puzzled much over the unused church.
One day she got the key and went In
Though 1t was August the interior
was cold and damp almost like a
collar. Cobwebs hung from tho two
long stovcpipes that extended the
whole length OF the building. Torn
hymn-boo were lying about and
several window panes were broken.
A general air OF desolation pervaded
the place Milly sat for long Time
thinking. thinking. Then she walked
very quickly to Mrs Flints. who lived
near by.
oh, Mira Flint isn't it disgrace