Middletown transcript., 1893-01-14


coiored, fair, seemed to implore one
look or word of kindness.
Hope stopred on the door-sill. Could
his be Aunt Melinda2 She had always
been spoken of as an old maid living
by herself. Who then was this chiIdY
suddenly door opened and out step
pea thin, wiry, sallor female. who
dl1 not see Hope, but proceeded at once
to exhort the melancholy woman in the
window.
Il wist't you'd kind of spunk up.
Mrs. Nichols. This wuld's wuld of
'hlction, and you've always said twas,
and sort of lolted on it, 50 to speak ,and
now you don't bear up mite. Whyl
Who's this? Who be yon, child?" sud-
denly catching sight of Hope.
The rosy face laughed all owes.
"Well, I'm Hope Ames. l Guess
you're Aunt Melindy, amt youp"
Il expect be. 1 never did! didn't
think you'd come to-day. Come by the
Meddyhemp's stage, didn't YEP Look
a-here Loriny Nichols, here's a mate
for ye! Stop a clawin' of your mas
gownd an look at my gall''
Hope. with her happy instinct, held
out her hand to The forlorn child; Lo-
rena let go of her mother, looked up
at the newcomers sweet, sunshiny face
and family smiled. Hopes unconscious
mission in Shutdown had begun.
1t was queer place; just on the edge
of the great Maine forests; place al
most showed under in winter, and all
barren fields in Summer, for the men
were 1umberers and formed their cold
clay land only enough to raise hay and
corn to feed their cattle through the
short summer.
They had hard lives, these men; but
the women's lives were harder; left all
the long winters to care for themselves
and the two or three old and infirm
men who were useless for numbering;
forced by poverty and climate to labor
for daily bread, and do the work of
men in and about their houses; always
lonely and anxious through those long
winters about the husbands and BROTH
ers who were far away engaged in the
dangerous and severe toll of chopping
and logging. it was small wonder that
the women we're sad and severe in
manner and aspect.
Lay off your things, child" said
Aunt Melinda, without word of
welcome or; II attempt 10 embrace the
the newcomer. But Hope nothing
daunted, rushed at Melinda, threw her
arms about the spinster's neck, and
gave her hearty kissing that brough'
a strange new light into those
faded eyes, and tinge of color to the
deep-lined cheek.
mercy melo cried Aunt Melinda,
eff you amt well; take off your
bonnet and III help you Jug that trunk
up to the charmber. You set still Mrs.
Nichols. till come down."
Mrs. Nichols was looking hard at
Hope, instead of staring sullenly into
space. That "wasn't Shutdown man.
ners," as she afterward said; spark
kindIed IN her hopeless eyes, she had a
vague feeling that it must be pleasant
to be 1ugged and kissed like that, but
Loreny wouldn't do it'll Miss Melinda
stopped as she set down Hopes trunk
in the bare clean loft, beside a cot
spread with homaspm blankets and a
patchwork quilt, to say, in Il lowered
voice: ''You no need tn mind Mis-
Nichols; she's heered from the woods
that her Jim has BEN on dretful
spree and come nigh to break his neck.
He'd just AS good have did it. for be
amt no use to her, but she seems to
set by him quite little. Thank the
Lord, | hain't never been no mans
fool!"
With which pious aspiration Melinda
turned back and went down the stairs,
leaving Hope to arrange her possessions
as hest she could. A call 10 supper
soon put an end to her work and she
went down smiling and hungry, finding
Lorpna and her mother had stayed to
tea. Hope was SD merry and the food
was 80 savnry that Mrs. Nichols really
smiled once, and when Hope insisted
on clearing The table and washing the
dishes, Lorena volunteered her help,
and her shrill little laugh came back
from the sink room now and then to
her mothers great surprise.
"Walll'' exclaimed Mrs. Nichols, ''ii
Loreny Amt laughin'! That girl o
yourn is as clipper as robin, now
amt she? l wish't mine was that
make up; but she amt, not mite"
MAYBE she would be if you was more
cherk, +" answered Melinda, dryly.
So Hope began her new life, she soor
made acquaintance with the village
| people, and was like ray of sunshine
among them. To be happy had moi
entered into their scheme Of life; tt
work, and wait and endure was all they
tried to do; that life could he easier anC
better for merriment and kindlines
had not occurred to them, but thi
happy, unselfish little creature was ;
real social gospel to the dreary folks O
Slabtown. She taught the childreI
games, she sung the cheerful hymn
her mother had loved, to the old ant
sick people; she gathered the gay bios
SONS Of the woods and hills, and showed
her playmates how to brighten up thei
dull houses with the vivid or delicat
colors of the flowers they had alway
disreparded: and in the school, tina