The Van Buren press., 1895-03-23

your board. never WAS 30 naPPy IN
my life as have bcen since you come.
You don't eat hardly q thing, and ]
haven't had but one white petticoat
to wash for you since you have been
here"
eAnd there is ono thing won't TO
tell you,n said her friend. 81 always
90 somewhere in the country In the
summer. and I never paid less than
seven dollars week for board in my
life. intend to pay as much as that,
I assure you. Four dollars week."
she said, scornfully. 'It Is very evi-
dent, my dear Martha, you are taking
your first boarder."
Martha sat up straight in her rock
ing chair; her eyes shone like dia-
monds and there was faint red In
her faded cheek.
'If you stay till September and pay
me seven dollars q week. she said, ex-
citedly, "I'll have me a COW. l can
keep her as we'll as not, If | can only
get her in the first place. I've got q
pasture, and can raise lot of pump
kins and fodder corn. I know how to
milk. I can make butter. Why,
can most live on her milk" and she
burst into flood OF tears and hid her
face in her hands.
1t seemed as IL the poor woman
could not talk enough about her COW
and her gratitude to the lady who had
proven from the first such godsepd to
her.
II shall have something to love after
you are gone," she said one day. II
got me a cat after mother died; she
was real pretty, and thought SO much
of her. She used to sleep on the foot
Of my bed, and l did not feel half so
lonesome nights, If I could not sleep;
for spoke to her, she would purr and
come up and rub herself against me. l
thought there never was such a cati
but James boys, they used to stone
her whenever she went over on their
side, and one day she came dragging
herself home with broken leg, and
her head was hurt, too. She died be-
fore night and buried her under the
| laylock there. And I missed her so l
got me another; but that one was miss-
|
kept asking me what had become of my
cat, and laughing in hateful way. So
l made up my mind l could not have
any more pets.
"But they won't dare to hurt a
COW, they are too valuable; and could
have the law on them If they did," she
added, grimly. Anybody can do what
they have a mind to to cats, poor
things!' for Martha had never heard
of the society with the long name"
''Let me see," said Marcia, what
kind Of COW will you get-Jersey?"
II shall get a red and white one,
said Martha. Father used to keep a
COW, and that was speckled red and
white. l mean to get one just like her,
If can. What will James folks say!
guess they'll think 1t will be some
time before they'll have my house for
q parlor.
at beats ALL" she said, one day,
show little things trouble folks. Now,
any great trial, like death and such,
you can carry to the Lord, and He will
help you bear it; but anybody feels sc
mean to trouble Him about the little
things.
"Now, there was mothers gold
beads. She always told me should
have them after her. Many time
I've put them on my neck when was
little girl, and wished mother would
give them to me then; but she would
take them, and say should have them
some time.
"And when she died l was almost
crazy, and James wife, she had to see
to everything.
'It was few weeks afterwards, and
l saw mothers beads ON Maria's neck
that is her oldest girl. l felt dread
fully. l went out to the barn and
talked to James about 1t. He said
Maria wanted them as bad as ! did,
and he didn't know as she would give
them up. His wife made fuss about
it, and SO l did not have them.
"But 1t was trial. l never had a
piece Of jewelry IN my life but a car
nelian ring. have got that now, bat
l have outgrown it."
Now, Martha had birthday that
week; and James wife was astonished
as she was getting breakfast one morn
ing, by seeing her sisters boarder com
ing in. She had in her hand q beauti.
full gold chain. There was locket at
tached, and the rhinestone in 1t sparkled
like diamond in the morning sun.
"Mrs. Bascom,' said the lady, ~
want to make bargain with you.
want you to exchange your daughters
gold beads for this chain; 1t is fully a.
valuable, and prettier for her.
"You know it is Miss Martha's birth
day to-day, and want to give her {
present. l know there is nothing sh'
will prize like her mothers gold beads.
Both mother and child were delighted
with the chain.
81 have always felt mean about thos.
beads" said Mrs. Bascom, "but tht
girl wanted them SO; and I'm real glaf
to change. Here, let me brighter
them up bit," and she hurried arount
after a piece of flannel and some whit
ing.
And SO it happened, just after break
fast, as Martha was getting up from
the table, Marcia Ames' white arm
went lovingly around her neck, ant
clasped there the precious beads
The autumn came all too soon, ant
the friends parted until next summer
Marcia said.
A gentle red and white COW stood b,
the bars in Martha's pasture, and !
was on her glossy neck that Marth
left the tears she shed when the stag
that bore her friend away went out o
sight.
For Marcia had insisted on the COY
| honop,iun n raalifu hefora she wan