The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-03-21
haven't had but one white petticoat
to wash Tor you since you have been

o>.hiiAici' 'thi never PAD less than
seven dollars week for board in m,,
life. intend to pay as much as thai
assure you. -Four dollars a weel,ln
she said, scornfully. SIT is very ev;.
dent, my dear Martha, you are tal,in,,
your first boarder."
Martha sat up straight in her roc,,-
ing chair; her eyes shone like din
monds and there was faint red in
her faded check.
eff you stay till September and nav
me seven dollars week." she said. OK.
citcdly, "l'll have me COW. I can
keep her as we'll as not, if I can onlv
get her in the first place. I've got n
pasture, and can raise lot of pumn-
kins and fodder corn. I know how To
milk. I can make butter. Whv.
can most live on her milk" and She
burst into flood Of tears and hid her
face in her hands
1t seemed us If the poor woman
could not talk enough about her COW
and her gratitude to the lady who had
proven from the first such rodsend to
her.
II shall have something to love after
you are gone," she said one day ST
got me 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 did not feel half SO
lonesome nights, if l could not sleep:
for L spoke to her. she would purr and
come up and rub herself against me. |
thought there never was such n cat:
but James boys, they used to stone
her whenever she went over on their
side, and one day she came dragging
herself homo with n broken leg. and
her head was hurt, too. She died be-
fore night and buried her under the
iaylocl1 there. And l missed her so l
got me another; but that one was miss
ing within week, and one of the bows
kept asking me what had become of my
eat, and laughing in n hateful way. So
l made up my mind 1 could not have
any more pets.
but they won't dare to hurt n
COW, they are too valuable; and could
nave the law on them if they did," she
added, grimly. Anybody can do what
they have mind to to cats, poor
thlngs!' for Martha had never heard
OF the society with tho long name"
Let me see," said Marcia, what
kind of COW will you gct-Jcrscy?"
II shall get n red and white one"
said Martha. Father used to keep q
COW, and that was specSlcd red and
white. L mean to get one just like her,
If can. What will James folks saw!
l guess they'll think it will be some
time before they'll have my house for
4 parlor.
1T beats ALL" she said, one day,
"how 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 so
mean to trouble Him about the little
things.
"Now, there was mothers rold
beads. She always told me I should
have them after her. Many n 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 1 should have them
some time.
And when she died was almost
crazy, and James wife, she had to see
to everything.
1T was few weeks afterwards, and
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 it, 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 did not have them.
but it was n trial. I never had
piece OF jewelry III my life but car
nciian ring. l have got that now, but
/ have Outrro1vn III"
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 beauti-
ful gold chain. There was locl1et at
tached, and the rhinestone in it sparlSlcd
like diamond in the morning sun.
Mrs Bascom." said the lady, 81
want to make a bargain with you.
want you to exchange your daughters
gold beads for this chain; it is fully as
valuable, and prettier for her.
'You know it is Miss Martha's birth
day to-day, and 1 want to give her n
present. l know there is nothing she
will prize like her mothers gold beads"
Both mother and child were delighted
with the chain.
81 have always felt mean about those
beads" said Mrs. Bascom, "but the
girl wanted them so; and I'm real glad
TO change. Here let me brighten
them up a Bit" and she hurried around
after 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 arms
went lovingly around her neck, and
claSned there the nrecions hnads