Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1895-09-05

"'ie 70 pe around again he was
Pianning another of those disastrous
lecture tours, with which he was alwavs
Trying to retrieve their fallen for
tunes. At last, however, they had
managed to persuade him to nut it of
until the fall.
Inere was no family in all the vii
lage who had once stood SO high. or
who were more respected in these
days Of their misfortunes. SPAS"
ialilngs and good qualities were alike
freely discussed. and his wife com
mlserated for having allowed her Wis
lonary spouse the control Of her com
Portable little fortune, which, under
his childlike incapacity for business.
had disappeared in on incredibly short
number OF years.
Anne and Margaret were now the
main support Of the family, one
teaching music and the other having
good position in the village school.
The "little Mother" and Helen
were the household angels" and it
was no light task to keep things nice
and comfortable with their extremely
limited purse, and to prevent spa"
from seeing too plainly the ruin he
had wrought.
| The neighbors were very kind, and
often some little delicacy found its
way to their scanty table-given with
SO much friendly goodwill that sensi-
tive little Mrs. Pendergast was no
more hurt by the attention than the
neighbors were when Helen brought
them punches Of MsyAowers from the
woods in spring.
But Of late Helen's fingers had been
buster than ever. Upon careful re-ex-
animation the s'bundle" had shown
possibilities which had not been APP
parent at the first And the old party
dresses, dyed-for Helen had mas
tered the dyepot's mysteries long ago
were now transformed into four
pretty silk petticoats which would
''rustle delightfully."-" under their
wooden gowns.
''Just the last things in the world
any of us really wanted" Helen adj
mitted; shut the silk wasn't fit for
another thing, and as it didn't cost us
anything I guess we can afford to be
swell for oncel"
Then in some magical way her deft
fingers had fashioned for herself as
dainty gown from the voluminous
old gray opera cloak and the best Of
the we'll worn redingote as ever a
pretty maiden wore to church on a
bright Sunday in spring.
The battered Paris bonnet bloomed
anew with apple blossoms, freshened
over the kettles reviving steam. But
the crow ming feature of the costume
was beautiful pink silk parasol,
which Cousin Frances would certainly
never have recognized as the ''skele-
tom of her famous bundle, newly
clad in the pink lining of the opera
cloak, and adorned with the freshest
fiounces of the chiffon gown.
| "Girls, how do look?" was Helens
anxious question, as arrayed for the
first time in all her glory she was
about to start with them for church.
s'Just too sweet and lovely!" Mar
garet said, with enthusiasm; and the
mother, who thought her girls were
always perfect, echoed Margaret's
words.
But Anne was troubled. Such finery
seemed hardly in accord with their
Strengthened circumstances, or with
the almost Quakerish simplicity Of the
quiet town; but Helen was SO happy
that she could not bring herself to
speak her doubts which, after all,
might prove without foundation.
/ She was keenly alive, however, to
the sensation which Helen's appear
ance caused, and which, all during
the service, divided the attention
of the congregation with the
rood minister's words. And
after the service, Anne's straining ears
caught more than one fragment OF I'M
friendly criticism, which seemed float
ing in the air.
sit does beat all, Ola MIS- 0aa >,
whispered to her neighbor, chow folks
behind hand in theirrent can buy suct
finery!"
"P'raps Pa Pendergast has some
how made his everlastin fortune, was
the audible answer.
sDid you see how Chan Bassett
kept lookin' at her? He can't afiore
70 dress wife like that. | heard Mis-
Bassett tell him SO durin' the coliec
ton"
"Jest see that pink parasol! Why
Many couldn't get one, plain darI
blue, for less'n five dollars. An slih
petticoats, too, l know by the rustlln
They're up an down extravagant' o.
else they amt SO poor as they've beer
maxim out.
can the neighbors sendin' EN- II
cake en- pie at every bakin'F =
Helen's cheeks were like roses o.
thew went on their homeward way
and Anne wondered if she, too, hat
overheard the gossips' whisperings' o.
whether the deeper flush was only TN
reflection from the pink silk parasoi
which she held so bravely overhead
-, oI,corvinU and wa