The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-10

do say that being 80 cantankerous-
like is what keeps her SO spry."
poor old soul" said Miss Lavinia
pitifully, "she's got kind heart l
do believe, with all her failings. 1
always remember that time | went to
Plymouth. I left Tiglath-Pileser at
Mary Slater's, and he ran away
home. Twas freezing weather, snow
on the ground, and Ma'am Perkins
heard him mewing at the side door
as she was going by. What did she
do but break path through the
yard, pick him up and put him under
her shawl and carry him home and
feed him till l got back"
"That's. just like you, Why Will
der" laughed Mrs. Merrick. cal
ways leaving out the bad part of a
story Why don't you tell how poor
Mary was sending round the neigh
borhood next day, half distracted, to
find if anybody'd seen the cat any
where? She came to my house ac-
tually crying. I never can look Miss
Why in the face again. says she.
Ma'am Perkins came in that same
minute after cup of milk-on pur-
pose to feed Tige, I s'pose-and she
never said aye, yes or no. why in
the world didn't you tell Mary you
had the cat?' | asked her after
wards. oh, just thought I'd let
her stew awhilep says she. She
ought to have taken better care of
himp Maybe that's what you call
kind-hearted Viny?"
Miss Lavinia sighed. "Well," said
she, II s'pose she's the more to be
pitied. She's harder on herself than
anybody else"
They passed to pleasanter them es
the Hartley's new carryall, Emma
Warren's engagement, Margaret
Wilson's baby. At length Mrs. Mer
rick declared that she must go home,
but when she would have risen, Miss
Lavinia laid OBTAINING hand upon
her arm.
"Don't go yet, Janep
The slender fingers trembled
little.
Don't go! I've-been wanting to
tell you something
Mrs. Merrick's heart leaped. Could
the mystery of Ezra Williams be
coming to light at last?"
"I've been thinking of it good
while, but l haven't said anything. |
didn't care to make talk before | was
quite sure. But you've always been
such good friend, janet want to
let you know first. I've made up
my mind to go to the Worlds Fair"
1.-THE Worlds Fair!"
81 don't wonder you're surprised,
Jane. 1t does seem an undertaking.
But-though you mightn't think it,
and me never having been farther
from home than Plymouth-Pve al
ways had longing to see foreign
parts. And now that foreign parts
have come to us, it does seem as if it
wouldn't be unreasonable to meet
them half way. I've turned it over
in my mind sight actually, Jane,
I haven't slept rightly of nights"
"That's the reason, s'pose, why
you've been looking SO peaked late
ly," interjected Mrs. Merrick. I'D
been thinking about sleeping you up
mess of bitters."
you're always thinking of me,
Jane. AS 1 was saying. I've gone
over and over the matter till | be-
lieve | see my way clear. Of course
it's quite an expense. | found out all
about that from cousin Hannah Thay
err. was afraid twas selfish to squan
der so much on myself. 1t certainly
would be if I'd got to scrimp any
body else to do it. But I've got some
money in the bank, and though.
may be it's presumptuous in me to
think it might be providence-it
did seem odd when that railroad
stock of mine paid larger dividends
this year of all others. I've made
out that l can pay my way to Chica-
go and back, and my board while
I'm there, and have enough left SO
as to pay double what | generally
do into the missionary collection
the Boards in debt, you know-be-
sides getting the new cover to the
pulpit sofa that Mr.. Burton's been
wanting so bad. And there really
aren't any suffering poor here in the
village now that | can discover"
Miss Lavinia paused. Despite her
declaration that she saw her sway
clear" there had been an unconsci-
GUS question in her voice.
swell, Viny," said Mrs. Merrick
heartily sail I've got to say is that you
1900 H. N t.lo..o1 SC