Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-24

rs II she could never endure to 60 to,
school again. That night she begged
her mother to let her stay ut home tho
next day. NO" said her mother,
you've begun to go to school, and
you're going to school unless you're sick.
Now, this evening you had better sit
down and write letter to your Aunt
Comfort. It's long time since you
wrote to har."
So Comfort sat down and wrote Ia,
boriously letter to her Aunt Comfort,
and thanked her anew, as she always.
did, for her gold ring and the gold dol
lar: II wish to express my thanks
again for the beautiful and valuable
gifts, which you presented me for my
name" wrote Comfort in the little.
stiltcd style of the day. Doc
After the letter was written IL was
eight o'clock and Comforts mother said
she had better go to bed.
"You look tired out" said she, III
guess you'll have to go to bed early III
you're going to school,"
Cant / stay ut home tomorrow,
mother" pleaded Comfort, with sudden
hope.
NO" said her mother. you've got
to go if you're able"
Mother, can't wear it just once?"
Don't you bring that ring up again, NJ
said her mother. Take your candleI
and go right upstairs"
Comfort gave q pitiful little sob.
"Now don't you go to crying over it,
h,,. n
to choke back another sob as she went
out of the room.
Comforts father looked up from "Tho.
Old Farmers Almanac" He was going
to Bolton the next day with load of
wood, and wanted to see what tho
weather was to be, and so WAS consult
ing the almanac. "What was il Com
fort wanted?" he inquired.
"She wanted to wear that gold ring
her Aunt Comfort gave her to school, y"
replied Mrs. Pcase. "And I've, told her
over and over again / shouldn't let her
do it,"
cts mile too big for her, and she'd
be sure to lose it Off" said Grandmoth-
er Atkins, ''and 1t would be pity to-
have anything happen to it, when it's
real gold, too"
''Shc couldn't wind rag round her
finger, under, it, could she?" asked
Comforts father, hesitatingly. !
"Wcar rag round her finger under
it," repeated Mrs. Pcase. II rather,
guess she can wait till her finger grows
to it. You'd let that child do anything"
Mr.. Peasc did not say anything more,
but studied the "Old Farmers Alma
nae" again, and found out that it was
likely to be fair weather for the season.
1t was past midnight, and the hearth
fire was ralsed down, and Comforts
father and mother and grandmother
were all in bed and asleep, when q lit
tie figure In white niphtgown, hold
ing lighted candle, padding softly on
little cold bare feet, came down tho
stairs. Comfort paused in the entry
and listened. She could hear the clock
tick and her father -snore. The best
parlor door was on the right. She
lifted the brass latch cautiously, and
pushed the door open. Then she stole
into the best parlor. The close icy air
smote her like breath from the north
pole. There was no fire in the best par
Tor except on Thanksgiving day, and
perhaps twice besides, when there was
company to tea, from fall TO spring.
The cold therein seemed condensed and
concentrated, the haircloth sofa and
chairs and the mahogany table seemed
to give out cold as stoves did heat.
There were two coffin plates and
funeral wreaths, which had belonged,
to unclcs of Comfort who had died
before she was born, in frames on the
wall, and these always scared Comfort
She kept her eyes away from them as
she went swiftly in her little bare feet,
which had no feeling in them as they
pressed the icy floor, across to the ma
hogany card table, wbereon set the
rosewood workbox.
Comfort set her candle on the table,
and turned the key of tho box with her
stiff fingers. Then she raised the lid
noiselessly and there lay the ring In
little square compartment of the tray
next to it in the corner square lay the
gold dollar.
Comfort took the ring out, shut tho
box lid down, turned the key, and fed,
She thought some one called her name
as she went upstairs, and she stopped,
and listened, but all she heard was the
clock ticking, and her father snoring,
and her heart beating. Then she kept
on to her own chamber, and put out her.
candle, and crept into her feather bed,
under the patchwork quilts. There she
1rxv NJ 10
ring clasped tightly in her little cold
fist.