The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-08-06
one," she thought. a weak little hope
stirring in her heart.

The thorny branch OF struggling rose
bush caught at her skirt as she passed.
The house was small, unpainted, box
like structure, but the sun and storm
had tinted il with their own soft
colors, and climbing rose redeemed
IL from ugliness.
A thin, sallow woman was shaking q
cloth at the door. She looked worn
and haggard. Her mouth was drawn
down at the corners and there was q
settled gloom in her dark eyes. She
wore a scanty gown Of blue gingham.
"Youve bin loiterin' again." she
said in a complaining tone, ''an' Dode,
he hesn't come back nuther. He's q
dretful stirrin' boy. Likes not he's
bin q swimmin' agin. Last Satdy he
hedn't dry stitch on him. Pears as
eff betwixt you two hev my sheer Of
trouble. It's like bein' ground 'twixt
the upper m neither mill.stuns.
Lemme zee the work ~
Malind opened the bundle and laid
out on the table six dozen pairs Of
coarse wooden socks, the seams Of
which were to be sewed together.
"It's good way to the fact'ry, an
awful hot" she said, taking of her
sunbonnet.
"Got the money all rightw
Malind took a few coins from her
pocket.
''Say, NO." she said eagerly, "can't
l sew 'em most as good as you kin
now2"
"E'enamost as good" her mother
answered, "ef You wasn't such a hib.
bertygibbet that can't set STILL.
81 will set still. I'll do half of 'em.
I'll work every minute / kin-if-if
-" she stammered.
"Ef what? Git it outw criel her
mother impatiently.
''If you'll git me a new frock fer
the Sunday.school picnic" Malind
blurted ont, every nerve in her body
tingling with excitement.
"Fer the Ian sake, Malind," cried
her mother shrilly. 81 do admire to
hear you talkin' about new frocks when
we can't hardly git enough to eat
leastways pears as eff Dode never
would git filed up"
al mean sunthin' cheap" faltered
Malind. al wouldn't care what-ef
twas fresh-an' made fer mean
kinder fitted"
81 wisht / could manage it," said
Mrs. Blinn with n sigh. "Id like ter
rig you up good as the best-but it's
no use talkin' bout it. That there
picnic comes in about week. How
under the canopy could you do oil
that work in such a short space O.
time? / wuz calchatin' on gittin'
you a new suit fer Christmas. There,
now, Jest whirl in an set the table.
hear Dode n whistlin'. Thank good.
ness we've got plenty OF cold mush an
milk"
But Malind was not in a thanksgiv.
ing mood just then. The cold mush
choked her. Her heart was hot with
feoeIiiOn "estf.% fate, enough sLe
could not have called it by that name.
Why had some girls everything, while
she had nothing? Dode's appetite
annoyed her. How he did swallow
everything! The mound of white
mush melted away like snow before
the SUM-
Dode was two years younger, rosy
checked, sturdy boy, who ruled the
house. Malind often thought it must
be fine to be boy. He did not have
to learn to sew and help with the grey
wooden socks.
"You look after Dode and take keer
of the lamp" said her mother when
| she sent them to bed. "Child over
Peapack way burnt to death with one
Of them kerosene lamps Dustin. The
great genies never thought of wrap
pm her in a blanket. Some folks is
so ignorant they don't know that
wooden things smothers fire."
Many pair of bright eyes grew
brighter the morning of the picnic
when they saw the luminous blue sky
and the dew dappled meadows glitter
ing in the sunshine. The birds were
singing ..as if they, too, had pic
mic, and the wind in the wh..e pines
sang Joy songs of its own. Malind
saw the children trooping by in their
holiday garments. The little girls
huttered about like gay plumaged
birds. She held up the great skirt of
her old blue flannel with a strange
choking in her throat. 1t was just as
wide as when her mother had worn it,
but the frayed edges had been cut off
and clumsy hem shortened it. The
basque was still too large for her. Her
thin figure was lost in it.
"Oh, Malind, hurry up" cried
Dode from below. "You are the pok.
inest girl. The wagons awaitin' for
US.
Malind hurriedly tried on her dish.
shaped black straw hat, adorned with
one old feather and q crushed rose,
and she almost forgot her discomfort
in the Joy of long ride through
green woods.
Everybody is just as hateful as
they can be-" said Phronie, as they
dismounted at the picnic grounds,