The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-15

ing wn1cn tney WenL INTO ne1PnDOr1nB
house, sat around the fire, warmed their
half-frozen feet, and ate cold corn cakes
and pan cakes for luncheon. There
were no pews in the meeting house,
nothing but hard benches without
backs. If Letitia fidgeted, or fell asleep,
the tithing man raped her.
Letitia would never have been al
lowed to stay away from meeting had
she begged to do so, but she never did.
She was afraid to stay alone in the
house because of Indians.
Quite often there was a rumor of hos
tile Indians in the neighborhood, and
twice there were attacks. Letitia
learned to load the guns and hand the
powder and bullets.
She grew more and more homesick as
the days went on. They were all kind
to her, and she became fond of them, es-
pecially of the great-great-grand-
mother of her own age, and the little
great-aunts, but they had seldom any
girlish sports together. Goodwife Hop
lSins kept them too busy at work. Once
in awhile, as a great treat, they were al
| lowed to play bean porridge hot for fif
teen minutes. They were not allowed
to talk after they went TO bed and there
was also little opportunity for girlish
condolences.
However, there came a dayat last when
Capt, Hopkins and his wife were called
away TO visit a sick neighbor, some
twelve miles distant, and the four girls
were left in charge of the house. At
seven o'clock at night the two youngest
went to bed. and Letitia and her great
great-grandmother remained up TO
wait for the return of their elders, as
they had been instructed. Then it was
that the little Observation-Disclosures
showed Letitia her treasure. She had
only one, and was not often allowed to
look at il. lest ii wean her heart away
from more serious things. Ii was kept
In secret drawer of the great chest for
safety, and was nothing but a little sill
YER snuff-box with picture on the top.
It contained little fat glass bottle,
about an inch and half long.
"The box belonged to my grandfa-
!her, and the bottle TO his mother.
have them because am the eldest, but
I must not set my heart on them un-
duly" said Letitia's great-great-grand-
mother.
Ietitia tried to count how many
greats belonged to the ancestors who
had first owned these treasures, but II
made her dizzy. She had never told the
story Of the little green door TO any of
them. She had been afraid TO, know
Ing how shocked they would be at her
disobedience. Now, however, when the
treasure was replaced she wac moved
to confidence. and told her great-great-
grandmother the whole story.
"That Is very strange" said her great
great-grandmother, when she had
finished. "We have n little green door,
too: only ours is on the outside of the
house, i'm the north wall. There's a
spruce tree growing up close against IL,
but il Is there. Our parents have fo--
oiuuen us 10 open II, too, out we nave
never disobeyed."
She said the last word with some
thing of an air of superior virtue,
Letitia felt terribly ashamed.
lis there any key 70 your little green
doorP" she asked meel<ly.
For answer, her great-great-grand.
mother opened the secret drawer of the
chest again, and pulled out n key, with
q green ribbon in IL, the very counter.
part of the one in the satin-wood box.
Letitia looked at IL wistfully.
81 should never think of dsobeyinR
my parents, and open the little green
door. remarked her great-great- grand.
mother. as she put back the key IN the
drawer. III should think something
dreadful would happen TO me. / have
heard whispered that the door opened
into the future. 1t would be dreadful
to be all alone in the future without
ones kinfolks."
There may not be any Indians or
catamounts there" ventured Letitia.
There might be something a great
deal worse" returned her great-great-
grandmother, severely.
After that there was silence between
the two. and possibly little coldness.
Letitia sat gazing forlornly into the
Gre, thinking that IL would be much
moro comfortable To be alive In the ia.