The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-01-17

Mrs Harmon was very nucH eAtSi-
tanned by I}enny's volubility, and she
could easily imagine what discussions
had gone on between the girls. Quick,
practical thoughts came into her mind,
and she felt almost eNcitedly happy.
When Mrs. Chaplin came from the
meeting she found Benny standing on
81 stool. which itself stood on wooden
chair, getting down little jar from the
sop shelf OF the closet.
Il told him to- said Mrs. Harmon.
ITS my clover salve. Benny has been
a very good boy, Lucy, and | wish he
would run in often to see me. Can he !?
"Why, OF course; he'd like it" said
Mrs Chaplin. Wouldn't you, Benny"
Eyes. I'd like it first-rate," said Benny.
"I've been looking at pictures and shells
and feather-work, and another time she
will let me see their old compass, if
Mr.. Harmon says So"
Now" said Mrs. Harmon, ION your
way home, Benny, | want you to stop
at Mrs. Cobb's and send Tommy right
over here, and I'll give him something
to cure his wrist, and tell AImy to stop
on her way home tomorrow; | want to
see her."
After her visitors departed, Mrs. Har-
mon rang the bell for Mrs. Grigg, and
told her to send Jimmy in with his
primer.
Jimmy came soberly. He had al
ways felt afraid of the s:ad-faced invalid
woman, but this time she was smiling.
She meant to help him to take pains
ol,o,,t Iie ,rODounoinO IJar old school
teaching arts returned to her, and she
held the little boys interest and in
spir-d his zeal.
iii give him an hour a day." she
said to herself, until he gets into the
third reader along with Benny
When Tommy Cobb arrived. shy and
wary, she made him welcome, and was
soon doing up the poor infiamed wrist
in the softest of old linen and with
clover salve. When she finished, and he
said: Thank you, ma'am, that feels
good" she replied: "Come in tomorrow
and I'll do it up again"
Next day Alma Chaplin came. Grace
was going to wait for her at the gate.
but Mrs. Harmon tapped on the window
for her to come in, too.
She asked the girls about their sew
ing, showed them a great bag of pieces,
which she told them they were free
TO use from till their quilts were done.
They agreed to bring all their blocks
to show to her, as she said she would
do some of the cutting out for them.
Isn't she nice?" they said to each
other, when they started on the road
home.
Mrs. Harmon's been real bright ali
day." said Mrs. Grigg to Mr.. Harmon
when he came YEARLY into the house
at dusk. 81 shouldn't wonder if she
was going to take a start and get we'll"
Mrs. Harmon had certainly taken a
start of some kind. She really cared
about her new interests, and it was a
happy day when Tommy Cobb left off
his bandages, and his mother came over
on purpose to thank her for her skill
and her salve.
In few days Jimmy Grigg was in
the First Reader.
"And it won't be many weeks before
he is in the Third" Mrs. Harmon said
to his mother; and Mrs. Grigg felt so
''heartened up that she went about
her work singing.
The little girls and their sewing were
an almost daily source of pleasure.
Can this be my invalid wife who was
speaking?" Mr.. Harmon asked himself,
when she said to him: when those
girls get their quilts pieced, believe
I'll let them have quilting here, and
invite in the neighbors."
1t was not alone these interests that
arose. Others followed fast. She was
always getting something new from
that little chatterbOx, Benny. Once
she found out that Mrs. Chaplain, down
in the hollow, wanted "a dozen Brahma
eggs the worst way, for her old yellow
hen to sit on"
Another time Benny innocently re-
latel to her how Amarilda Green had
been to see his mother.
'And old Mrs. Green is over so, and
Amarildy says she just bankers after
iell'. And Amarildy can't make jelP,
because she don't raise currants. My
mothers real sorry that her jelP is all
blackberry"
'And I'm glad mine is all currant,"
thought Mrs. Harmon to herself.
Before long warm feeling stole into
the hearts of the women of the neigh
borhood, and as they met at meeting
OF at sewing society one would say to
another:
"Have you seen Mrs. Harmon lately?
What a good woman she is! They say
her health's improving all the time now.
hope so. She's blessing to the neigh
borhood."
$50 Harmon's wife's got WE'LL" said
the storekeeper to the doctor. what
medicine did you give her?"
"Oh, tonics, tonics,'' said the doctor,
with wise smile "And nature helped
too, of course-nature helped. too"
But Mrs. Harmon, in her own heart,
gave credit to third agent, and always
thought of Benny as her little bene-
factor.-Youth's Companion.
In Pretty Good Standing.