The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1896-04-30
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A CHANGE OF HEART.
~ SARAH ORNE JEWETT.

S@ BIZ SARAH ORNE JEWETT.
: Sally Martin sat by her favorite
Kitchen window sewing a little anu
looking off over the sunny spring fields.
All winter through the bare trees she
could see the next house farther down
the hill, but now the budding orchard
hadsuddenly made thick screen. After
many defeated glances neighborward
she was too conscious of being cut of
from companionship and social pleas
ures, and folded up the blue bingham
apron which she had been hemming,
and took her shawl from the nail be-
hind the door. There was look OF
anticipation on her face; she had evil
IDENTIFY found herself dull company for
once. She brought deep wicker bas-
ket, brown with age, from q closet, and
going down cellar filled it with russell
apples, and then locked the door after
her and went her way.
The grass was green by the roadside
and she walked in the footpath at its
edge, feeling the ground under foot
with much pleasure and stopping once
to look at some bluebirds in maple
tree. One always feels young again
with the spring, and this year the snow
and mud had fingered late and kept her
much indoors.
It was the day for youth and pleas
ure, and when she was out in the open
air her face grew serene and childllke:
she stopped to listen to the bluebirds
and watched their pretty colors in the
gray branches, then she walked on
down the mill with her golden russets.
The widespread lower country and the
hills beyond it were blue with the soft
spring haze. Her neighbours house
stood not far away, at a little distance
from the road, and the narrow lane
snto which she soon turned was pretti-
or than ever that spring, with its shell
tering turfas soft Us velvet, and an early
landelion or two shining against the
fence. The old apple trees leaned their
long boughs over it so that they almost
met, and in later summer they would
be hung thick with wisps of hay and
straw from the high-heaped loads that
went into the barn. This was huge
building like IN unwieldy elephant III
the landscape, while the house was low
and small,with a tiny pointed porch
and door that had three panes of glass
at top. When you Gtood in the entry
within you could Scarcely get room to
shut the door behind you, and were
at close quarters with an old colored
wood-cut of Gen. Washington, which
greeted strangers with an impartial air
of dignity. On the right another door
opened into the Bascoms' living-room,
which surprised one in so small a house
with it's size and cheerfulness. The
windows looked both north and south,
und there were plenty of bright braid.
ed rugs on the clean floor.
II saw you comm up the lane, Sally.
and don't know whenever was more
pleased" said Mrs. Bascom, who was a
lame woman and could not rise to greet
her friends except in spirit. snow
bring that little pocking-chair right
over close to me, and let's have a good
talk. It's so pretty looking out O my
window. I'm all alone, the folks have
gone to the village, shoppin'. David
found his old pillow wouldn't do him
this year, and Cynthi' she's always
ready and willin', so they started right
off after an carly dinner. I'm braidin'
up my rags as usual; couldn't seem
to do anything else just because I felt
so busy. There's everything to be
done this time of year, amt there?"
Il walked up feelin' all of a hustle,
too, and soon came down to hemmin'
me blue bingham apron that don't
need one Bit" confessed Sally. II ex-
pect it's the spring worl<in' in us,
though there amt no leaves to show
for it. I guess the trees themselves
must feel just the same"
The two good women smiled and
Sally reached over and took a handful
of dark wooden strips and began to
braid in company.
II brought you folks some O. my ap-
PIES" she said presently. I'm on the
last barrel, but they never were nicer
this time of year. They wilt right
away quick as you bring 'em up from
the cellar, but you shall have more as
long as they last 20
II call 'em great treat; our apples
have been gone some time and the last
of 'em were very poor. There amt
such a keepin' cellar in town as yours;
it seems to give everything good
TASTE"
grandfather always used to say
that it cost him most as much to dig it
right out of the rock there as it did to
build the house above it," said Sally.
"You know twas that little glimpse of
the sea you only get right there, and
he couldn't bear to set his house any
! where else. Three sides O. the cellar is
sound rock; I don't knows you re-
. member, it's so many years since you
was able to get down."
81 recall all those things used to he
n In the habit O seeing as if it were yes
5terday,"' said Mrs. Bascom. Il find my
thoughts such good company that j
don't miss goin' about as much as
everybody. expects. Everybody knows
Just where to find me, and SO they come
ito, me; folks like to feel q certainty
when they make some effort to come. y