The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-10-24

cided the matter.
cts like Mrs. Briggs said," she
thought remorsefully, land it's not
Christian to set a body's heart on
perishin' things. I've been wicked
and selfish, and tellin' myself all the
time, that was glad to give when 1
had chance"
This was the day before the enter
tainment, and that evening Lettie
came to see her. Lettie was the only
one who could understand and ap
preciate her feelings about it, and to
her she entrusted this most precious
of the Relic Social collection. She
made her promise to carry it to Mrs.
Atwood's with her own hands, giving
her all kinds of injunctions, while
her gentle blue eyes were full of
tears.
But you must not think, dearie,"
she said, "that | amt willin' to give
it, for am, only it seems like as we
get older. the people and the things
we love get fewer, and we are fonder of
them; but there-I am ashamed of
myself; and we won't say another
word about it."
"No," said Lettie cheerfully, "for
1 must start if am going to Mrs.
Atwood's tonight, and want to tell
you some of the things the committee
collected. There's Mrs. Martens
andirons; and three spinning wheels,
l don't know where they came from;
and counterpart Mrs. Murry's
grandmother wove-the idea of Civ
ing it away, if l were her grandmoth
er l should certainly haunt her-and
some shutters from Mrs. Call; and
some brass candlesticks from old Mr..
Allen; and blue china meat platter
from Mrs. Hope-that's cracked, but
think it will hold together till it's
sold-and funny little foot stove,
like our great grandmothers used to
take to church with them, and lot
more l can't remember but I'll tell
you all about it Saturday. Now I
positively must 60" and kissing her,
Lettie tripped away taking the bowl
with her.
The gayety was assumed however,
and she wore very thoughtful ex-
preston, as she walked briskly along
the country road. But suddenly her
face lighted up with happy thought,
and she laughed softly to herself.
Lettie was always pretty, but Lettie
when she smiled was an entirely be-
witching little person.
I've longed for silk waist for two
summers" she said thoughtfully,
'but what does it matter? In this day
Cinderella and princess alike, wear
shirt waists, and my old organdie is
pretty yet. Anyway am going to
do it certainly ami" And after
this rather disconnected remark, the
shadow was gone from her face.
Louisa had gone about her work
that day, in a very preoccupied way;
she glanced at Mrs. Talcott now and
then with something akin to pity.
She understood, to some extent at
least, the sacrifice which was being
made. She gained courage to speak
to George about it finally, but
she got but little encouragement
from him.
"To him one old chiny bowl was as
good as another" he said, "soit didn't
leak"
But when he went to the barn the
next night, to hitch up the horse
while Louisa was dressing for the So
cial, he stood musing for five minu-
ties, with the bride in his hand.
"They might let her keep it," he
said, "stead of comm pesterin' her
about it. But I sha'n't waste money
on any such nonsense as that; it
comes too hard" and his thin lips
drew together in line.
Meanwhile, Louisa had dressed and
was waiting for him on the porch.
When she saw him coming, she got
up hurriedly, and went into the house,
as if she had forgotten something.
"My egg money.is my own, I guess"
she said to herself, defantly. as she
came out and joined her husband.
George had taken his mother over
to Johns that afternoon, for her
month was out with them. She sat
now, in the wide, familiar sitting
room, enjoying the homely, comfort
able surroundings with all her heart.
Jennett hurried about in the kitchen,
pausing in the doorway every now and
then, to tell her of the new peas, and
the beans that were doing better than
ever before, and of how heavily the
peach trees were loaded, and other
items of farm interest.