Middletown transcript., 1897-05-08

| E$$SssN NasIEzk9E{N oi0 nv
E - day, and looke'
up the street and saw advancing to
ward her great flock of sheep, plal
came into her head which proved i'm
portant.
The mass came sweeping past tn
pretty cottage, sending clouds OF Call
fornia dust over the cypress hedg'
upon the beds of scarlet verbeneas ant
into Miss P. IS very face, but Miss L
never moved. Her soft eyes fuu o
compassion, gazad out upon that pa
tient Jhrong of creatures, and a look o.
pain swept acro-s her face as the pool
things tried eagerly to catch mouth
full of the fresh, green grass, which
formed Miss P.'s well-kept border just
outside the path. The horseback rider
urged them on, and on they hurried,
huddling their fieecy dust-brown backs
together till it seemed as though one
might walk across that living flood.
Behind the great flock came the usual
accompaniment-the wagon in which
the lame and exhausted sheep were car
ried by the herders-and as Miss z.
looked one faltered and fell, rose feebly
and was picked up and placed in the
wagon with the others.
When the last cloud of dust had set
tied, Miss P. smiled TO herself an odd
little smile. "It's queer thing to do,
maybe, but its no ones business but
my own, and if 1 choose to do mission
ary work in front Of my own house in
stead of away off in heathen lands I'm
going to do it,"
Miss P. took the three O'Clock car
into the the city ityF and visited certain place
of business on bustling street, held a
half hours conference with the pro-
prietor, looked over numerous cata-
logues, talked prices and then took her
departure. Not for home, however.
To an uptown office in great block
she next made her way; then, as the
summer twilight was gathering, sought
her corner and Wai ed for her car.
Miss P.'s life was lonely. Something
seemed always lacking to make it quite
complete. She would not admit it,
even to herself, for the owner of that
resolute mouth and chin, and that firm
independent way, could never confess
that aught was lacking to make her
comfort complete. She was not rich
only ''coufortably fxedn as the neigh
bors said. Her father dying a few
years before, had left her the neat lit
tie cottage and the fruit orchard be-
hind it, which supplied not only her
but many of the neighbors with choice
fruit. For Miss P. was nothing if not
neighborly. although there war always
certain dignity and reeerve about her
that ,rbade the approach of the too
familiar. People wondered why she
was at forty still unmarried. She must
have: bad disappointment" they
said, though Miss 2. looked least likely
of women to have had romance.
One morning great dray, drawn by
four horses, toiled along the dusty road
and pulled up at the little white gate
under Miss P.'s cypress arch. Neigh
bors began to wonder and conjecture
and to neglect the cooking of their
MONDAY meals, when Miss P.'s blue
sunbonnet, having duly peered over in
to the wagon and inspected its con.
tents, withdrew into the house, and
the men who had come with the dray
began to lift and tug at a queer, long,
stone something in the wagon.
Old Mrs. Green peered through the
blinds Of the next house and called out
excitediy, "Maiia, come here this min
utel do believe Miss P.'s went and
had her own cOffiu made, or sarcopa-
gus or somethin"
But, Maria, leaning interestedIy over
the old lady's shoulder, said, ''Pshaw,
mother, taint' no such thingI Looks
heap more like watering trough to
MEL
And so in course Of time il proved to
be. "Just like one of her queer no.
tio1s," said one. "But it II be blessin
to poor dumb brutes, just the same, .
said another, and third neighbor de-
clared that nothing on earth could
tempt her to have public watering
trough put in front Of her
house.
The men within mile around
thought it was just the thing, and be-
gan to wonder Why they hadn't taken
up collection aid go, one themselves
long aga.
!. But wien in few days handsome
iron drinking fountain was brought
out from the city and set up at one end
uf%he long st.ne rough, and bright |
tin cup was chained thereto. people |
said, Miss ?. does beat all for doing |
deeds Of Inerc,l'
And the lady in question. sitting sn
hel yine- srea he'd porch, said to her.
self as she wa ched he thirsty children |
upping on heir way hulne from school
in The. hot summer afternoons, II
really couldn't spare that hundred and |
Hfly dol airs very well, but can do
wi hout the new mating [ was going |
o gei and am going to make over
my best dress AID pinch along awhile
% make up for it, and the dollar a
month extra water tax won't be very
much. Anyhow I'm going to enjoy
t.n
And she did enjoy it. What q pleas
nre It was the next time flock OF sheep
'ame through TO see the thirsty creat-
lres crowd and push around the low