The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-08-18

l believe l can develop some skill if you
will not think me pushing and presum-
ing
Push and presume all you like said
Mrs. Patrick cordially. "Only don't
waste yourself on a task can hire child
to do
50 Mary began to push and presume. -
She was deft- handed and open eyed. She
sorted and packed berries for market, and
owing to her painstaking, the Patrick
berries stood little higher, if possible,
in the estimation of buyers. She helped
with the canning and preserving for home
use, and one day Mrs. Patrick said, Il
declare, Mary, | think putting that ad-
yertsement in the Evening Herald was
the most fortunate thing | ever did. You
seem to belong here.
Behind the glad look that answered her
in Mary eyes a certain usefulness shoue
out. And it set Mrs. Patrick thinking.
But she did not at once formulate her
thought, if that could be called thought
which was passive opening OF her mind
to all that concerned Mary and her life on
| the farm. She noticed that all the ,Jer-
seys loved her: that when she stepped out
towards their yard the chickens crowded
ways ready to follow her: that the flowers
seem to thrive under her touch; that every
dumb thing on the place trusted her.
shut up a girl like that in a store"'
exclaimed Mrs. Patrick to herself one
morning in August, "A girl that has
sense enough to enjoy living close to
nature. For She does enjoy it. She's
gained III every way since she's been
| here
Yes, Mary did enjoy it, There was a
time every day for her to read and rest,
and plenty of reading on hand. How
could she stand it to go back? she oft Il
asked herself. To live alone in that little
cooped up room at night and through her
small leisure time to stand all day and
minister to those who We're too tired and
in too much Of a hurry, or else too idle
and selfish to care for her more than they
did the cash box that ran on the wire to
the cashiers desk with their money; to
hear always. when she was awake, the
rush and roar of the city. Here the very
wild birds We're friendly. And how could
any one call hens uninteresting when they
had such confidential ways of casting up
one eye and talking to her? And then
she fell to thinking what Round Top
Farm might be like in winter. She knew
that there was little snow, for the farm
was not far north enough for much of
that. And one day she asked Mrs Pat
rick.
We'll, smiled Mrs Patrick, perhaps
You ought not TO ask me, for | own | am
in love with Round Top Farm. Winter
ism summer anywhere, you know. But
why don't you stay and see for yourself
just how dull and disagreeable Round
Top can be?'
''Oh, Mrs. Patrick" exclaimed Mary;
and her eyes filled with tears.
Il mean it, said Mrs. Patrick. Il
don see why you mightn't as well help
me for money as TO wait on customers in
store for money. All the accounts Of
the year are to be gone over and balanced
1ou could help me in my business core
spondence, which is quite large, for Nh
Patrick hates business letters. | will tell
you what | do not speak OF generally
Mr.. Patrick is not strong. Things wear
on him and annoy him that do not affect
me in the least. He likes to supervise
the outdoor work, and it agrees with
him to do it. But he hates business, and
so | attend TO that. You are the one per-
son that / have ever had about me that
needs no supervision. | will give you
forty dollars month and your board the
year round if you will stay"
Mrs Patrick" called one OF the
maids, putting head in at the door.
And, with her accustomed promptness,
knowing that she vas needed, Mrs. Pat
Iick obeyed the call.
Lett to herself, Mary slipped up TO her
room and put on her hat and gloves.
Then she went quickly down again, and
out and away through the flower garden,
Where She stopped only to pick the neal
est blossom and Then went on. She want
ed u be alone 60 think over how good,
how very good God had been to her when
he gave her the gift OF beng particular in
little thlhgs-the silt thai lies at the bot
tom Il every solid success IN life, no mat