The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1898-12-24

her as she sat in the fireless room,
while the winter winds swept
about the house.
"Yes, mother was right, how
wicked of me to be moaning my
lot. Why, there's Old Mary, the
blind beggar. Jamie Todd, who is
lame, and Mary Roses father gets
drunk, in spite Of all his money"
And by the time Hettie had enum-
Grated all the people who were
worse off than herself, she had
concluded that the jacket was not
so very old looking; that it was
mean to ask for new one when
father was too poor to buy his
much needed fannels. Perhaps
Sam could trade his microscope
with Ned Wheeler for his skates
as he was going to Florida next
week. And even if Aunt Virginia
did croak, the poor old thing was
SO unloved and lonely that she
had perhaps grown sour from be-
ing shut up SO long by herself,
like preserves in a musty store
room. This last thought made
Hettie laugh outright, for she re-
membered how jar of sour rasp-
berries sizzled and frothed, for the
world like Aunt Virginia scolding.
That laugh cleared all the clouds
away, and sent Hettie out of the
door to the shed for kindling, but
just outside was big bucket full
of coal with kindling cut just
right, and grinning note in Sans
sprawling characters:
"Dear Sis:-Here's your coal.
Pm sorry | forgot. Ned will swap
his skates, and pa says | can go
out to the pond, so goodbye; from
your brother. SAM"
How nice that Sam would get
his skates. How good of him to
remember the coal, and Hettie
sang softly as she made a fire,
which soon blazed up, making the
room warm and cozy. "Now |
must run down for my book, and
Hettie tripped down the stairs to
the sitting.room door, where she
paused. The gas was turned
down, and in the dim light she
saw her father seated in front OF
the fire, with his gray head in his
hands, looking up at his wlfe's
picture with face SO full of love
and longing that Hettie ran to him
and put her arms about his neck,
as if to make up to him all he had
lost. "Dear father" was all she
said just then, but he understood, {,
and held her close for moment,
and then sat her on his knee, and
for the next hour they sat talking
OF the dear one who had left them,
and Hettie learned to know and
love her father as she had never
done before.
After while her father said,
"Why Hettie, Aunt Virginia gave
me note for you when she stop
ped me this afternoon. | forgot
all about it until now," and he
drew it from his pocket. Hettie
opened it wonderlngly (for Aunt
Virginia to write her note was
little short of miracle) 1t was
short and characteristic of Aunt
Virginia. 1t read;
ssNIEcE HETTIE:--I know you
ought to have new jacket, that
old one looks shabby. Like as
not you'll get a shoddy one that
wont wear, and am an old fool
for my pains, but here's a check
from AUNT VIRGINIA.
1t would be hard to say who was
the most pleased, Hettie or her
father, and when Sam came in
with his beloved skates slung over
his shoulders, he called Aunt Vir-
ginia an "old dear, = and said. .sIt's
Just like anything else. There's
boy at school who laughs all the
time, can't stop he says. Then
there's little Mary Sadd. who cries
i tyou poke your finger at her.
reckon Aunt Virginia's just the
same way, just got to fuss, and
we'll just let her, and not mino
what che says"
Then they parted for the night
and Hettie slipped into bed. Al
ter she had said a thankful little