The Winslow mail., 1898-04-30

/
he had to kill 'em to put 'ern our of their
misery. l used to think it would be
cheaper to fix up the holes, beforehand;
| but. someway, it seemed easier for him
! to 90 it afterward. AM his crops didn't
/ amount to anything; ne ran in debt
/ to hire help to tend 'em, too. l should
have thought it would have paid bet
! ter to DO some work himself; but, don't
/ you know, some men think job of set
| TIM round al the grocery store rays
| better than anything else. 'Twouldn't
pay me, but it seemed so to Ciliab. SO,
| first he knew the money I let him
have was all gone-every cent of it,
Seems as if most men would have seen
| by that time that he would have to turn
over new leaf, but Ciliab didn't, he
| just KEEP right on, too. l tried to do
what [ could; but I begun to have
spells, when I would all smother like;
couldn't seem to git breath. An enc
| day Ciliab said, sez he: Aunt Leafy,
1 don't know but you'd be better eff
out to the county farm. It's good
| place for old folks. You'd have plenty
to eat, and nothin' to do The county
farm sez I, just like that. For the
land sake, Ciliab, what be you thin1zin'
Of? No one Of my kin ever came to that;
an 1 amt a-goip' to be the first 1t
just took my breath aGay. But I see
that Ciliab's wife was az the bottom of
it, and I didn't know what in the
world to do. An old woman like me
at the county farm! I couldn't bear
the thought of it; but thought an
thought about it, an laid awake nights
over it. till finally made up my mind
I'd go if the Lord wanted me to. May
be could do some little work out there;
wash dishes, maybe, or sweep the floor
[ can't set still; I should die if L do.
But 1 wanted to stop an see John be-
fore | went; an won't deny that I
wanted to see Johns wife, too.'
The old lady put her hand out to lay
it upon Molly's arm.
AFTER that. I'm ready to go on, if the
Lord wills"
Something came over Molly's face,
which gave it very determined look
"You shall stay with us until YOU
are well rested, Aunt Leafy. You've
had hard time Of it in this world,
haven't you?"
''Oh, no! The world has used me bet
ter than I've used the world. But it
does seem good to set down here and
rest"
Molly put away her paper and pen.
The letter she had begun to write was
not finished that day, nor the next.
! Still, something restful came into her
.fo 40 e., L. II
a comfort to have this bright old lady
with her; she was so cheerful and so
helpful for one of her age, Many a
weary hour passed swiftly away chat
ting with Aunt Leafy,
For long time she said nothing
about continuing her journey to the
county farm. There was thorough un-
derstanding between John and Molly
! on that point, however; and neither,
! by word or deed, did they refer to the
subject. Some way, the roses came
! back to Molly's cheeks. Was it that
] Aunt Leafy saved her SO many steps, or
because her simple presence had called
! her thoughts into other channels2
Bright and early one morning Aunt
Leafy was up and dressed. When the
work was all done she went into the
room she had occupied, and soon came
out with the faded bonnet and thin
shawl on.
I'm going on to-day, Molly" she
said, in return to Molly's look of in
quiry. GIVE made you good, long
: visit-longer than 1 expected to; but
it's bin so good and restful here I
couldn't bring myself to think of the
farm. know I've waited longer about
goin' than I ought to. So I'll set down
under the porch an wait for the stage.
It's so nice and cool out here, 1 feel
. kind O. s1nothery this morning. I'll get
over it after I've rested a little while" F"
"Now, Aunt Leafy," began Molly,
firmly, 'we can't let you go in this way,
and we are not going to do it. John
and I talked it all over long ago, and
we are agreed that you shall never go
to the farm. So just take off your
things and stay. Sit down under the
>, porch if you wish; but never think any
more about going away"
The tears came into the old woman's s
:, eyes.
you're real kind" she said, in a
broken voice. "But I ought to go. I
can't be much help"
Eyes, you are, Aunt Leafy," Molly
| protested. "More than you know, and
we can't let you CO."
But Molly's appeal was in vain. Aunt
Leafy went out upon the shady porch
and sat down to wait. Molly followed
her with pale face and helped her to be
seated in the comfortable chair she had
taken so much pleasure in during her
, stay. Then she went back and slipped
: away to the Office to bring John back
with her. He would be able to change
Aunt Leafy's mind if she could not.
| Together they came up the walk.
: Aunt Leafy seemed to be sitting very
) quietly. Perhaps she had dropped to
5 sleep. If so, it was all the better. The
stage would go on and leave her. Then
: they would persuade her to stay with
, them.
John placed his hand quietly on her
arm, and, bending, looked into her face
as he whispered: "Aunt Leafy!"
: Aunt Leafy had gone on. = N: Y
d. Ledger.
What Is DefileEient in india.
In every native house in India there
5 is a shrine in which the household gods