The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1898-04-21
JOTLs PUsKtS HOOD

Il VA its atsi trsllf cold day 81 vlaief
There lsd hssa sharp ~is3s 1sd ito'il
. ui9as ttlars, bot ttts day va bdis'l'
clustering A.gus the r. 20 roa', stvln.
tLsHitnHs teuos q is srrroscb. ebs'
Itrs1 bIas lara ssgor, dfssu by :
vhts botse. sbiab was dnrsu by tai
mtn, uba sore ou hls hesis large srctu
hao3 gt The paurtlu variety.
Errry ooe aho ssw bla pss, OF tbe
v,t 10 be uaod l5t ssii af thought.
Jsel B+rn-lt lac set out bis pnuEi1 hood
Aad me VI shs ESQ lo9kej alter lin 81
uosl euviously ,s they paassi to rob
iber tic iins ears
After Joel Bsuoetl's mother died, lesv
log him sloat 10 the Oh houst, the neigh
bofs waaei etent deal Of sJmpasby 90
him. TIE uomtu offered TO DO bic meud
tng. and on bRkiDg dafs seat him les
snd doushnuis. Blu, when he told them
thst be could probably mend fully as
we'll ss they could. aud when they found
thai be gave their cooking to the pis.
they sympstbizsi less, and eouteutei
themselves With buyius hls butter, which
vas Of excel ent quality
With I'll bis independence, weyer be
had ole sesk poigt, be could oo' resist
mis- seteua Bowens siugersnsps lie
had tried repeatedly to make them him
self but, although At times he islt en-
coursged sud bad hopes Of mastering the
art, be finally gave it up 10 disgust, and
vowed, smii bIue cloud oismoks which
which was ascending from a pantul OF
rounds OF carbon, thst be never would |
attempt the impossible again.
80 every week be carried eggs sud but
ter 10 Miss Serena Bowen and battered
them for her glugersnsps. And dshe would
remark to Der tortoise shell cat, after be
was gone: / dout see how that man
manages 10 consume such quantity
! 1t wss five years Dos since with the re
mark, i have iro2' my ears once too
often, Joel had adopted the hesddress be
I ioro mentioned,
The old green hood began to show the
tdsct Of wear. There were places where
/ the green outside hsd worn fl and show
cd the white cotton batting inside 1t
was also EVIDENT that this threatened dis
solution cslsed Joe! some anxiety, for IN
! on place tn ere was seEed on, with large
lsbotious stitches, patch OF thick black
cloth, which, 10 contrast with the IA ed
green Of the surrounding territory, could
be seen for nearly halt mile.
Every body noticed this dilapI1sted con
ditlou, and felt sorry for Joel, wonder
II he'll wear that old thing next year, said
Miss Serena. And as she looked about
the cCzy room that served for her little 1
bakery she sighed for some un ccouutabe
reason.
Spring cane, and for some little time
Joel had worn a hat. while the punkin
hood hung on q hook 10 this back entry, {
Then one day towards the end OF April
Joel decided that it was time 10 pack 1t /
away for the summer. i
lie took it down and looked at it dub
ously. I'll have TO mend you, be said,
aud preparatory to the undertaking he (
took it ont of doors and hung 1t on the /
clotbeslne by its two strings to air. b
Miss Serena Bowen, passing elong the s
road was witness to this act,
That evening Joel mad finished his dsy's /
work and was sitting in comfort 10 bis v
kitchen reading. On the stand beside
him was bis lamp and plate Of ginger i,
snaps. Every so often be woud put out d
bis hand mechanically, take one OF them d
and ate 1t slowly as he read. The last bite 8
be Invariably gave to large black cat I
that sat on bic knees II was evident that Il
be was taking solid comfort y
But presently, when bis band CROPPED l
on tho empty plate and failed to find what a
II sought, be reused up, A determined, o
almost grim look came on bis iace. aud be n
put The cat on the floor with scsnt ctre Fl
money b
He vent into another room and came q
back With the work basket and some
patches He put them on the table,
threaded needle with much d hlluIty
aud then went ont TO t the puDkln
hood. n
1t was gone, A
He CROPPED along the whole length Of y
The olothesIine, but it WAS empty He D
lighted his lantern and searched oil the p
yard. bnt 10 vain, NJ
Joel felt his loss teenly, but be kept 1t o.
to himself, and no one suspected what I
ba 4 beisllen him He was iourhsnded b.
person, snd be determined that before oi
much time had passed be would have "
another hood.
He got the materials, and thereafter bis al
evenings we're ,pent 10 desperate tussle "
siih the problem Of boodmsking. At p
such times Miss Ssreus's singelsnsps we're v
the only mitigating iestore o. his night h.
Isbors. Joels disposition gave WY under &C
he strain and the black cat lesrued to Fl
Gee bis pr sence. m
Tue Is, OF May came and the hooi wac er
still unfinished. 81
One bigh,, sbea Joel was surrounded II
BY cotton batting. cloth, needles and 81
bread there came gentle knock At hIs b,
ioor He bad tesn Suboyed before by 10
boys pppius asd then di,sppesrns
Now be vas glad Of the diversion, and be OF
,latted for the door 10 bot hAste NJ
IL ...A -, ,tt, -. r,gtt srJ a., 81. 4