The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-06-09
ARGENTY'S STRAWS.

primly. Il pose you don know, she
went on, after pause, ''that | have a
way of helping
Mrs. Belts looked interested,
Yes" persued Miss Hoppett, fiattered
by the look, which contained a proper
proportion of respect, Eyes, l don't be-
lieve in promise Gus charity, which is, as
| take it, generally an insult to them it S
offered to-always is, in fact, and took so,
except where folks is so down in self re
spect that they don't care for anything
but filling their stomachs, and their stoves,
and covering their backs with what didn' t
cost EN- anything.
Mrs. Belts appeared by her expression
to agree with these vigorous views, SO Miss
Hoppett, very much at home in her own
sitting room, went on:
Nor yet do lean to handing over my
money TO an organiZation-not TO some,
anyway. The money generally gets give
ont in such cases in an awful i'll Judged
way, to say the least. | positive know of
one case where a woman that was stout
and able bodied went and asked for a new
dress and a pair of shoes. That woman
wouldn work, and she got that dress
and those shoes. Shameful misappropria-
ton of funds, | call that ended Miss
Hoppett, impressively.
Il don't know but it was family as
sented Mrs. Belts, who believed in OF
ganizati0n herself as the easiest way of
helping the poor.
- know you don exactly agree with
me, said Miss Hoppett, politely, land I
will say that some organizations are en-
tirely TO be trusted. | give some to that
kind myself But this one wasn't And
it set me to thinking. I've got lots of
time-oceans of t, as you might say, and
SO what's to hinder me doing the hift of
my own charity work according to my
own method9''
'Nothing at all To hinder You, Celes-
tiny responded Mrs. Belts but we
hahn all got oceans OF time, nor your
knack of managing, either
Miss Hoprett smiled pleased smile.
''Well, " she answered. modestly, "some
has one knack, and some has another.
Now about Argenty -ain that a silly
name? Twas that made me hesitate some
about taking her But l considered that
she didn' name herself, and SO wasn't to
blame; and | took her.
Fearful scrawny, ain she.9' said Mrs.
Belts.
Eyes, returned Miss Hoppett, grave
ly; ''scrawny all over, in her body and
her mind and her soul. And her souls
the serawniest part of her. However
/ III watching her straws careful; and if |
don't get leading by the time | get her
body fed up, I'll be mistaken
Mrs. Belts looked puzzled.
''Watching her straws"' she repeated.
''What do you mean, Celestiny? Is that
part Of your method you was speaking
of?'
Its all my method, Mrs. Belts, re-
joined Miss Hoppett, solemnly-''every
plumb bit OF it, =
''Well, | wish you explain it, Celes-
tiny"
ut don't need no explaining. You
way the wind blows ?''
Mrs. Belts nodded
''Well, l just invite some poor creature
like Argenty to come and make me visit,
and then | watch her straws: and by the
time her visits done l generally get on
track of what to set her at. Catch me
giving her anything. It's my business to
make her feel that she must not take any
thing, if she can possibly do for herself.
set three to earning a good living a ready
just by watching their straws: though
don't You repeat it, Mrs. Belts, for [
hadn't ought to have spoke of it.
nOh. 7 won't tell anvbodv - renlied
Mrs Belts T rising [ 10 CO. You "S need io' be-
afraid OF me Ceies1inv Won know me =
II know you won say anything if you
promise not, SAID Miss Hoppett, ''and
do y3u come aoain ),
Mrs Ratts was NOT linoarar. vgban sho
rose to 90 She Vent AMI from He foot
of the stems She smiled assent 70 her
friend invitation, and was off around
fine corner leaving Miss uon,e+t 1ais,,rei,-
10 shut and fasten he front door
~ don't NM no faitb in tho aepe,a1
nnhIic Miss Honnatt al,ra,,s o,S1-a,'aIi
when rallied an haT lnclIad dnoys ..,roi,l,+
peneraIl,, ANGELS tbat COMES s+an,,i,,. IN
on xon nnawaras from Tho sr,eatt +l,asa
DAYS
n shonldn't think then von,d he
+alxin' 81, many S+ranera oi,1s a,d T,l,,,,.,,,
CeInstinv said oId M pba1ns r,h( t.,.
a near rejphbor
..Ob ianghed Miss T1orna+t aim
afraid Of them 7 on1v tala Gpe ~ . tine
Won know. and ami strncl, cl,e(i lra
amono the lot some l,f tbe,,, hos baar,
nisoni5ad and ali nf 1an, has baa,, 1890 ~
rln9ta Int fbat's Inc vow, 4,e,,s+ l,
saw of em They, 90 ali baan bnneSt and
uiI1ina IN 1rork az sno,, tl,a,, 1,rot,. ~
70 rot a. >, -i'e
SWaT do ro,, ,binl . roo,,+,,,s c,o;,,,,
r,o,l, o. nnrsis4ed Wrs pbeI,1s .sShni
,nn,Ila,. ,Ia,,l -, NV n,;nd Who,, oo -
,i.t .' III -. :oi'lo