The Van Buren press., 1899-04-01

with an old black shawl, had passed
her on its way to the village burying
ground.
Another pauper's funeral" Mrs.
Whitaker mnrmured. looking over her
shoulder, as she drove on past the town
farm.
Again Anne Whitaker's lips eurled.
"Old men and funerals, right next
door" and this time she struck the
slow-moving pony gentle blow with
her equally slow-moeing whip.
Now Mrs. Anne Whitaker was not a
hard-hearted woman. She was only
an indignant land owner who found
her handsome farmhouse almost ruined
for residential and property purposes
by its proximity tothe poor farm. This
farm, adjoining Mrs. Whitaker's, had
been left TO the town last year.
'It's not that don't want the pau
peis to be comfortable" said Mrs.
Whitaker, as the pony trotted up the
driveway toward the barn; but must
say | don't care to have them right un-
der my nose"
Mrs. Whitaker, rot finding her man
about, embarrassed the pony and led
him into the stall and then went in
doors to duscuss with Hannah, the only
other occupant of the big house, the
disadvantages of the locality.
Meantime in the poorhouse, next
door. little child was sobbing her
heart out in an upper room.
"You hadn't oughter have taken her
away before her mother died, If she
did make fuss" said the daughter Of
the woman who looked after the poor
farm, ''l'm agoiu' up to see her"
She went up two fights Of stairs to
The garret room where child was
seated on an old box in the corner. The
child stopped crying, half frightened as
she entered. The girl sat down on a
trunk opposite
Look here, Ruth You mustn't cry
any longer" commanded the matron's
daughter
II want my mother" sobbed the
child. with new courage.
The girl hesitated a moment. "Well,
you cant have your mother" she an
swered at last, frankly, she's dead,
and gone TO Heaven"
"oh." said the child, slowly, "you
didn't tell me. Mamma said she
thought she was going to die. but they
didn't tell me; they just carried me
away"
well, for gracious sakesl" cried the
girl; you took on so about her bcin'
sick that we had to. You amt goin' to
cry any more, are your" she added,
coaxingly.
"No, | amt" answered the child,
gravely.
There. that's a good girl;s the ma
irons daughter rose and gave the dark |
locks an affectionate rub 81 knew you
wasn't goin' to be naughty"
The girl went downstairs and left |
Ruth sitting very still upon the box
in the corner and thinking hard. with |
her eyes fixed on cobweb Just across
the garret.
"My mamma has died and gone TO
Heaven the child meditated. solemn
u. II told her II she went up TO |
Heaven first, the next thing she knew |
she'd look around and see me there. |
amt going TO stay In this horrid place
without her. I'm going TO die myself
and go and see her, right straight off.
Ill put on my best nightgown. and III
lie down In the bed and put some flow
crs at my head"-some kind person
had placed bouquet by her mothers
bed the last time Ruth had seen rer
lying sick and still-"and then I'll die
and go TO Heaven" She rose now and.
stepping TO the window. peered be-
tween the dusky festoons at the blue
sky. as II she expected 10 see the angels
already descending to bear heraway.
At last she went quietly down the
stairs. she must find the flowers first.
and 10 90 out of doors 10y the back way
she must pass through the kitchen.
The girl was at the stove frying dough-
nuts. and looked mp as Ruth entered.
"Hullo." she said; "haye dough
nut2"
These doughnuis were not for the in