The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-11-24
she deftly rolled the fine, buttery

onC uSltly IOIISu Tue Huej DuttcI
pie-crust.
This was the way of it: Winni
had come home from school one day
about week before, looking trou
bled. At first she refused to unboson
her grief, but Miss Amy, who hat
Hong ago learned that it was happi
er thing not always to let peopl,
alone, had finally won her confidence
1t seemed that her schoolmates hac
Deen talking about how much com
pany they were going to have Oh
Thanksgiving day, and they had
turned to Winnie and said, with the
peculiar affability for which some
children are distinguished, ''I guess
you won't have any company at your
house. Miss Hodgkins never has
company. You won't have any
mince-pies, either. 1 wouldn't live
with such queer old thing
And Winnie had run straight home,
very red and angry.
Miss Amy frowned deeply and said
nothing, but at tea-time she remark
ed: Winnie, my dear, we are 60
ing to have turkey and mince pie on
Thanksgiving day. Now it seems a
pity to cook up such mess just for
you and me, doesn't it, dear? Can
you think of anybody to ask in ~
Whether this serious maiden lady
foresaw what the answer would be
will never be known. Did she re-
member a certain August forenoon,
when it had sounded so strange to be
called "fne woman ?" Alas she
was not much in the habit of receiv-
ing compliments.
At all events, she did not seem to
resent it when quiet little Winnie
suddenly clapped her hands, she left
her seat at table, and threw her arms
around Miss Amy's neck, Joyous
ly exclaiming, "Why, aunty, dear,
there's the dear, dear old Steeple-
Jack, with his daughter all gone
away !"
The great day arrived, enveloped
in that peculiarly rough exterior
which some great days assume Just to
show their independence. 1t was
bowling storm. The sky was black
with snow-clouds, and the rough
north wind had blown such whirls of
snow into the church -steeple that it
had stopped the clock.
Winnie stood disconsolately at the
window watching the storm, quite
sure that Mr.. Kelley would never
brave such weather; and Miss Amy
did not know whether to put on the
extra plate or not, and looked as al
tered IN countenance as the sky was
now altered from the bright dav when
she made the pies. All for nothing,
after all-she might have known!
A moment more and Joe Kelley's
high-pitched, CHEEKY voice was in the
entry, and he was shaking the snow
from his great overcoat and getting
the matted drops out of his mustache,
and laughing at their surprise at his
"Well, we'll, you don't know mems
ways, that's certain, if you think a
snow-storm will keep 'em away from
a good dinner But after all, that
wasn't the reason 1 came" he added,
quickly; and he gave Miss Amy a
look which seemed to dazzle her, for
she vanished suddenly. "And did
you think I'd lose a chance to come
and see my little clock-girl?" he went
on, giving Winnie a kiss.
Miss Amy soon rejoined them, and
she had on pink bow which some
how Winnie had not noticed before.
1t was very becoming, and had the
effect of tightening up the room.
They were soon invited to the dining
room, and there took place such a
merry dinner as made the old red
poppies in the wallpaper glow as they
used to do fifty years ago.
Joe declared that he had seldom
tasted such food. How could people
be so good to him? He didn't see
what he had done to deserve such
good times. He never saw such
hearted, generous woman He
should write and tell Agnes about
this day.
Miss Amy, with becoming flush
on her cheek, brought out dish after
dish, and grew brighter and brighter,
until by and by Mr.. Kelley's eyes
seemed unable to hide their admira-
ton. They seemed not only to say,
GA fine woman" but GA handsome
woman, lovable woman"
How strange it was And how
happy Winnie felt ! AS if somehow
she lived in the middle of fairy
story, right there in a great snow
storm on Thanksgiving day in East
Parish
And so the soft given name by the
tender mother long ago was not a
misnomer after all, for romance had
gathered round it and it stood, as it
ought, for love and gentleness.
1t did not seem surprising that,
after dinner, Mr.. Kelley should sit
right on the haircloth sofa by Miss
Amy's side, and that he should call
Winnie and take her on his knee, and
that he should quietly take hold of
Miss Amy's hand.
"This is a real genuine Thanks
giving to me-" said he, very serious
ly. "Here we've been three very
lonesome people, and we find that
when we're together we have such
good times that, come what might,
we could stand it if we stuck togeth-
er. A while ago tried to steal away
your little girl, for wanted daugh-
ter. Now, 1 want daughter, and q
wife, too. Don't you see, Miss Amy
Why, from the time saw you kneel
down and gather this little chicher
into your arms that day, I've sort o
thought you were the woman for me
You made no great show of love, bu
gracious you meant more and fel