The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-11-01

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seph, and she was very fond of Mary
Ann. She thought, MS she took up
the soap-stick and began to stir care
fully one way, that Mary Ann was
looking sadder than usual. And Ange-
line determined, in order TO please
her sister, to be so Industrious that
! she would not have to put down a
single entry in the Idle Minute book.
But the yard was full of those
[ wonderful rosy and golden maple
trees; and presently Angeline cast
! glance up into the shifting radiance
of one over her head. Then the stick
moved more slowly. Then she smelled
wild grapes, and the stick moved
more slowly still. And the upshot
of it was, the soap caught on the
kettle. and Angeline had to make
her first entry in her Idle Minute
book that night to the effect that
she had wasted at least 80 minutes
and burned the soap. Thus continued
her record from day to day.
81 can't see that the book is doing
her mite Of good" Mrs. Littlefield.
told Mary Ann. "She writes in it
faithfully every night, but she is
Just as idle as ever. She had the book
in October, and here 1t il the last
of December, and she has not i'm
proved at all. She spent an hour
and half staring up in the sky to-
see the snow fall to-day, when l had
set her to piecing that blazing-star
quilt"
Angeline overheard what her moth
er said. She had gone to bed in her
little unfinished chamber, and they
were in the living room below, but
us the flooring was thin and there
was no carpet, the conversation was
quite audible.
Maybe she amt feeling WE'LL"
said her father. Angelne's father,
always took her up per part. He,
had rather dreamy and poetic tenn
permanent himself, and the times were
not a comfortable fit for him. He
had struggled hard with Angeline's
besetting sin In his youth, and only
the sore exigencies Of his daily life
had enabled him to conquer it.
When Angelne heard his reply, out
Of her bed she popped into the
freezing room, and put her mouth to,
the floor. mo, it is not because
am sick, father" she said, bravely;
ut is because l am idle andswicked."
Then she knelt down and prayed
awhile before she climbed back into
bed.
"She is good child" her father
below said in careful whisper, but
Mrs. Littletield shook her head sad
ly.
ut has got to be works as we'll
as faith" she returned. She spoke;
very softly, but her daughter heard
her.
Angeline resolved that the very
next day she would not have to make
single entry in the Idle Minute
book, and she began very we'll She
worked untiringly all the morning
and the morning began by CANDLE
light at half past three. By high
noon she had accomplished great
things. She had dipped candles, she
had hetchelled, she had carded, she
had spun, she had polished brasses
and pewter, she had knitted, besides
preparing all the vegetables for the
boiled dinner.
Her mother and Mary Ann looked
upprovingly and kindly at her, and
Angeline began to have glow of self
confidence and graduation. But, alas!
it lasted only until after dinner.
When she dishes had been washed,
Mr.. Littlefeld went out to chop
wood in a distant woodland, and Mrs.
Lttlefield and Mary Ann went over
to Grandmother Littlefield's; one car
rying her knitting-work, the other
her tapeloom. Angeine was left to
mind the house. with injunctions to
spin two skeins of yarn before they
returned.
She spun unremittingly for half an
hour; then she began to flag. She
looked over her shoulder out of the
window, and gazed out; then she set
tied down on a stool beside it. rested
her two hands on the sill, and sank
into one of those half reveries which
seemed to be her natural state, and
which was so unlike the fierce indus
try of all those about her. 1t was
a beautiful winter day; that is,
beautiful day to look at. 1t was Bit
terly cold, but there was diamond |
like sparkle of earth and air, for even
the blue depth of sky seemed to gilt
ter with points of light from the in
tense frost. The snow was frozen in
glittering pillows, and the trees
were clad in brilliant mail of ice.
She pinned her homespun blanket
over her head, and ran out of the
house. Then she made her way over
the glittering snow-crust, running
and sliding, facing the gusts of north
wind with glee which even the prick
ings of her conscience could not SUBJ
due. She knew that she was doing
she knew that she SHOULD
have to make a most disgraceful en-
try in her Idle Minute book, but she
could not help enjoying her COM
with that wonderful winter
day. As for the cold, girl brought
up in a house heated only by
hearth fire in one room, with all the
other rooms full of the blue gloom