Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-10-17

CNA = oAA0
II might mean starvation.
But Angelina had always liked Jo-
sePh, and she was very fond of Mary
Ann. She thought, as she took up
the soap-stick and began to stir care
fully n 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 Angelina cast
a 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 so minutes
and burned the soap.
The next day it was no better. She
had spent two hours of idle minutes
N4ACu L1lCH L NCLAt@IOo
Angeline was very conscientious
about the truth, if not about indus
try. and she never dreamed of not
writing down the full extent of her
sins of omission. The book promised
to be well filed: not a day passed
but she made her poor Respondent
little entries.
II can't see that the book is doing
her a mite of good Mrs. Littlefeld
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 it is the last
of December, and she has not i'm
proved at all. She spent an hour
and a half staring up in the sky to
see the snow fall to-day, when / had
set her to piecing that b~laZing-star
quilt"
Angelina 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
as the flooring was thin and there
was no carpet, the conversation was
quite audible.
May Dc sic ain L 1ccIluS wen,
said her father. Angeline's father
always took her up per part. He
had rather a dreamy and poetic tenn
permanent himself, an6h 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 Angeline heard his reply. out
of her bed she popped into the
freezing room, and put her mouth to
the floor. No, it is not because I
am sick, father" she said, bravely;
1t is because | am idle and wicked
Then she knelt down and prayed
awhile before she climbed back into
bed.
"She is a good child" her father
below said in a careful whisper, but
Mrs. Littlefield shook her head sad
ly.
"It has got to be works as well
very softly, but her daughter heard
her.
Angelina resolved that the very
next day.she would not have to make
Il single entry in the Idle Minute
book, and she began very well. 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 h~etchelled, 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
approvingly and kindly at her. and
Angelina began to have q glow of self
confidence and graduation. But, alas!
it lasted only until after dinner.
When she dishes had been washed,
Mr.. Littlefield went out to chop
wood in a distant woodland, and Mrs.
Littlefeld and Mary Ann went over
20 Grandmother L~ittlefeld's, one ear
rying her knitting-work. the other
her tapeloom. Angeline was left to
mind the house, with injunctions to
spin two skeins of yarn before they
returned.
She spun uEremittingly 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 II. 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, a
beautiful day to look at. 1t was bit
terly cold, but there was a 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.
The day before there had been a
snow storm which had changed to
rain in the night; then the cold had
increased. and still increased, ever
since dawn; everything vas frozen.
Angeline looked out at the wonder
full radiance until she could stay in
the house no longer. Il can run out
n minute, and have time to finish my
stent when I return" said to herself.
She pinned her homespun blanket
over her head, and a out of the
house. Then she made her way over
the %gHttering snow-crust, running
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