Connecticut western news., 1902-05-22
SWEET MISTRESS PRUE
BY M. L.. AVARY
Copyright, 1901. by M. L. Avary

tain laurel, plumeS or pine and hem- lock and gay punches of bittersweet berries.
 "Ah. how it smells of the woods at homew cried Anne, her face bright with smiles and tears.
 The little brothers and sisters in the New England village where she lived before she came to make .,er living as a stenographer in New York had gath cred it.
 "Ole Virginny nebber tirev' shouted Margaret as the congressman numbered in again, bearing a big box.
 It was crammed with holly. running cedar - greenwood lace" Margaret called it--and mistletoe.
 'Oh. I love to touch 1t! Mamma's dear hands put it in" And Margaret sang:
 'sThe mistletoe hung in the castle hall.
 The holly branch shone on the old oak wall And the baron's retainers were blithe and gay, Keeping their Christmas holiday.
 Oh, the mistletoe bought Oh, the mistletoe
 boughr'
 t The girls had lots of fun decorating the house from top to bottom.
 They made their den a bower of green and scarlet Then they festooned the doors of every boarder in the house. Nobody was too old or new or glum or ugly to be thus prettily reminded that the merry girls up stairs, whose antics kept them awake O nights and made them swear under and above their breath, were full of the spirit of good will to men. The landlady's apart ment was invaded while she was in the Kitchen seeing to 1t that meals went into the dining room properly. When she came up stairs tired and cross, loi the smell of the forest and the glint of red berries greeted and soothed her. The little sewing girl who had recent ly taken the room next to the den came timidly to the door to voice her thanks. "It makes me think of Santa Claus times," she said, with eyes suspicious ly bright. Tt was ever so nice for you to do 1t for perfect stranger.
 ''Oh, but you aren't strangerr' said jolly Margaret You are our nearest neighbor. you know. Come right in and have a cup of tea. We're just brewing"
 So Prue sat down among them and listened while they talked away about the folks at home. She watched them doing up small packages In white tis- sue paper with red and green ribbons.
 These are belated offerings" they said. We were up till last night tying up things Hope we didn't dis turb you We do jabber so. It's such fun to make up the presents-lots of crinkly paper and gay ribbons, you see, and not much else. We can't give anything that costs over 10 or 15 cents, so we have to make the magnificence of the parcel counterbalance the hu- millty of the gift It looks like a sin to send such trash. but 1t reminds kinfolk and friends that we think lovingly of them. Besides. if folks didn't buy trash. what would become of the stores and the salesladies and cashboys they employg Where would their Christmas be if all of us were too wise to buy foolishly?"
 The little needlewoman turned to and helped with the parcels and waxed al most merry. When all the fluffy affairs were incased In coats of brown paper, she helped Margaret carry them to the corner drugstore to mall.
 Good night" said Margaret at F'rue's door, "But wait minute. Pm going to stick q bundle of mistletoe over your door just for luck, you know. And-who knows?-Lord Lovel may walk beneath 1t and find you herep'
 She took spray out of the bowl of leftovers and. climbing on her steplad- der chair, fastened 1t into the running cedar.
 .We have some over our door," she said, laughing.
 Your prince will be sure to come. '' said Prue
 Margaret's engagement to a bank clerk and Anne's to budding railroad magnate were matters of common talk in the house.
 Prue's room was in reality a slice cut on the den by . thin partition, against which Margaret's and Anne's folding bed stood on one side and Prue's col on the other In the night Anne shool Margaret. tListen! she whispered.
 Through the wall came the sound ol weeping.
 For a time the girls lay quite still but presently Margaret whispered:
 'T can't stand 1t any longer. | sounds as if her heart were breaking Let's go to her"
 In a few minutes they were in tn, tiny room kneeling by the narrow bed
 "Oh," sobbed Prue, 'I haven't an. body to send anything to-if had any thing to send! And there's nobody t send anything to me"
 "You poor little thingr' said they There, there; you can have us. Vel take you right in."
 They took her round to the social set tlement and whispered word to tn head worker, and the head worker ask ed her to dress doll. She brought into the de0 and had great fun brink ing Miss Dolly out In gay attire. Tn head worker was much pleased wit Miss Dolly's appearance and with tn way the tire woman helped about tn Christmas tree and the children. S also were the deaconess and the curatt
 It took only q day or two for Prue t find lot of people to love. No youn woman who visited the settlement ha so many people to love her in so shol time. The deaconess made her us' full in the mission. She had recof nized place in the den. She had foun niche.
 Margaret and Anne came back fror the mission in fiutter.
 "Mr. Ashburton brought ne, preacher home with him tonight. H talks so quietly you would not call hiI eloquent. and yet he holds us all spel bound. The Bowery toughs were lik tsmbs- He Is from the west, Mir. Asl burton says, and he has been recent ordained. A great sorrow drove hiI tptQ the ministry. He used to be ratl