Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1902-04-24

She had been as bright and as active
as any of them before the fall which
ha / injured her spine so terribly, but
where she had been strong and active
she was now gentle and accomplishing
bearing her pain and privation with
such sweet patience that one could
scarcely see it without a stirring at
the fountain of tears.
Whatever am going to do with
Marjie l don't know, said Mrs. Blake
one morning, as she stepped into Mrs.
Hunts CHEEKY kitchen of an errand.
"Houss-cleaning time is at hand, and
my customers are each one clamoring
to be served first, and l shall have to
hurry from one to the other a, fast as
can, or lose the work, and that l
cannot afford to dc"
Cant you find some one to stay
with Marie, Mrs Blake2 Itdoes seem
such pity to leave her alone so
much"
"Yes; I might for money, replied
Mrs. Blake with a sigh; "but house
cleaning time is my harvest, and with
all the other needs for money, I eau
not spare penny for that.
81 will go in as often as l can,
Mrs. Hunt said thoughtfully.
Il have lot of ripping to do for
my spring making over, and if you
won't mind shreds on your floor, | can
do it there as well as here, and JAMIE
can mind the house at home"
For several days Mrs. Hunts rip
ping amused Marie and kept her
busy, as with tiny pair of scissors
she, too, ripped the less difficult parts
of the garments, and jamie Hunt
helped her to fashion a dolls bonnet
out of the scraps, and the suffering
child was as happy as she could be in
her pain. All too soon the ripping
was done, and the springs work would
keep kind Mrs. Hunt at home, and
Mrs. Blake went to do her days work
with heavy heart.
The shop windows were full Of
Easter tokens-little, fluffy chickens
cunningly made Of wool and in one
window a number of little ducks
swan in a miniature pool, motherly
hen scratched for a brood of downy
chicks, and an idea occurred to Mrs.
Hunt as she passed on her way to
market.
Marie had just awakened from
troubled doze when she heard sound
outside which caused her weary, pain
filled eyes to open wide with surprise.
Her back had been unusually painful,
and the hands of the clock seemed al
most immovable as the pendulum
slowly, more slowly than ever before,
it seemed to the suffering child, ticked
off the tagging moments.
"Oh, Mrs. Hunt, what have you
brought?" she cried in surprise, as
little chirping sounds issued from
large basket on the kind neighbor's
arm.
"Wait a moment, little girl, and
you shall see, replied Mrs. Hunt, as
she began spreading newspapers over
the widows clean floor.
Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, you
know, and as you cannot go out to
see the shop windows yourself, l have
brought you a live Easter token to
enjoy at home" and she lifted out the
buff Cochin, serene and GLOSSY as ever,
and ten yellow bright-eyed chicks after
her.
Little Marie claspsd her hands in
an ecstacy of delight as she watched
them picking up the food and drink
ing water with perfect content.
Dear Mrs. Aunt, will you really
leave them with me2"
"All day long, if you like. Here is
the food for them, and Buff is go gentle
she will eat out of your hand if you
wish her to. See how she is settling
down to mother her oabie., as con-
tented as if she was in her own coop.
Never had Marie spent a happier
day than that charming one with the
chickens. Her little, pinched face
was in one perpetual smile as she
watched their pretty antics, tiny min
iaturss of their mother, almost as in
teresting in her motherly dignity to
the observant child.
"well, my good little hen, you have
found rather an exalted mission, l
think" remarked jamie Hunt, as she
tucked her favorite into her coop for
the night. THE best Of US cannot do
much better than to minister to the
sick, and to comfort the afflicted" )" and
| a. b,Gnoobip tucked her brood nm