Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-12-30
A NEW YEARS CALLER.
Sarah cooper's Reception and What
II Brought Her.

! anu eACHuuSeu HcT Cltdu pIlI
"a apron for clean white lawn on
). She took pains to select her yer
r, best one. with the knitted trimmin
l. four inches deep, Four-inch knitte
d. trimming on ones white apron wa
s. luxury enough for the big hous
D. across the street.
Il wonder If Cynthia Broadstree
% viii put on hers to receive in" sh
J. thought, whimsically Sarah Coope
: was a humor-lovlng little person. ant
: enjoyed her own little witticism
j when there was no one else to EMO.
u them. The notion of stately Mrs. j
. . Henry Broadstreet receiving New
Years calls in a white apron, M
matter how deep" its knitted edging
was worth smiling over.
, ''Still. Cynthia used TO be simple
minded enough, even after she mar
ried j. Henry Broadstreet-John Hen.
ny he was then, plain John Henry
But | guess 1t turned both O. theil
heads getting so we'll off. / guess it's
liable to. Probably it would turn
mine and Pliny's. l guess I'll tell
Pliny IL would not be safe for us to
get rich!"
She looked around the bare little
room, involuntarily noting all the
patched places in the carpet and the
crafty make shifts of poverty. Per-
haps, after all. it would not be nee
essary to mention it to Pliny.
Then she drew up the corners Of
her pleasant mouth again, and went
back to her appointed task of watch
| 1ctra
They would be coming along any time
now: by and by there would be lit
tie stream of them--infowing and
outfiowing And some would come in
carriages-old DR.. Truro, and young
Horace Dalrymple, and the man that
hired Pliny.
HE might call here" laughed the
little woman, gently. 1T would only
be showing proper respect to Plinys
wife!-and 1 have my best apron all
on! Hi. hunt I wonder how it would
feel to receive a New Years cali?
I'm going to shut my eyes and make
believe"
Sarah Cooper-when she had been
little Sally Mum, and from there on"
had been addicted to making be-
sin, but he didn't mean it. In Pliny |
Cooper's eyes, Sally had no sins.
She had made believe her dolls |
were alive and her bits Of broken
china were gold-rimmed plates and
cups. She had made believe she had
been to college, and could read and
speak eleven languages She had
made believe Pliny was handsome,
and learned, and rich. She had always
made believe, like little child. and
enjoyed herself doing it. The sweet
est, the most sacred thing she had
ever made believe was little white
spread cradle and a little head dent
ing the pillow.
Now she leaned back, and began
to rock gently-that was part of 1t.
Her eyes were closed.
I'm just putting on my best bonn
she smiled, dreamily. Gym
thia's been over-Mrs. J. Henry !
mean, and asked me to
come across and receive with her. I {
need you she says, you're just the {
one I want Now, I'm all ready; I'm |
crossing the street. Now I'm there.
Now I'm receiving! Now I'm shak- /
ng hands with the man that hires
9liny. "A happy New Year, madam! S
lie says, and The same to you!
;ays. There's a lot more coming In j
he door; we're right in the middle Z
If it now. We're having beautiful d
incl Cynthia whispers how nice t
ook-and 1 do. My bombazine has
urned into satin I have on g
hread-lace collar. T
Now young Horace Dalrymple is
ng his hand out Why, Mrs. Coop n
r. if it amt you'll he says. And If r
t amt good for sore eyes to see you! g
lows Pliny?' And then he has to r.
1t go of me. so as to make room for N
omebody else. Ell
"The room is getting pretty crowd h
d. Why here comes Pliny in h
wallow- tail coat, to call on mel"
That woke the dreamer up. Her Ell
yes flew open, and she began to
hugh softly to herself. tc
II can't make believe that!" she tc
ried. Il guess that's a good place to al
top at" And she went back to her la
,atching at the window. Several men p
,ere going into the great front door te
f the big house; probably she had
Kissed some while she day. dreamed, til
nd served her right! But she set ia
ed down now to the watching, de- ia
,rmined to miss no more. he
I'm glad the curtains aren't drawn in
ose together, and I'm glad I'm good
nd far-sighted.' she unused, aloud. m
can see Cynthia once in a while, dr
hen she drifts this way. That's just H
lie word-drifts. Cynthia makes M
ne-looking receiver. guess it's just
well I'm not over there with her
take the edge off," The little per- dy
m laughed again enjoyingly. 1t was tn
good thing to laugh at yourself bu
,metimes-when you were getting dc
feel little "downheartedly," and be
wish Pliny was rich. M
Pliny Cooper was poor. There was
, making believe that could alter CO
at fact He hadn't faculty" peo- ro
e said-poor Pliny! But he wasn't St
debt. Sometimes his little wife Pl
united up the pros" in favor of ha
my on her fingers, and that always
me first. He wasn't in debt: he no
Id a little whitewashed. GOBLIN ste
warm-in- winter home: wa
ere was a spare room in it-there WI
ere roses in the front yard Of it. de
ID always a row of pies on the PAN
Y shelf. And the little wife was con- ca
nted. 1t was only on New Years CHI
v that she had her little wistfui Phi
ngings to be rich, and that was be- ca
use she lived across the street from
,nthia Broadstreet's big house. and