The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-10-20
THE BIG AND LITTLE WHEEL

CONTINUED from Page Five)
and 1 can get those wheels into the
wagon if we try
Good Mrs. Submit turned to raise
her two-thirds of the burden, but her
hostess would not permit her guests to
carry out the spinning wheels alone.
She herself took up the small wheel,
and set it in the wagon unaided.
"ThereI Mother would be glad I'd
done Just so!'' she said, falling back
GREATNESS, with teaful triumph. from
her effort.
Mrs. Submit put out her hand. The
old lady took it TREMENDOUSLY.
"Good-by, Subbie," she said. 81
can't tell We how glad I be you came.
I sorter banker after folks that's dead,
and they seem to come back in them
that's got their blood runnin' in 'em.
I'm goin' to pick you up some of my
little red apples
mo; I don't want you should. Don't
you go stoopin' round under those
trees." cried Mrs. Submit.
But vainly; the small basket which
had held the glass of jelly was not to
go back empty while the old lady had
favor.
Mrs. Rogers turned to Marcia as the
girl hesitated how to express her
gratitude.
"Good-by, child she said. I'm
| goin' to kiss you because l like you,
and faint probable Wen meet again
| till before the Throne. Don't you say
one word; I'm obliged to you, more'n
you know, for tafxin' the wheels be-
fore I'm tempted
| She folded Mrs. Submit in her arms
with quivering lips.
"Goodby, Submit; its done me
worlds o. good seem We! wish you'd
bring your mother over; I'd admire
| talkin' to her! Bring her to spend the
| day-but bring her soon. Our chill
| dren ran along about the same ages
after I'd had my first five. She's four
years younger than I am, and that's
/ a sight at our time o. life. Try to
bring her over, Subbie.''
81 will. Mothers comm to visit me
this Fall, and I'll bring her then, -.
| said Mrs. Submit. You keeps hearty
as you are now and I'll bring mother
over about october. Come up, Char
ley!"
! And Mrs. Submit gave a hitch to
the reins impossible for even Charley
to disregard. They drove away, Mar
cia turning back to steady the big
wheel with one hand, and to wave the
! other at the tall old figure standing,
solitary, to watch them out of sight.
Mrs. Rogers turned and went slowly
back to the house. The hour had come
for the preparation of her evening
meal, but it was not necessary for her
to go to her cupbord to see what it
had to offer. A quarter of a loaf of
bread remained from dinner, a meal
no longer, nor for some days past, dis
tinguished from breakfast and tea by
it's viands. In spite of the old lady's
involuntary misstatement in regard
to it, Mrs. Submits jelly was welcome
in lieu of butter.
The brightness faded out of the old
face, and Mrs. Rogers step dragged.
No later than the morning, no later.
must she send word to Keturah that
her resources were exhausted: she
must claim the grudging charity of her
son-in-law. And in exchange for this
charity she had nothing to offer, hav-
ing made over to Keturah all the con-
tents of the little house, the old clock
the Winslow chairs, the set of blue
and all the other old china, the
mahogany bureau and table. She hop
ed that their value would cover the
eighty-seven dollars which she had al
ready received. The house was falling
down. but the land would repay them
for her burial.
She had no appetite for her meager
fare, the last meal that she should
ever eat in independence, under her
own roof.
1t comforted her to know that she
had insured herself against the pos
sibility of yielding to the temptation
to prolong independence by selling the
spinningwheels which her mother had
charged her never to sell.
She arose, washed and wiped her
cup and saucer her plate and knife.
Even at the eleventh hour there
may be a way provided" she said
aloud. talking to herself after the man
ner of the solitary. For I have been
young, and now am old: yet have 1
not seen the righteous forsaken, nor
his seed begging his bread.'''
An irresistible desire to do something
for someone, to use her last night in
her old home to some good end seized
her. She was restless, yet suddenly
weak. She was dizzy and she stag
gered, yet as she wandered through
the low rooms a kind of exultation
stole over her and buoyed her up-it
was as if rescue from impending fate
were assured her.