The Florida agriculturist., 1907-12-04

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flour for a white cake. Thanksgiving
was but two dayss off, and of course
she must have a good dinner, 'even
though there's nobody to eat it but
mysef,' she said, and dashed from her
eyes something which would have
greatly astOnished her neighbors, who
hadn't an idea that anything could
make Miss Huldah shed a tear
She carried her sugar into the kitch-
en-, set it down on the white table, and
looked about the cosy, empty little
house with an air almost helpless.
"Just to Think" she half-sobbed, ''the
poor, dear child; the ungrateful little
baggage! she might have been here,
comfort and help to me as I get old
and feeble. But no, she must chase
off to the city, and per1 herself up
behind counter for pitiful little pay,
only because she "Wanted to be indie
pendent" Good Lord! as if [ want
dependent on her for all the pleasure
[ get out Of this life. Not a soul left
that belongs to me, except Betty, and
she had to leave me. I've a notion to
send for her to come home. No, [
won't. She went of her own accord,
and [ reckon some day, when she gets
sick, or loses her job, she'll come back
to her old maid aunty and then per-
haps [ won't have her. Now who's to
eat dinner with me Thursday? I might
ask Will Fel1ows-he'd come, just be-
cause she, silly little firt, used to be
here. She might have had him, and
done well, if she had showed one bit
Of sense. No, [ won't ask Wilt
would make me more homesick for
her than [ am, and [ just am I may
as we'll be Ounce and own right uD
Oh, my good Lord What are lonely
old maids allowed to live for, anyhow?'
Miss Hu1dah sat down in a chair.
put her head down on her hands, and
cried like a baby for five minutes.
Then she dried her eyes and went 10
work. When her household tasks fot
the day were done, she put on her
sunbonnet and ran out the back way
over to ParsOn Mays to invite him and
his wife to come over and eat Thanks
giving dinner with her She felt sure
they would be lonely, too, for they mad
only one daughter, and she was mar
ried, and did not live near home.
Mrs. May said they would be very
glad to come They would be sure to
get other invitations at church, on
Thursday, but Miss Hu1dah's had come
first, and SO they would promise to
help her eat the fat turkey she had
been feeding for a month or more,
in anticipation Of the great day
1t chanced that on Wednesday good
Mrs. May went up to the city for some
shopping, and was in the store where
Retty Mount stood at the counter in
the Domestic department. Betty was
always glad to see ANYBODY from
home, and especially Mrs. May When
she asked after her aunt, the dear wO-
man bent closer over the counter and
said, in her own sweet, gentle way:
''I don't think Aunt Hu1dah is very
we'll, Betty: She seems to be worry
ing and grieving over something that
is pulling her down badly"
ooh, I hope not!' said Betty, her
soft voice trembling a little, "Aunty
surely has plenty Of money!
''I'm sure it isn't money, my dear"
said Mrs. May, "money is good to
have, if we don't love it too we'll, but
there is something worth more to wO-
men like your Aunt She is not young,
now, and she is very lonely without
you. Are you quite sure you have
acted for the best in leaving her, Bet
typ"
ooh, thought so. wanted to earn
my living myself. 7 didn't want to be
dependent, even on Aunt Hu1dah.'
"Didn't you think that your help
and your bright company in her dull
life made you worth mitch more than
your keep, Betty? Don't you know
she always thought SOP"
~ l. I