The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-12-04

was not much 10 look at; Denlnu her
was the woodland; at the left the
cottage, in which her sick mother
lay asleep; and before her, on the
other side OF the road, an enclosed
pasture for cows. The prospect was
not cheering, for everything in IL,
woodland, COWS and cottage, was 9TH
er peoples property; and when one
is experiencing a close rub with pow
erty, it is no fun 10 look at another's
possessions.
Mrs. Lany, Linda's mother, had
supported herself and child by taking
in washing, until she caught cold 60
ing from the hot. staaming room into
the clustering March wind TO hang
out the clothes. The cold had re-
suited in fever. and she had been
very sick. Now she was better, but
weak, and work was out OF the ques-
tion.
The little store OF savings had
grown less and less, and the sick
mother, her twelve-year-old Linda.
and warm-hearted Mrs. Dubbs. never
forgot that soon it would be all gone.
Mrs. Dubbs was their only neighbor;
she lived on the other side of the
woodland, around bend in the road.
She had her hands full. poor thing.
with a troop of little children and a
lazy husband who drank up what he
could OF her earnings.
ITO think av ye layin' here sick,
an them women We washed fer never
helpin' We a mite!" Mrs. Dubbs some
times exclaimed, kindling in right
eous wrath.
II suppose they think I've a nus
band living" murmured Mrs. Lany,
weakly. "Some of them know scarce
ly more than my name. They would
help If asked them. But | can't
1t seems like begging. IL only my
husband"
There, there!" cried her neigh
Dor, soothingly. "Things amt so bad
es they might be. Don't worry, dar-
lint. An ye're none the worse off,
I'm thinkin.' fer not havin' a man
a-comin' home wild liquor in him,
a-swearin' at the childers;" and Mrs.
Dubbs shook her head, thinking OF
the usual condition of her shiftless
spouse.
Things might, indeed, be worse, but
they might also be better; and Linda,
sitting dejectedly in the May sun
shine, wished with all her heart she
knew how to make them so.
LaI - hA
sighed, gazing wistfully at the great
creatures moving lazily about in the
lot opposite. 1--WE wouldn't have 20
buy much besides -four, and We could
sell milk, and the cow could keep
herself in the pasture all summer.
But as there was no chance of ever
possessing this self-sustaining and
money-earning animal, she was
obliged to dismiss the delightful
dream of the profits which might
accrue therefrom.
"If was bigger I'd go on with the
washing" she continued, thrusting
out her feet from under her faded.
outgrown frock, and surveying her
stout arms. Enchanting visions
danced before her eyes OF herself
mounted on a starch-box, vigorously
rubbing, rinsing, bluing and ironing
whole basketfuls OF clothes, her moth
er meanwhile reclining at her ease,
and no one worried over questions of
rent and bread and butter. But alas!
those tanned and freckled little hands
could not do all that the stout heart
proposed. Clearly, something else
must be thought Of.
81 don't see what I can do. oh,
dear." and a sob sounded plainly in
the country stiffness, and tears shone
in the round blue eyes. There's no
one but me to sport my mother, and
I must do something! There's only
twenty-three cents left" And then
the tears slipped down the freckled
cheeks. But Linda wiped them away.
81 an't going to cry" she resolved.
considering such weakness beneath
the dignity Of the support of the
family.
81 wish there were real brownies
and elves and fairy godmothers and
things!" and Linda looked up into
the cloudless blue sky, and down at
the green earth again. half expeotant-
ly, as IL one OF those personages
might be in sight. But there were
no fairies nor brownies winging their
way in the sunshine. nor swaying on
the blades of grass, nor-Eh. what
Was that an elf under the violet plant
at her feet? And Linda's idle gaze
developed into one OF feverish inter
est as she slipped from the Jog to her
knees, and lifted one by one the green
leaves. But alas! the change in posi-
tion changed also the appearance OF
a certain group OF leaves and flow
ers which had looked exactly like an
elf clad in green and violet.
Linda was disappointed. She had
meant to ask the elf 10 help her; and
now, instead OF a good-natured fairy
inclining a listening ear TO her trou-
bles, there was only violet-plalt'-
"a vybaf oouid ~ do9 Rut the violet