The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1908-03-25
BY TEMPLE BAILEY.
Copyrighted, 1908, by Homer sprague.

coat and pair of ruhberS Pausing
on the threshold AS she went oat. she
addressed the cat theatrically.
''Sleep on" she said II so TO seek
my fortune" And she h0undered
through the snow to the gate
The road. deep with drifts. offered
new acknowledgements Miss FraZlers
long skirts dragged and grew heavy,
and at last she stopped and sObhed
aloud. II can't go on
Help came in the person OF little
man in high boots. who appeared from
| the other side of the drift
| Got stuck. did ye:" he asked cheer
! lily Well YOU ought ter stayed at
, home faint weather fer Nimmin tc
| tie out )"
| Miss Frazier looked at him haughti-
~ In her code there was no place for
+, bad gtan,nar and besides. as a spin
ster OF spirit. his reproof grated on her.
"Wnmen can't stay in and die OF
loneliness" she told him stiftiy.
The little man looked at her with
| sympathetic gray eyes. Lonesome.
was ye?" he said well. now that's
700 bad
His sympathy warmed the cookies of
Miss Frazier'S heart 1t was so long
since any one had cared. The last OF
her family. she had taught school in
big city until i'll health had forced her
to resign Then she had rented the lit
tie cottage at the questionable resort
AMI had prepared to live there for six
months. hoping for the benefits of
fresh air and free life. There had
been other cottagers near. but they
had their own interests. so that even
In the warmer months Miss Frazier
had been lonely, aud now that snow
had come her situation seemed unbear-
able
There were tears in her eyes as she
stood there. forIorn and cold in the
drift. and the little man said again:
"Well, now. that's too bad, You'd bet
ter git into the house. You'll ketch
cold"
81 hate the house." said Miss Frazier
6ercely. There isn't soul there but
the pussy cat"
II live up at the farm" he informed
her. I'm the new manager, and there
amt nobody there but a lot of men
and a cOlored woman to cook for us.
There's "a good deal of work, you
know"
Miss Frazier didn't know, but she
found herself listening eagerly to his
talk of Guernsey cattle and Of blue
ribbon horses. with all the rest Of the
homely farm details.
The little man helped her up the
path and landed her on her own door
step safely. In spite Of the biting air
he jerked his cap off as he babe her
goodby.
"Come in" she urged. "Oh. please
come In. don't think | can stand 1t
to face the pussy cat all alone"
His kindly blue eyes smiled at her.
I'D like to come" he said. "'Tatn't
very sociable up at the farm"
The little room was cherries enough
Miss Frazier's ginger jars and Next
can hats had been artistic summer ac-
cessories, but in the gray light of the
snowy day they merely served to en-
phasize the bleakness. In the stones
fireplace was a bunch of goldenrod
feebly from rickety stove in the
summer kitchen
"Why amt you got fire in the fire.
placer" the little man demanded as he
surveyed the cavernous structure.
II haven't any wood" shivered Miss
Frazier. IL couldn't get any"
Perhaps he read In her hesitation a
confession Of poverty, but he did not
ask any more questions.
"I'll be back in a minute" he said
presently and went out. and when he
returned he was bending Atlas-Iike I'M
der the weight of great log that had
lain for days by the roadside.
There" he said as he deposited it
In the fireplace, 'if you will take out
them wild flowers wen have a fire."
Miss Frazier obeyed meekly.
"HOw strong you are," she breathed
''Oh, law, yes" said the little man;
II kin lift most anything"
He made several trips after that,
dnding enough dry wood in the shed to
start the FIRE, and soon it was roaring
glOriOusly.
The black cat came and curled up
on the hearth, looking at the flames
with fathomless eyes,
ION, it's lovely, lovelyv' said Miss
Frazier. "It is like something alive"
II allus did like fire." said the lit
tie man. 81 came from down south.
and we don't think much of stoves
there. Not fer bein' sociable. You've
got to see the flames to be real friend
ly."
81 am going to make you a cup Of
tea" Miss Frazier said dutterinHly.
ana when 1t was ready she brought It
In on a dainty tray, fanked by half a
dozen stale crackers. Il wish | had
something nicer to Offer she said
"but it is so hard to get things"
The little man smiled, and as he took
in the details of the poor room some
knowledge of nv? plight seemed to
come to him. and ne found a way to
help her.
II bet you don't know what good
things you kin cook over a fireplace"
he said eagerly.
II never heard of such thing" she |
said. What could cook?"
''Well, Brunswick stew Is fipe It's
got squirrels and corn and onions and
tomatoes. You JUS let me show you
But ! can't get those things Her
face famed.
'Of course you can't 'Tain't to be |
expected that a woman kin kill a |
squirrel. But I'm goin' huntin' to- ]
morrow, and I'll bring the things
He left her later. and when he had /
gone Miss Frazier stood for long |
time looking into the glowing Goals |
Oh pussy cat. pussy cat" she said |
when at last the two of them were
curl9d up for the night. ''he uses
dreadful grammar. but he is the kind /
est man | have ever known"
The little man came the next day