Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-11-25
Copyright 1909, by Benz. B. Hampton.)

n rs queer" unused Ann aloud, chow seem.
III ing accident will change the current OF
Instinctively (she had just returned from the sea,
sidc) the three young in her drawingrooin glanced
at the slim hands iding in her lap, then rcassureo
zone Sunday" she continued dreamily, Or
Wright, who preached regularly to the cottagers
was i'll and Jane Murrays cousin came down TO sul-
ply. He had the lovescst eyes and
"EIow long did he stay?" interposed Jimmy
Holmes. -,
ooh. he returned to town after the service It'si
once considered sewing in the ST. Agatha my whole
duty to the poor"
81 suppose he recommended slum residence
commented Mr.. Merriam dsparagingly. ,
He dwelt on the importance of personal contact
Ann admitted, "but father'-regretuiy-w ''' '0'
hear Of settlement work.
Bully for fatherv' cheered Patrick Opper IL.
Miss Casteton ignored him. The St; Agatha
secretary urged the adoption OF a family ..;-..
"You visit it regularly. advise and ASST IL n,
have taken"-Ann's tone was swee"y "'''-' XIV
OHiggns" A.. Or1;1o;.
in one of the three rooms of that adys dilapidaten
cottage, she felt less confidence in her hness lET
The new role. AS she sought detfidentiy Tor Inc t1c
light word with which to explain her presence, ncl
new protegce, plump untidy person with ToI''s'
yood-natured eye, came unexpectedly to her a,d'
You're one of Thin guess she ooseiveu mr,
.eniark being the evident result OF nasty 'Ve''09
of the visitors attire
zone of them
prom tn charities. knew I'd sized ye UP right,
The continued when Ann gave a puzzled NOD, &c
wasn't stylish enough fr BOOK agent anu ~
ooked too wakc-kneed to be sellin SEWN -machlncs
50 / says to mesef she'll be afther BEN from tn
raafe." c,,.,o
"Have you had othcr-visitors: asked MISS Nastle-
Ion. disappointed for she had gained the impression
that her seeds of kindness were to fall on v'rg'"
"Six before ye An tn first question they always
ask is whether he's wor'rkin. Well. ma am-Mrs.
nj
natured de6ancc-"he amt. He had half-days
lob at McCartney's but twas only payn' him fifty
cints tn mornin'; an OHiggin fingered you couldn't
iii eight mouths on fifty cnts. so he quit 80
postulated. , Gee. rh.,
we've raised six yourself, yell find can't take tn
first lob that comes along. Yell have to hgger what
When Ann took her leave it was with the uncom M
Portable conviction that Mrs Ofiiggin had genially
discarded the burden of her family and that IT had
settled settle heavily on her own shoulders: To Jimmy,
Merriam, and Patrick who dropped IN una. aver e.
the O'Hpgins rent was due Monday. Nov, the
important thing" she concluded anxiously, Is to
get OHiggn work"
itself in the light of opportunity to further his
suit with Ann and from the reassuring chorus that
greeted it she gathered but one impress'ohnGf WILL W.,
dustral world was pning for recruits OF the Ing
gin type -, :. ,,orr hands"
she said with relieved sign, anu iett
accepting an invitation tor the weekend IN the
country. But she carried the burden OF the fanny
with her, and on her return to town sought 'ls
cottage With 9rn little tra. ads The beamng
face OF Mrs. O'Hggin, who met her at the doof' re-
assSred her: ~. ,,.v.r on.w sh. exclaimed ad
mirngly as she waved her visitor to chair. CHig
Gin is holdn' down three jobs an wur'rkin at none
Of Thin TIL last they stint u.s." she went on with
1s a. an e aud "a'' 'o 'a'
Ann frowned. "You said Mr. O'IIiggn-" she
suggested.
"'Twas like this" began her protegcc, unabashed.
9TH afternoon of TIL day ye was here. little runt
of Teller drives up in an awtymobeel an asks II
I'm Miss Castleton's Mis- OIIiggn. | was proud
10 admit it, ma am an he asks fr OI1iggn. TIN
same bein outside takin' politics with Tony, tn
Eyetaan, had him in in fifty. I have tn promise
of Job f'r ye, OIIiggn says tn little man, which
I hope TO land in few days, an in til meantime
take this as bit account TIL bit, ma'am. was
tin"
Ann beamed at this evidence Of Jimmys good
heart The tender of the money was iniudicious
perhaps but
Mrs OHiggin interrupted her musng. "That
same night, sittin' down to bite o
supper, foine-ookin' gintlemin in plug-hat an
a posy knocks at tn door an asks fr OHggln
He saws his name is Merriam an he tells OHiggn
hard up, he doesn't mind advancin him triAc. An
he hands him. ma'am. tin"
"But" protested Ann. "Mr O'aggin should not
have accepted money from both Mr. Holmes and
Mr.. Merram!
Mrs. O'Higgin brided "O'EIiggn is not til mar
20 turn down job or tn promise of one" she de
clared warmly. "An' whn we've raised six yourself
na'am. yell think twice before hyn' in the face o
Providence. But to go on with me story. Tn NIX
~. l.
pants tu'ked into his boots an whip in his han'
an asks if I'm O'Hggins wife. ! don't deny 1t
na'am. and he pulls from his pocket a little bool
an takes out bill. Tell him. he says, that hav
me eye on Job fr him an that he en- pay m
back whin he's wur'rkn',' says he. Thank ye +
III same says I. slippin' tn tin in me pocket 'h''
may as we'll tell yc- first last that there's tw
before ye-" -.
"You shouldn't have taken the money at all!
cried Aim, horror stricken.
EgsS5s &I&ss;==ss.