Year: 1860

so, isn't it9" said she. "I can work aud
talk, too you know. Mr.. Hubbard has gone
to church meeting; but l don't think it's
exactly our place to attend to church dscip-
line, We women are apt to make bad mat
ter worse by talking it over among each
other, and to people that it doesn't concern.
So thought I'd just run in sociably and
bring my thimble as we used to do for each
other"


Mrs. Smelling would have said, half an
hour ago, that she was completely fortified
against Mrs. Hubbard's advances, in any
shape soever; but she began to find a mist
gathering in her eyes as that old kindness
and affection came stealing back in recolec-
ton.


But Mrs. Hubbard was a wise woman
and she knew that friend aggrieved was
hard to win whether the offence was inten-
tional or not


'Its pretty hard work 10 live right, isn't
it y she said, verging round again to the old
subject after little talk about the roads and
the weather.


"Every lot in life has its trials. l used
to look-at rich people and think they hadn't
q care in the world; but now Mr.. Hubbard
has done so well, we have to live differently
and dress differently and there's no end to
looking after things. used to work hard
all day, and when the children were asleep
in the evening, sit down comfortably to sew
or read but now ere'ssomething or some
body to see the last minute. To be sure,
as far as dress is concerned, l don't think
half so much of it as l used to when had
to plan and contrive about every cent
Why, | often used to find myself planning
about my sewing in sermon-time, fyou will
believe it, and how | should get tho girls
two dress, out of one of mine. To be sure,
l have no such temptations now"


Mrs. Smelling looked up suddenly as the
recollection of her Sunday plan about the
cape came into her mind. Could it be that
to Him unto whom all hearts are open, she
bad been the less sincere worshipper of the
two.


81 should like to try little prosperity
by way of change" she said, more pleas
antly than she had last spoken, out still
with bitterness beneath. am tired Of sla-
wing"


"Oh, Jane!" Mrs. Hubbard said quickly
'dou't choose, don't choose your trials. l
used to say that very thing, and that it was
all we'll enough for rich people to preach"
Mrs. Smelling saw the painful expression
that crossed her friends face and the cur
rent report of young Robert Hubbard's dis
sipation came into her mind. Everybody
has their own troubles; some don't stand
out as plain as others, and don't get so
much pity. Rich people get very little and
they have hard work enough to bring up
their children right, and to live in peace
and charity with ALL I've got so now |
only ask for patience to bear the trials of
the time, instead of praying to have it
changed, and thinking that l could bear
any other better"


"Jane," Mrs. Hubbard said, stopping sud-
denly, and looking into the bright CRATE in
front of the stove, "shal 1 tell you what
this puts me in mind of, seeing this bright,
nice cooking gstove9 On that New Years
night the winter Robert was sick, and our
children were all little, when you came
round and brought them over to spend the
afternoon, and boiled candy for them, and
let them pop corn. They brought home a
plate full of braided sticks. Poor little
things if it hadn't been for you they
wouldn't have had so much as pin for a
New Years present. their father was so sick
and I was so worn out. Why, only think,
they had been teasing me to buy them some
candy, and 1 actually did not feel that
could afford a quart of molasses I've
thought of it often and often since. Some
how this winter, there's scarcely a day when
it doesn't come into my mind and l always
feel like crying.


Mrs. Snellingwas crying as Mr.. Hubbard S
voice faltered moro and more; she did not
attempt to conceal it; she remembered that
New Years day so we'll, and how she had
pitied Susan's poor little boys and brought
them homo and made them as happy rs
children could be made, in the very kindness
of her warm heart. The long struggle
with poverty and care had not scared it
after all.


"Don't cry, Jane. But you won't mind
it, and you won't misunderstood me now,
if I've brought you New Years present
Of dress9 l was afraid that you would'n
take it as it was meant if just sent it.
Here it is. And Mrs. Hubbard unrolled
the very raw silk plaid Mrs. Smelling had
so long coveted. II wanted it to be useful,
and went down to get cashmere like
f mine; but you happened to be there when
l went in, and saw how long you looked
at this"


Mrs. Smelling remembered the day, and
that she had come home thinking Mrs. Hub
bard had felt too grand to talk to her before
the clerks.


81 was afraid you would find me out, and
so kept at the other end of the store
Now you won't misunderstood me, will you
Janep


ooh, Susan, l had such hard thoughts
you don't know" And Mrs. Smelling put
her apron up to her eyes, instead of hooking
at the new silk.


"Never mind that now, it's only natural
could just see how you felt, for tho more
l tried to be neighborly, the colder you got.
It's grieved me a good DEAL But about
the dress. Ann was not very busy, and SC
l had her make the skirt, and we could veal
each others dresses in old times, and every
little helps when person has a good dea
to do, If you will let me know when Miss
Prime comes to make it up she shall come
over and sew with her."