Year: 1878

Only three little months since that
Saturday morning, and yet how the
world is changed to me I had
promised my little son his favorite
dish of stuffed meat for Sundays din
ner, and had forgotten thyme, the very
root and essence of all flavors so, in
hot haste, with my sleeves rolled up,
my white apron on, and nothing but q
dusting cap on my head, 1 rushed in to
Jane, singing cheerily to myself,


~ know bank whereon the wild thyme


blows"


In truth, Jane was bank where some
thing else could be had besides this
fragrant commodity. Many a time /
had tided over a Sundays dinner with
the help of pudding or pie from her
capacious larder and on rare occasions,
seasons of dire necessity--for Jane wac
more chary of money than any thing
else in the wide world-she had lent me
q bit of currency, which always paid
back at my earliest convenience, even if
I was compelled to borrow it from
somebody else, because I knew that, to
be in James favor, one must not forget
what she called business transaction.
1 confess with shame and remorse that I
have lost count of half loaves of bread,
Jumps of butter, small quantities of
vinegar, pepper, mustard, even q scut-
tie of coal. These things have passed
from my memory, and left no distinct
trace but have never failed, when
have been compelled to borrow money
from my sister-in-law, to put the amount
down on the kitchen door, and have
even worn string on my finger till the
debt was wiped out. She wasn't exact
ly my sister-in-law-she was my
brother. in-law's brothers wife-but it
amounted to the some thing, and I've
even introduced her as my sister some
times to save ceremony. Jane general
ly explains, for she is very conscien-
tious and strict woman, but the ram
ifications of relationship are 80 intricate
that I never stay to hear them unravell-
ed. On this Saturday morning of which
I speak rushed into James kitchen,
singing,


"I know bank whereon the wild thyme


blows"


but the notes died away in an embar-
rassed cough. For there, by the kitchen
range, fitting back in his chair, and
staring at me with all his might, was a
strange gentleman. One could see he
was o gentleman at the first glance;
and, truth to say, all the good people
that visited Jane did not reach my idea


true gentility. In the mean while a
warm, generous, encouraging smile
lighted up his face.


"My-my sister is out ?" I stammer-
ed, looking about me for Jane.
"Your sister," he said, inquiringly;
and as Jane wasn't there WAS compelled
to explain.


"Not exactly my sister," I began;
and suddenly he broke in:


"Your sister-in-law, you mean 2''


"Oh, what does it matter?" said.


"It's of some little consequence to
me-" he said, still smiling in his pleasant
way, and somehow felt as if I'd known
him hundred years. Before I knew it
I began telling him about the stuffed
meat for my little Howard's Sunday
dinner: I had to wait for Jane, and 1t
was stupid to stand there and say moth
ing. At the least encouragement my
tongue always ran like mill-race, and


ere was the brightest and best Of rea-
sons for talking, when I had so ready
and willing listener, and one so SYM
pathizing and genial. From my little
Howard it was the easiest thing in the
world to get back to his poor, dear papa,
and my heart was strangely warmed and
comforted by the gentle sympathy that
shone in the face of this kind gentleman
for my widowed and lonely condition.


As usual, when my tongue ran ahead
of my reason, was brought up short by
the awkward consequence Of the impul-
s;veness of mine, and when / found that
I was actually being consoled by an en-