Jonas And I

Fiílks in.-iih1 dnfnviH. BöBM ui df tiu' cardinal virtuos, jicomIi' possess others, 'ml you seldom iiiid all of lln-iu In one human belng. Somc talk oi gooi memory, othors rather prièe theratselves on liavin' nono. I have got ia good faculty of reiueiulR'rin" gome thiugs. If I know the contribution box is goin' to be passed, 1 never forg-it my puree, l'vo tried it off 'ná 'ou a iiuinbci' of times 'jkI ratber enVicd the iolks who could ior.u-it wi ■conv'nk'iit]y. I've vwu goae so lar 'as to laiUe my port-mony in the pockbt of au old drees, tli.-n lianga in the closet up stairs, off tilie aio-i-tli room, 'iiU ]iobxly ever goos 'oept in housecU-aiiin.i;', so that 1'cl forgït just iivit ■contribtiiioni fley. Fonglt .' why, J tauldu't any more forgit than nothin'. HowBCxmever, Uiougli e forgitter Miu't, ocie oí my cüiniuim possetísioue, ■]il in no way can be eounteifl in omongst tin1 other cai'dinal vlrtues, I Ave liad as gsxxl a gírndger 'ml ba ter a auybmly in all cuuntry 'round, 'ml fchle partly eoasoles me for not havin' a fïöod forgil Il 1 (argot real qulck amd eaey-llke, wtoy, thon t'd forglt the mean bhings folke lio "mi say. Llkely as not I'd git over lilis gruüge ['ve lield os te 'no i L -- ■ 'öd ihh-i.v years. I Avouldii't gljl orer i .1.1! tpr íioLliin'. [t'a MH-li a comfort to nate Bomebotly ! It affoa-ds Lote Of ainusriiinn, too, 1 niythiiii; happns to the ome v.m'vc got a grudge ngainst. Besktes all tliat, it sort 'o sends tlic Jiours skippiu' along llght 'ná like wtuen yon ca.u Bit down 'nd knit 'mi tMnk oí all the meas thlngá you'd like tu ha ve bcfall the ome you líate. Knittin' ie tuce v;i-k lew sucto meditjition, íor it isn'L vory absorbin' 'oepb in tho heel, 'nd toe 'nd lns c , uniese yon ta.ppen to drop a gtitcli, or git to t.iiiiikiu' so harcl that by mdstake you kuit. over a. seum; then yooi havo to toiul to yaur knittin' íor a Uttle 'nd make jio mlstake, bul: on tho wnoüe I think it's good work, wJheo yo i v.ant toelt down 'ml liev a good .ui.' grudgin' 'ml liatin'. Now I'm a leet) ■ peculiar; I dom't apend jny time pnvyln' ray naibors, 'nd grudgin' 'en their good things. I don't Bpoil my nature by dhidin' it permiecuoue-like aanomg a gocnl inany. 1 just bile it down Jike I do my Jelly, w it won't talti.' up much room, 'ml yet liave it tart 'nd solid in ita own place. 1 dou't hold no grudge against noijody, but just Janee Perlwinkte. Him I do grudge and bate with all the ïoii-cc I've got. He trealel me miglity mean wnen 1 was a slip of a gii-1 'bout elghteen ar t went y. íou eee Like thls, 'mi 1 bain't never got it, neither, 'nd I dont intenil tu. Hini 'ikI me, we kept comIiany tv or tbree years, oíí 'nd on. Thougli I was a iliglity pk-ce oí prop'.iiy. 'mi liked to cliange oíf oc■.ítóionally, I dld net great store by liini, 'ad lic km-v it, too. 1 wam'1 quite so steaxiy 'nd stout . like as somc oí tbe eirte, tüomgb [ c.ouiíl get round pretty Bpry 'nd aeeompliah juet as íuucli as they (lid 'nd it didn't teike me all d;iy to do it. One Montlay I waí washin' 'nd Steve Pratt carne along with a bran ncw top buggy 'nd span. He drove iip 'nd eays to mo; 'Tin driving out to show my new belonging, Bether, caa't you come aíong '.'" I was always foral f going 'nd thjat top buggy did glitter 'nd hine in the sun, 'nd the cushiona did look eo temptin', so I says; "Fd like to go Ürst-rate, Stcvc, but I hain't got quite ttoough ni y washin'. " "I'll just como Ín 'nd wait," Baya lue. So he did 'nd he helped, too-. He stirred the starch, 'nd helped hang up the clothes, 'nl whilo we was hangin' 'cm up, who should go along but Joaias Periwiukle. Steve bowed awfully polite but Jonas walkpú straight past as if he didn't see ua, but he did 'ad I iouud it out oiter-ivanls. I wout for the ridp, 'nd it was a uioe -oiic, too. Tlie applo trie vas all a bloomin' 'nd the air was as eweet as a June moirning could make it. Steve really was the nicest low around, 'nd he was pleasant 'nd agreeablff. Wc gat home just as dinncr was n-ady, 'nd inother asked Mm in, 'nd sm-e enomgli ]ie stopped, 'jkI stayed and talked witlL fatlier Riter dloafeer a.s thdugli neitlier of 'em had anything to do. Tho next time I saw Jonas he was as uppieh a.s oould be. Pinálly we had a real downright quarrel 'bout Stevo. I 'spose we were liotH exosperated. I toad him if lie wanted a jiirl that wovild always stay at hone 'nl never go nowhere, lic conld look farther, 'nd he told nu . ii I could iicA, be satisiicd with one man's heart, 'Btead Ol breakin' cvcry on,, 'round he vould look farthesr- 'nd Iir did didn't tliink he treated me quite fair, lmt I waen't gfoln1 to ba bossed 'round 'fore I was m&rrled. So he took to goiii1 witii 0110 of the other glrls, -iid Steve Prattfa txuggy stood at uur aoor pretty often. I kepi thlnkin' Junas 'nd I would make It up, but wc didn't, 'nd we never have 'nd I 8'poee never will. We've Hved naiiors r a good many years, 'nd liim 'ml lus-nl ü, bate liim lik. i caa't see a cow or a horae, i even a pg or a chicleen oí hlsseu without a wishin' someilüii'.v v, oui:i happen to it. I married Steve Pratt, 'ná nobody could a lived whli that man without lovin' him. I'm swe. I lovcil him + the last day o; hls life. He was always good 'ná bright, 'ná even on dark days h made the house eeejn lik' s eunshine in i. Wr raieed gome cfhilören, but a;ie by one thi.y au-a, 'na then Steve died. I ■vished I could die, to;i, bit I g'j I lniiíi't livotl out my 'llotted tiim yet. I'm a lonely woman 'mi abou ;ill tlu' comfort I take is In helping i!; ,■ íiabora wlieu tliay aro sick 'nd ii iniulili'. 'ml in haiiu' Jonas Peri winkle. SÜeve 'ml 1 aliays seemed bo proa per in our uiulvrtakiu's, bul Jonas didu't; liio worteed hard, liis wlie was g-ood naturcd, but isoi-t oí sbiftless Jiki', 'in! hie nfiver made niucli lieadway. Slie diiod a couplc oí yeturí .■i.n-ci, ana liu-ir littte 'leven-year-old glrl 'bas lccu tryiu' bo do ttie best Blue ca 11. She's a pony little thing 'jhI wtn' lidld out niucli long-er, i'm a tlünkiu'. Soanebody'e coniln' runnin' up tlic walk! "W'iiy, it's .Susy Periwïnkle ! 'TiKTt', you'vo run till you've tuctoered yourself all out. Sit down 'n 1 peel yoimseH 'ml teil me wha.t'8 matter; is it the bi-ead tluit woa't rie ot mr hut ut tiiat won't come ?" ■-Uisy, ill out of breali with runnin', saiil: "Opne aver quïck; tlie tiave i-uu au'ar, 'ml pa - I i. a ■. hiiM ,-, i;:: ha'e deat) ! 1 know you ahvays go wlun i'iiks are sick, 'ud ;-; i conu' tere iirst." J UldiTt uiink no-thiug about niy grudjje wlien 1 saw tüat poot1 littlê palé thdng standin' there. X seni uUji .', 'lul theii went alonií with Susy, t;ikn' iiij' jiu'diciiics along, 'nd t wa lucky I (Ud. Jonas was ia bad shape, bad emougli bo satisiy anyoiue ílíl a blger grudge ilian mine. Jiii Jicad was Ji.u-ü 'nd sume of hie rilj.s were braken, 'nid 1 don't know rliat all. The doctot lie ccmu'nd set the broken bcmee and plastup the bruises. lic took me oii lo onc side, 'nd tsaid: He's a pretty badly hurt man, Mre. l'ratt. ïhat liurt on liis hcad is a bad ono. You tuavo helped me tlironigu with other cases, I want y curto help me through witli tliis." 'I really dcm't eee lnow 1 can, Doctor," 1 sakl. "I iKiin't nuvor been used to comin' Iict'c, 'jiiI- " "Oh ! noneenee !" be replied, "you'll let a fellow creamre die for some littlc liisagrif ment ! I thought better oí yon, Mrs. l'ratt. Gcxxl afternoon; I'll cali again in tlie morning," 'nd away he wout. I íelt stunmxl like, but I made up my inhul I'd lay aside my gradge till Joaia.s got well agin', for if he dicd there would be ;w)body left me to líate, 'ná I'd spend lote oí time batió.' him. 'ïvvould be hard to have that innocent amusement cut oíf. So I made up my miad I'd mirsc hlm bak to' life, if I oould. WlLjxt would them poor, llttle palé cliildren do without iiim ! It made my haart ache to see that little S"ufiy; Bhe was so womanly, 'nd wás so Avorried a.bout her pa. The childivu all eeemed to set great store by him. Jonas was out of his head a long limo. he doctor ca.nie often 'nd I could see lie felt pertty serióos. I did the wi-y ix'st I could, but there seemed to be some interna! hurt, 'ná Junas eoaildm't seem to get over it. He lingvivd loing 'nd euifered terrible, 'ml ine Aviis about the patientest man I cvrr pee. Hcw In.' (lid love tlü'in f.hüiliTii ! They were reinarkubly wai-lit'lmved ehildren. He Lj;rrwweaker 'nd weaker. I could sec it, 'nd t Hink he seo it, too. There av;is a turmoil in my ruind, for I could see that tliem children .were going to bc left fatherless. I hadn't anyone left to live for 'ml I wanted somo ome, 'nd I thought, if I eould Jest have thcm littye onos, it wooild be a bcuielit to me, and perhaps as well for them, nnless thcre was some ni'.-ir kin that would want 'em. I pondercd over the matter a good deal, 'nd some way life seemed a gooil deal bettor without that misorable luitin' feelin'. I wantod Susy any way, 'nd the littlest one. I'd tako 'om all, but if anybody, any near kin 1 mean, wa real set on havin' tJie otlicr girl 'nd boy why of course I couldn't exoect to liavp. "feni Ml 1 sot thiiikiii' one evenin', jest at twiligh. Tlie littleet child had fallen aeleep on my lap. He looked eo Kweet 'nd innocent-liko I couldu't bear to think of leavin' liim 'nd íoin' back to my own lonely house. Jonas was propped up In led, tor I I liad my man oí all woa-k come up to stay 'nd he was needed to lift the 8ick man 'nd help aa-ound. The nabors was powerful good, 'nd Jonas seemed to llave a great niany irieuds. But as I wae sayln' 1 was wonderin' how I could ever broaeh the subject oï my takin' the chlldren. ïhe doctor didii't waait hi.s patiënt worrted about his condition, 'nd ií I suggested anythln' about the children he'd kiiow tlie woest 'nd mebbe siuk faeter koowia' it. I didu't lutve to oi)en tlie subject; Joaias did that, as I sat there ponderin', 'nd lookin' at the ehild on my lap. "BBther," J;oi;ik Baid ieebly; "I'm a iliinkin' the little chap wlll be withiHit a father soon." "Nay, cv 1 wouldn't worry about that," naid I. ■Tin mot warryin' for myaeU," he eaid, "but it'll be a serioais thiiig for the little fellere. Eeally, Esther, doee the doctor expect hope ni gel better?" "We'er hiopin' for the best," I said, Blmply. I coulda't very well s.iy more, and bhere was no use sayiu' lees. "Yoni are hoping but you rton't e-xpect. Answer me, Esther. Do you or the dostor expect I'll get well ? I'm a rational and I oughít lo kuow, so as to do the best I can by the children. Do you expect ni;' to get better ?" ' I s.iii!, and my voice trembled a little, "we're afraid youifoi- life is not Ion--. Wlmt do you v.i;iL to do witlL the childr ". i:" '■'' any one near, any kin who will want them ?" Tonas elgbed. "There is kin, but "' 'ni liave little fellers oí their . sadly. "tiet me have Vm," I s;iid. eagerly. "111 do tüue best 1 eau ioi' 'cm and it's very lomely sin.ce Steye and the childrca v. ent ;iv;iy." ■ICstiur," li' ciiii, ■■woul.l yim takc 'eoi ?" ■Yr.-. 1 would, and be ïla-il to, i inis my nvii so. So sel your luind at rest alxvut that. I want you to ettle your property on bhem, and ihry .!iall have it all when they wan1 it. i'ii toke i-ni r of 'em and keep 'cm. I Jiave enough. We are omly stewards of this world's gooda anywa.y; bo I'ni doiiig notMng only wlnil's rlght; in fací nothiiig tliai ïin't fioi-iig to be for my oivn seliisli leaeure." "Yoü're ;i strangje woman, EstiM'i-." Jomas Baid, sighlng ly, "and yo'U'Il never know till we'er mili ovi-i' voihLt wiiat a dreadful care lifted oíffen iny mimi. l'Jl be wdlllng to die now. 'Twas nlgbty hard lying hei-e, day after lay. a-wuiuta-ini; wliat wouhl be,Diii. of llii' liwl.' cxih'.s -wiioii i ivas Sp lii' matter it.i1.m1, and I set rrat store iii fixillg tbe oliildren uj) ml kèeping fchem alce aíid tidy-likc, lelt that 1 was fioins' to have y lom-l.v daj ■ i up by tlïeir attiM-iiiK V.t and cihJldisk plu Wiilnv Ji ; is ttor 1 said no more bo#t ü; . ■ aeceé ftrj . and iünv was nu use i abbut ïiis dymg, aB h' L ua.s anious bo Uave him ooit of Uil' wayi The time went on; Jorme didn't seeóm to get no wwse, .-i inl bimeby blue floetoi' s;ii;i fije was g'.iini.!' . in t. gaiu, he seemed to set rigüt at it, ;iml picked ii;i woñdéi'fat. Finálly lie got 8O's )ie could be around n lii He. I didn't w;wit lo etay no longei-'n I ii.nl bo. So I pickecl up what belongin's 1 btad there, ready lu go komi-. 'Twas late in the fall, and iny house needed cleaniug and everytliiiig neodod tendiug fco. So 1 took uji opportunity oï tellin' iSusy 1 tliought, ecicin' her pa was gettln' on BO' well, I'd go lioine ncxt day. "I WJ6Ö1 you wasn't ever going home," the said, "you've been so good. It'H been liard since ma died." and he threw hereelf in my arms and tried. TUat e veiling Jonas and Susy and I -vere sitthig together, and Jonas suid: "Öusy tells iuo you're thinking of goiag hom; to-morrow. I wish yer could make up yer niind to stay. 1 haiu't oii iii great guod now, and I luiin't liever beun &o prosperouslike as yo'u Juive, but if you'll stay, 111 do 1iie best I ca.u, and I tliink thdí littte íellers will, too." My breatli was dear took aivay, an-d I couldn't .-ay noöiing. I'd never cveai tnought of etaying steady. He weiit osi: "There was a time, tiomc thirty odd years ago, wlien yon would keep liouso with me. We didn't tliink 'twoulil b o long íotc ivc lx'gun, buc if you're ■vvilliiij, the eooaer wc begin the better it'l suit me." ! Susy's liLtle soít kand stole iuto mine uul slie lifted her great shiny lo my íacü with, such a plead Ing look, I couldn't H:y no, and I didn't. I went bioime next day, ío-r I -wa-nlod to etraigliteai u a bit for the wedding'. It ivou't ba nothing grand, but I'm going to invite tne neighboa-s in for :i ïlianksgiving ner, and v.xï'11 be 'jnarried then. Jonas ml me won't ba like young iolks, but I b'lieve wc'll get along botter tha.n we wo'uld have done years ago. We've learned a good many lessons in tte hard school of life; but the best one I've leaa-ncd is to get over griHlgin' and hatin'. I b'lievc the best way to do 'tlids is to do somethdng kind contiuuously to the one yon lKite. I was reading the old Book last night, about loving our vncmios, blessing thein that curse un, and doing good to ttuem that hate lis. Ifs fine preachinjï, that is, but I wisli I'd a-begun practicing it years u.g-o. í m sure lile would have been better, iuil the Book of accounts Iu Heaveai wouldn't have had so many black spots iu it.- Kose Seely Miller, in Housekoeper. '