isgfgpP II y Hilda Richmond. The weather certainly was queer for the last day of December. The sun shone brightly down on leafless trees and brown fields, and a fresh warm breeze blew from the south making it like a day in late September. 'I he wide expanse of meadows and wheat fields stretching away back of the dozen farm-houses that composed the tiny village seemed to be basking in the mellow, hazy sunlight that covered the whole landscape as with a garment. With a sigh Miss Julia Hunt hung the yellow almanac behind the shining stove in the kitchen, where yellow al manacs- had hung for more than fifty years, and then went to the dining room to pack away her precious china and ornaments. "There's one thing," she said to Mary Finnegan, the maid of all work, "those boys are not going into the parlor. I'll lock the door to-night and not open it till they are gone. I'm not going to have my mother's furni ture scratched and spoiled by a lot of city boys. It was very foolish of me to promise Louise that I would enter tain part of her mission class of news boys and bootblacks, but she begged so hard that 1 couldn't help it. She 6ays one day in the country is like a glimpse of Heaven tothose half starved little creatures, but I'm afraid it will not be like a glimpse of Heaven for us. 1 had planned to have Mike take them for a long sleighride in the bob sled, but here the weather must turn as warm as May and spoil my plans. If we get through the morning, we shall be all right, for I have tickets for the entertainment at the school-house in ——— ~ v , 'V■ 1 V M 112, -U< afi^^SiaSi=i=aaa=ifc--1-ajji=ii=aßMß^^^^ "Hully Gee I Aint That a B the afternoon, and they return on the six o'clock train. Louise said all that was necessary was to feed them well, and I would have no trouble." "Maybe it will snow yet," said Mary, examining the little house out of which an old man was said to appear in case a storm was brewing. But the smil ing little old lady was on guard, and thut is a sure sign of fair weather. '•No such lnck," exclaimed the mis tress. "The almanac says 'fair and warmer' for to-morrow. Do you think you will have time to hunt up the checker board and dominoes in the at He. Mary?" "Sure an' I'll do that as soon as the bird is stuffed." If I thought they wouldn't break it, I'd run over to Mrs. Brown's and bor row the boys' magic lantern. I could darken the sitting-room and show off the pictures, but perhaps I'd better not risk it. llow many ginger cookies did you bake this morning?" "Four dozen," replied Mary prompt ly. "T.et me see. Ten boys are coining. That will be plenty for each to have three or four for lunch. Louise laid such stress on having plenty to eat that 1 am glad you baked too many rather than not enough. You need not make the tarts if we have mince and pumpkin pie." "How do you do?" said a brisk voice at the open door. I just stopped to tell you that the entertainment fori to-morrow is all oil". Two of the Gray children are down with the measles, o>i<) as they had the leading parts, it ean r given. lam around refund ing money to the people who bought tickers; " "Troubles ae>er come singly," ob served Miss .lulia a- she > xchanged e'evi u bii '.( pa? ii in. anl for a hand ful of tin*!! coin . Mar v I'll be back in half ar. hour. I'm ffoing to the store for some candy, and on the wa\ back I'll stop for il «• magic lantern This house will look as if a whirlwind liitd truck it by to II 'i row but It can't In helped, I suppose I'll have more sense next time,"* she adden geiiiiK \ 'lie i run stopped at the lit tie sta tion the ne.\i morning, ten In• \ rang IN J.' F ruin ten TO TTFTEI II years, wire IM L Ii) Mis# • ilia and e-i oited home much as if sht were in charge of so many Indiaim They were armed with Italic • lid bats, and before they were half wuy tu the home, one of them pmuieu to Miss YYunt's big pasture field, and said, "llullv gee! Ain't that a bully place for a game?" Miss Hunt was shocked at the lati guape, but hope rose in her heart. It might lie possible that the exquisite, cloudless weather favored her after all. She looked at the thin elotliing of her guests, and rejoiced that the vellow almanac had truly predicted "fair and warmer" for this New Year's day. "I say, missus, is they any jboys 'round here? Lame Jimmy, he can't play an' we'd like to strike jtoine kids fer a match game," said one of the boys eagerly. "Certainly, there ar. .>ovs in the village. If you go out and start a game, I guess it won't be long till they will ali be with you," said Miss Hunt, who had very little acquaintance with boys, but had noticed that they w ere not long in finding out if anything new was go ing on. Hcfore the location of the bases had been settled, three recruits joined tTie ranks and were soon offering to hunt 1111 enough more for the match game. "Dear me, Mary," lamented M? ts Hunt, as a new difficulty stared her in the face, "I was just going to run out with the cookies and some apples for the boys, but there are ten or twelve extra ones playing with them. They must be hungry after their long ride this morning, but what can 1 do?" "Sure an' I'd run to Mrs. Brown's and get the batch she made yisterday. Her Moliie said their company couldn't come to-day." "The very thing!" And with a load off her mind Miss Julia hastened acros.-, the street. "Sell them! I guess not. MyJoeand Xed are screaming out there as loud as the rest. You may have them all. and these pies, too, for Sister Jane can't come to-day. I'll help you carry them to the pasture field," said Mrs. Brown. "Ten minutes for refreshments," yelled Lame Jimmie, who had by com mon consent been chosen umpire, ully Place for a Game? 11 since, as a shrewd newsboy remarked, "No feller'd hit a cripple even if liis decisions was foul." In less than half the time Jiminie had alloted, the cookies and apples disappeared, and the game was again in progress. On the way out Miss Hunt had said: "We'll let them eat all they want, and then put the baskets by the fence where they can help them selves whenever they get hungry." Mrs. Brown, who was the mother of four healthy boys, said nothing to this, but thought her friend would have her eyes opened as to boys' appetites be fore night. "For pity's sake," saiil Miss Hunt, looking at the empty baskets. "I nevcv saw the like. I must go right in and tell Mike to kill some young chickens. My turkey and the mast beef will never be enough at this rate. I'm sorry I declined your pies, Mrs. Brown." "I'll n>i right home and bring them." said Mrs. Brown. "I have some fresh cake tliat I can spare, too. My Mollie can look after our dinner if you need any help. Perhaps I can do something for you." "Indeed you can," said Miss Julia fer vently. "It's only nine o'clock, but I shall begin peeling potatoes at once. No wonder Louise said over and over again to 'prepare ph nty of food.' " "I saw you going out with a lunch for the boys," said .Mrs. Hace, coming to inei t t hem wit h a large basket. "I suppi, e my three are out there, so it is only fair that I should help. lio you think they will like these?" and she iliplaycd a lot of warm, sugary crullers. "I. Iki them!" laughed Mrs. Brown. "They ate every tliinsr we had In live in iII lit •>. Don't taki tine out now. Wait till we have a chance to take something. It is always well to have a reserve. "Yi . indeed," said Miss Hunt. "If you can come in and make up about a bushel of cookii I shall be indebted to you forever, Mrs. Knee, | thought I had enough dinner for twenty limn, but I am afraid not now." All three women were so busy pre pariui; dinner that an hour slipped past before unyone thought of the baseball players, Kven then It j doubtful if they would have been re membereil if tin* whole troop had not come to the house ostensibly to (/el a drink, but really to sen if taoie cuokiti wI. u ii.ii --1 In fm thi'uiiiii.g 51.,. Hum CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1902. was overcome with remorse to think she had neglected her guests, and sev eral pies soon followed the crullers as astonement for her sin of omission. "Now, boys," she said as the proces sion started, each boy with a huge pumpkin pie triangle in one hand and a rosy apple in the other, "dinner will be ready in an hour or t wo and we want you to have good appetites." "We'll be there," sang out the cap tain. briefly, leading the way back to t he field. "I am sorry all the boys can't stay to dinner," said Miss Hunt. "Doyou sup pose there, would be enough for all?" "I am afraid not," said Mrs. Knee, surveying the contents of pots, kettles and pans. I am sorry, too, for they are ha ving such a good time together." "I'll run down and see if Mrs. Lake has anything to spare. Perhaps we can arrange for all to stay," said Mrs Brown. "Now don't object, Julia. There are six little Lakes tint in your pasture field and their mother will be delighted to help." "Of course she will," snid Mrs. Lake at the door. "Nellie told me what is going on down here, and I came right away to offer my services, for of course my boys are out there with the rest. I'll be back in a few minutes with my cont ribut ion." "The dinin'-room only holds twelve," announced Mary Finnegan, red-faced from a struggle with the table. "Let's set one table in the sitting room," said Julia, forgetting that she had intended to lock up her parlor and sit t ing-room. When dinner was finally ready, not a hoy was in the pasture field. The bats were thrown aside, the catcher's mask dangled from the fence, and the barn roof reserved'seats for spectators were empty. Far away faint shouts an nounced that a lively chase was going 011. Miss Hunt was in despair but not so the mothers. "They have seen a rabbit or a squir rel," said Mrs. Lake, calmly, as she rang the big old dinner bell that had been silent for twenty years. "My dear Julia, if you had ever lived in the same house with six youngsters, you would be surprised at nothing. 1 see Mrs. Hrown filling a tub with warm water. She knows what condition their hands and faces will be in." The squirrel hunt was abandoned at the first sound of the bell, and across the fields streamed the visitors and besides all the well boys that the vil lage boasted. Nearly every one of the dozen houses in the group was repre sented in the motley crowd of dirty urchins. Under the direction of Mrs. Brown, the whole party was soon scented with soup and scrubbed to that lady's satisfaction. They could scarcely restrain themselves under her rigid inspection, for near at hand stretched the lonj>- tables loaded with all sorts of delicious things foreign to the city waifs. Country boys take good food as a matter of course, but three hours of baseball and chasing the nimble squirrel had made every body ravenous. "Golly," said Lame Jimmie, taking in the turkey, chicken, bread, vegetables, jellies, pickles, cake, pie, and fruit with which the long table was filled. "1 wisht every day was New Year's." How they all enjoyed that dinner! Miss Hunt buttered bread till her fingers ached. Mrs. Brown ladled out quarts of gravy. Mary collected a peck of boiies to make room near the loaded plates for her dishes of apple sauce and peaches, while the other women, who had been joined by- two more mothers, sliced ham, and answered calls for more turkey and everything else on the bill of fare. "If you ladies will come to the game, we'll give you the best reserved seats," said, the captain of the city nine, when a plate of delicious plum pudding was placed before him. As the best re served seats were on the roof of Miss Hunt's cow barn, the ladies declined with thanks. "We are very much obliged," said Miss Hunt, "but the dishes must be washed and preparations made for supper." "Does we git supper, too?" asked a bootblack, laving down a piece of frosted cake with a sigh. "I'se been a eatin' enough fer supper now." "Corse we does," said another. "Dese ladies is de real ting." "And to think," said Miss Hunt to herself as the train pulled out and the echo of the cheers her guests had just given for her was still singing in her j ears. "I was afraid to have the poor j little souls come into my house. They | said it was the happiest day they ever spent, and I'm ashamed of my selfish j ness. They behaved like gentlemen every one of them, and would not ! have injured a thing in the house. W hen j they come back next Fourth of Jul\ ; I'll give them a picnic that is worthy 1 of the name, and do it without calling on all tin- neighbors for help, too. i Ohio Farmer. IIAU NO I SK I'M llt IT. *"> r VN • t I heard that \ > need for liiiu to repeat tl« sad story or failure again; she knew it when 1 he touched her check with his cold I lip-. "Where is Harry?" were the llrst words he spoke after regaining IIIK j breath, for he was quite exhausted ; by the exertion of mounting the steep staircase "lie's gone out, dearest; | couldn't stop him. Mary cried for something' to eat, and the little fellow lushed out, determined to do something. ! Dolt'l be 112 Tightened, llilgh. tiod will take care of him, mid of u». too. We INIBMt not hide our trouble from your aunt any longer; it isn't justice tu I our children." Where, meantime, wa> little llurn and what was his object in »noting the rent (tUOiiftbiug hou*f of t'orU A ~ t Company? Looking at the huge, seven-story building, with all its win dows ablaze with light, you would wonder what purpose the child had in mind. Nearly a year before, Mary Der went, when the beginning of their troubles had come, hail mailed a story to the Manhattan Magazine, en tering the competition for a prize of SSOO, which had been offered. Mary Derwent, in iter happier days, had written verse which had been accept ed and published. The prospect of coming trouble had stimulated her, as it has many another, to literary effort, in the hope of giving her fam ily the helping hand. Poverty had Unit this little family into a closer and more intimate union than ordi narily exists in families, and they I had talked things over together, but long since Mary had ceased to won der about her story, giving it up for lost. 'i'lie thought of it came as an in spiration to small Harry, and he meant to beg money for the story; that was his errand. "Surely," thought the child, "the good editor will buy it if he knows how hungry we all are." Harry's tired little feet at last reached the large building where the Manhattan Magazine was published, and through his earnest solicitation he was admitted to the editorial rooms, where he told his errand. After some questioning, he was in formed that Mary Derwent's story had won the first prize, and as she had sent no address except "City," they had forwarded the check to the general delivery office. It was so far to the post office, but that letter would buy bread, so Harry trudged bravely on. At last he was there. There were two letters, one for his father. He clutched them tightly in his thin, small hand and started for home. How far it was! If he could just hold out to get there! A pain came in his head and everything turned dark around him. despite the electric lights. There was an elegant gentleman sauntering leisurely along, looking almost bored by the mere fact of ex istence. Harry stopped a moment, passing his hand over his eyes as if to clear away the mist, before at tempting the muddy crossing. What made everything turn around so? Suddenly there was an outcry as a little form went down in the mud and slush, right in front of a carriage dashing furiously onward. A moment more and the cruel hoofs of the madly driven horses will trample the brave little life out. Hut no, a strong arm clutches them, tind with almost superhuman strength forces them back on their haunches as the little child struggles to his feet, it was the listless gen tleman, a Mr. Mayo. "Oh, thank you, sir," gasped Harry. "Ah, don't mention it. sonny; let me help you across," and he grasped the muddy, ragged sleeve in his daintily gloved hand, and nearly lift ing the slight form, swung him over. 'I he child reeled and would have fall en, but he caught and held him. "I can't goon, and they are so hun gry at home. Please take this letter to mother—I —I can't see." The gentleman signaled a hack and lifted Harry in, taking a seat beside him. "Now, where do you live?" he in quired. Harry roused sufficiently to give di rections, but immediately sank back almost fainting. Mr. Mayo suddenly exclaimed, as if a thought had struck him which was very surprising: There Were Two Letters, 0"e tor Hi* Father. "I believe 1 lie boy is starving," and ; lie stopped tin- luieK in front of a res taurant and ordered a of milk, a (flass of sherry and some brund\ and water, the only thing- lie eould 1 think of just then. The haekman said, dryly: "Thai ain't no tiiten Mult fur folk* ! u lull's starviu'! The lllitk'll do, but bread and ineat's what he needs." "Well, tiring them," and a (feiierou* --111• I• I\ wait brought forth. A slow smile iliiwiii'il on I lie fare •if the yeutleinan as the ehild ate. "Ah what a remarkable u|i|>et Ite! ! I feel kiirfeitrd tuyxelf Junt wutehiuir yon." Ilurri'* tippet Ite np|>eiised, the,* proveedeil. Mr. Muyo »eanned ihr addresses on the letters whieh he had taken, "Mary Her went Mound* faniili.tr, i somehow." They arrived at the inritii tenement. ..ml llnriv ukkeil Mr Mayo upstair* ' T'ur mother wtM wi.ut tv thank ;uu," he nuid. i • - -•••*- - - "T don't core for thanks, but 1 would like to see the owner of thnt name—must be someone I ha\> known." "Mother!" called llarrv, "oh, mother, 1 bring good news. Here's money; your story won iirst prize, and here's a kind gentleman who saved me from being run over. Now Mary and all can have something to eat." Mr. and Mrs. Derwent could rot, realize the sudden transition from despair to hope. They sat as if dazed. Mr. Derwent came forward at last, and in a broken voice tried to speak his thanks. "Why, haven't you a light?" in quired Mr. Mayo. "Oh. sir," said Harry, who had re xived wonderfully since eating, "we had no money to buy anything." Mr. Mayo stared. He had never come in Contact with poverty before. "Here., take my purse and get light and, ah--something to eat." Mr. Derwent was again thanking him, while Mrs. Derwent was weep ing tears of joy and thankfulness. "(iod sent you to save my children from starvation. This evening I begged for bread, begged it, and the laker refused me. Hut what wouldn't a woman do for her chil dren?" Harry soon came back with a light and a basket of food and handed the purse back to Mr. Mayo. "1 only took enough for to-night, for mother has money, now." Mr. Mayo emptied the purse on the bed, where Mrs. Derwent was already feeding little Mary, who ate raven ously. The mother had less to eat than any, but, mother-like, thought of si If last. Mr. Mayo bowed himself out. prom ising to call on the morrow, silently wondering that he, of all others, should lie the one to play Providence tc. a poor family. The second letter which Harry brought proved to be an urgent invi tation from Mr. Derwent's aunt in the country for him anil his family to spend New Year's with her, the second day from this. How gladly they left the close, comfortless room for the spacious old farmhouse among the hills! The day was glorious, the air balmy as if Indian summer had come again. When they reached the home sta tion and crowded into the large fam ily carriage, she thisew wide the win dows to let in the golden sunlight and health-giving breeze from the pine lands. Was ever a day more royal than this? Mr. Mayo, having called to see the Derwents the day previous, Mrs. Derwent took the liberty, in her great happiness, to invite him out. too, presented himself, to his own and her astonishment, as they were going out to dinner in the large, handsome old dining-room. There was just enough frost in the air to make the wood fire acceptable, yet the musk roses looked saucily in at the wide windows and nodded a welcome, while large vases full of flowers breathed out their hearts in fragra nee. The crowning event of the day came when Mr. Derwent was giving a second helping to turkey. The dear old aunt announced that, as he would be her heir, it was his duty to remain there and keep up his property; she was tired of living without children in the house."And what is more, I'm not going to any longer," she de clared with emphasis. "Ah, Mrs. Derwent," said Mr. Mayo, after dinner, as he swung lazily in a hammock under a large oak tree. "I found out why your name sounded so —ah, familiar; there was a little mis take. My cousin wrote a story for that competition, and took a fancy to sign her name 'Mary Derwent,' having heard it somewhere, perhaps. She told me about it and " "Then it was her story instead of mine which won the prize?" "ITer story was called 'Kvelyn,' I think." "That accounts for it; the letter that contained the cheek said 'lCvelyu, by Mary Derwent.' Mine was 'Kvnn geline,' 4>ut I thought they had made a mistake." "Ah, quite a coincidence," said \lr. i Mayo, "but you shan't lose by it." "I can't lose now. Had Harry not gone to the post otliee, he would nut have met you, and had you not suc cored us at that critical time we would have died, and hut for tie check we could not have come out here." "So you stole your New Year's, i Mary," said her aunt, as she shook her fat sides in laughter, "but the heir to 'l'inelauds,* your farmer lius banil (as he is to lie), can easily re place it." Would \ ••II believe that that ga> voting fellow driving the cow* from the pasture with Harry, helping Utile Mar.v make mild pies, swinging the baby in the hummock, peeling pota toes with a cheeked itproti oil, wan (•lie dandy who stood ai the street trussing with his euile in his mouth, almost refuting the statement that "iH>d made iiiuu in His own image?" Well, lie is the identieal yoitrg swell, who lino been out ut IMiiclatiil* several weeks, anil sitv M In- intend* staving there several more. "In iitel Mr llerw r«f," he xaitl, "I i.in In love with I'iiie lauds. and 1 in tend >oil shall adopt uie a> a brother. I.el lite put tll.V I lion#) ill impiole iiieut* on the pltt it tat 1011, untl iliMcutl of making 'ducks ami it takes' of my lupilui, I'll bin tlnek uin I ilt.iki s mttl quit inakii i' a fc'° of nit*.! If" Hi ton he gate lite world "USSUIIIIIID ult utau l.mleV wild. .Sum \uik.