Autumn

the side of the road, piles of leaves, raked together by Mr. Tomkins, were set on fire; they burned with a crackle and a roar, and gave off an odor at once pungent and regretfu

ch anxious to be not the first, but the second, ran after each o

ho was very ill. Juliet did not realize how ill she was; she thought Mrs. Grumble might have croup. But Mrs. Ploughman, who sat on the porch

me, in Mrs. Grumble's place, I'd have gone to bed, instead of

bbe was with me. 'Mrs. Ploughman,' he said, 'and you, Mrs. Crabbe, we're leaving a lot of trouble behind us.' Fancy that, Mrs. T

l," said Mrs. Tom

ive up teaching school. It's a wonder the children know anything at all, Mrs. To

hard blow to him," she said. "He did his best. Maybe he was a littl

rumble," she a

very weak, out of her mind par

te she'll die,

s is the way it was; first the influenza, and then the pneumony. Double pneumony, the doctor says. Th

it," she added, "nothing,

e that. Capabler than Miss Beal. There was no one else ever made me so comfortable. I have to say that about her; Mrs. Grumble's getting t

n Noel's death. "Yes," she said, "I expect Mrs. Grumble's getting good care. But when a body's dying, 'tisn't so

wever, she did not choose this moment to mention it. "It may be as you say, Mrs. Ploughman," she remarked, "or it may be that we've been too hard oh M

a reason for it. I don't hold it against Mrs. Wicket that she drove my Noel to his death. No. I forgive her for i

id Mrs.

im back, Mrs. Tomkins. 'Mr. Jeminy,' she hollers, 'where's the old rascal?' she says. Then she goes on about his be

exclaimed M

Ploughman, "I wouldn't

or a thousa

last hours. But he's likely far away by this time. And there's no one could spare the time to go after him,

ne," exclaimed

clared with energy, "i

e away now, and Mrs. Gr

d to William for nigh

if it weren't fo

oughman, "I never he

heard of, Mrs. Ploughm

she gazed at her friend

h, however, she understood. While she dressed and undressed her child, made of rags and sawdust, put her to s

ce of cambric, which Juliet often used to carry small handfuls of earth from one place to another. "I'm mother," said Juliet. Ris

in that curious squeak with which all of

said Juliet. "Where do

mmick," squ

soberly. "Dear me," sh

what would you

d Sara hopefully

ntly returned with a few dead leaves and some mud. "Here," she said; "her

said

th sympathy. "What else wo

y," squeaked Sara.

able for Jeminy. But all at once she grew thoughtful. It had occurred to her that to look for Mr. Jeminy in the f

et felt that she could not explain to Mrs. Tomkins exactly what she intended to do. As for the trip, an umbrella in case of rain, and the company of Sara would be

t bonnet, and took her mother's umbrella from the closet. Then she went back to her own room and took down her penny bank. Holding it upside down, she began to s

her, after all. For Anna had a bonnet, whereas Sara had none. Anna also wore a new dress, made for her by M

, Sara," she added; "it won't get you anything. You can't go. So you ma

to Milford, Anna under one arm

ame a duchess, or an old queen. The fact that nothing unusual happened to her, did not seem to her of any importance; she saw the russet field

re, the sun sank lower, and the gathering chill of evening made itself felt in the air

ch it when we get h

vague fears. She held her doll tightly to her breast for comfort. The little red squirrel, flirting along the low stone wall, seemed to peer a

red to Anna, "I'm going to

her. Grasping her umbrella, her five pennies, and her doll, she retreated to

tly than before, was n

the top of her voice, "

Je

ease co

down the road a sound of wheels, and the beat of hoofs. And presently a

peering at her over the front of

e was in the best of spirits, all sprightliness an

the farmer. "A f

s a friend of mine. I have to tell him to come h

hereabouts?" a

ay. Now Mrs. Grumble's sick, he ought to

chuckle. "What's the

iny," sa

ron Bade, over to the Forge. I declare, if that don't beat all. Curl up in

r," said

ng dusk. Juliet, under a blanket in the hay, looked up at

r," sh

, ma

h a scarlet woma

No, he came all alone

nybody w

d. And in her fresh, young voice, she began to sing, while the wagon rattled down the

the fir

goes

s the ne

is the

a good

isn'

w is the

ever