Master of the Vineyard

n Al

erles

e of her "lame" days, though sometimes she forgot which was her lame side, and limped

d there a bit of tarnished gold from the wall paper, and, as though purposely, made the worn spots in the carpet unusually distinct. Meaningless china ornaments crowded the mant

ly, "I don't see why you can't never learn

and

ired and her head ached, but she said nothing. She found the shawl,

anted you to put it on me, I'd have said so. Guess I ain't so old yet but wh

ded Aunt Matilda, enterin

of blue-and-brown plaid, and s

me if you like. I ain't ashamed to say I'm cold when I am, and if I want

"Folks what lays abed till almost seven o'clock ought to be nice and warm unl

" Matilda sugge

y day," she responded, shrilly, "but I never got any thanks for it. What with sweepin' and dustin' and scrubbin' and washin' and ironin' and bringin' up

of th

ully, as Rosemary put a small saucer of fruit b

w," Grandmother snorted. "

s," Matilda answered, "and

n length, so that short, straight hair continually hung about her face, without even the saving grace of fluffiness. Her eyes wer

-bowed spectacles at the proper angle for reading or knitting. During conversation, she peered over her spectacles,

Wr

a single glance, she could make Rosemary feel mentally undressed. Had the girl's forehead been transparent, like the crystal of a watch, with the machinery of

to a paste, but Aunt Matilda, whose teeth were better, desired something that must be chewed before it was swallowed, and unhesitatingly said so. The coffee was fate

ong as colour comes into it when it's boiled, it's good. My mother always used the same grounds for a week for a fam

ommon

being choosers," and Rosemary pushed her plate

the kitchen cleaned up, I want you should go to the post-office and get my paper. When you come back, you can do the sweepin' and dustin' down here and I can set in the kitchen whil

underclothes and get 'em basted together." She never attempted any sort of housework, being pathet

all gone?" as

it patchin' Rosemary's dress under the arms.

tion o

ghed the old lady. "I suppose

ildness. "Grandmother," she pleaded, hesitatingly, "oh, Aunt Matilda-just fo

h she had all at once gone mad. T

ice. I wouldn't ask you to pay any more. Perhaps

andmother. She used the tone in which ro

observed Aunt Matilda, "the ni

e this," they

reckon it'll do for orphans that don't half earn their keep,"

d?" queried Aunt Matilda, with the

prise

ther's things the other day, up in the attic, I found some pink ribbon,

in't it wonderful," asked Matilda o

nt on, to Rosemary, "was wearin' grey when your pa brought her here to visit us. They was a surprise party-both of 'em. We didn't

lled with mist and

ry serviceable colour and she had the impudence to laugh at me. 'It'll clean, won't it?' she says, just like that

ted Grandmother. "There ain't n

ent

e ain't, there

ever-useful and unfailing wart. "She was wearin' pink roses on her bonnet and pink ribbon strings. It woul

r," Matild

her handkerchiefs was fine linen," Grandmother continued. "Maybe you'd

them out into the kitchen, and noiselessly closed the door. Her heart was hot with resentment, ev

to herself. "Dear little mother! Why

ctedly. The surprise, in itself, was a shock from which she and Matilda had never recovered. Even now, they

Orp

or so afterward, when Rosemary was born, the little mother died, having lived only long enough

money, gave insufficient addresses, or none at all, and, at length, disappeared. At the time his last letter was written, he had expected to take a certain steamer pl

he purpose coarse, unbleached muslin, thriftily purchased by the bolt. The brown alpaca and brown gingham, in which she and her grandmother and aunt had been dressed ever since she could remember, were

after

lined, buttoning down the front with a row of small jet buttons. The sleeves were always long, plain, and tight, no matt

mary's best Summer gown, was made like the ginghams. Her Winter hat was brown felt, trimmed with brown ribbon, her Summer hat was

shes, heedless of the tears that fell into the dish-pan. But activity is a sovereign remedy for the blues, and by the time the kitchen was made spotless, she h

g Chee

ling happily over the hair-wreath in the parlour. This was a fruitful source of argument when all other subjects had failed, for Grandmother insisted that the yellow rose in the centr

lt fires, and, in the afternoon, brought down the heavy roll of unbleached muslin from the attic. Aunt Matilda cleared off the dining-room table, got out the worn news

when Frank Starr brought his wife home. They were in the next room, but their shrill voice

cky

rank brought her," said Aunt Matilda, indicatin

. "It may have been bad for us but it was good for her. Supposin' t

rrelevantly; "at least she would if she was pret

retty. It was always a myster

Rosemary, abruptly. She

ad reached her that day, she had absorbed a vast amount of knowledge pertaining to the manners and customs of germs, and began to fear for her life. At first, it wa

Close o

s reason, that if his attention was called to the error, he might want another ticket. At length it was decided to say nothing

o go to bed. She wrapped a hot brick in red flannel for each of them, put out the lamp, and followed them up-stairs. Rejoicing in the shelte

only to make a wry face at her unbleached muslin nightgown, entirely without trimming. She brush

red book he had given her a few days before, and began to read, eagerly, one

as not with thes

wind of welco

hless bowers th

the H

r spirit began to breathe. Upon the heights she walked firmly now, an

ife, creature of

hunger, at her

arkness, till a

the bonds of bi

ag

e. Above the e

ld testifies of

eyes remember

e her shrine. L

rs (Oh, love, t

look on her mu

pths of her soul. Hunger and thirst ran riot in her

nknow

strikes down th

yes upturned,

ing now thrills t

at to your warm l

she thought, "how it would be if anyone should kiss me. Me,"

of her for the unknown joy. The flickering light of the candles was answered by the strange fire that b

pen the door of the House of Life to me! Send someone