Little Fishers: and their Nets

of "skeletons," that Nettie grew alarmed lest there should never be found clothing enough to cover them. However, matters in that respect began to look brighter. Mrs. Job Smith, as she grew in

ightly tell for what, only Job set store by it because it was his old mother's." Nettie fairly cl

n than I am now, and was kind of meek, and I lugged home the great roll and said nothing; only I remember when I got home I just sat down on a corner of the table and cried, I was so disappointed. I had expected to be paid in money, and I had planned two or three things to surprise Job, and they had to be given up. Well, as I was saying," she added, in a brisker tone, having roused from her little dream of the past to watch Nettie's fingers linger lovingly and wistfully among the r

re so wonderful to her. "I could make such lovely things!" she said, almost gaspi

trunk; not one; it is just a pack of rubbish, now, that's the truth; and if Sarah Jane h

ghts of the despised trunk with a satisfied air. "I will make you some of the prettiest things you ever saw in your life," she said, with the air of one who knew she

to that Sabbath-school again. By night, after the quiet talk under the trees with Norm and the little girls, she had not been so sure of it. The little girls could not go without her, and they had learned sweet lessons that very day, which had filled their young heads full of wondering thoughts, and they had asked questions which had at least amused Norm, and which might set him to thinking. In any case, ought she, because she had not been happy in her class, to deprive the little girls of the help which the Sabbat

han the other. She was a very lonely little girl, and it seemed hard to give up a friend. But th

en thinking all day of somethi

tchen towel. "Go ahead, this is a good time to say it." And he held the stick up and took a scientific squint at it in the moonlight. "This thing w

t I have made up my mind I ought to say. Jerry, I think

am sure, and interesting; I agree with you entirely." After that,

again, "and I ought to say it. What I want to tell you is, that I

istle. His knife suddenly stopped, and he s

gh he did not think it possible

r, I mean we must not let folks know that we are friends. We mustn't take walks together, nor work together

ing to make you ashamed of me? I'

that Nettie could not

that way. It sounds strange, I know, and it is real har

n't you give a fellow a reason for things

to you as she can be, for getting him to go a-fishi

is very hard on me; I don't feel as t

alk! those girls in the class, you know, yesterday. I guess they did not know I was there. They talked about me a go

lderment; "well, what of that? Woul

explaining to him the subtle distinction between

rue. They said I was nothing but a drunkard's daughter," and h

indignantly. "Your father has

all the time; and I think maybe he will reform, after a while. And I won't forget our promise, and I know you won't; but it is best for us not to act like friends. They talked about you, too; they said you were hand

hy, yes, my great-grandmother came from the Nort

tch, or what; I am only telling you what they said. They told how you worked at Job

ay, and left me, as sure as time. But he m

hat I want to say is, that I know they will get all over those feelings when they come to know you; and they will like you, and invite you to places, if you don't

rtant business; and partners can't get along very well without speaking to each other. There is no use in talking. You are several days too late. The mischief is done. I'm your friend and fellow-laborer and partner in the cabinet business, and the upholstery line, and all the other lines. You will find me the hardest fellow to get rid o

ht flash over it which carried away a good deal of the look of patient endurance

y won't invite you to their parties, nor anywhere. There is going to be a party next week, and I think you would have bee

for the girls, nor their invitations, nor their bows; I would just as soon they did not know me when they met me as not. If that is their game, I shall like nothing better than to meet them half-way; girls who would know no better than to talk the way they did about you, are not to my liking. If because you wear clothes that are neat and nice and the best you can afford, and because I am an Irish boy and work for my board, are good reasons for not having anything to do with us, w

e I ought to let you do it. But you don't know how nice it is; and I can't tell

You would find it the hardest work you ever did in your life not to talk to m

Jerry, I think the worst of it is about father; and that is true, you know

Wouldn't you stop it quick enough if you could? It is only another reason why they ought to be friends to you.

ry! do

e of the largest disti

k liquor than make it for other folks. At least he

r to Mrs. Job Smith who appeared in the adjoining door. "All right, auntie, we are coming.

? I guess auntie thinks

lower step of Mrs. Smith's porch, Jerry said: "Remember this is a bargain forever and aye, Nettie; there is to b

ok out of the fly leaf of his Bible the picture of a tall man, and kissed it, as he said aloud: "So you have run away