Poppea of the Post-Office

her one desire had been to get back to the village, and ever since her brother had been appointed postmaster she had spent many sleepless nights in fruitless schemes for br

nt her announcement. "There now, and folks say there's nothing in dreams! To be sure, the man in my dream last night that came to price the heifer was dark and you're sandy, and while I went to lead her out, he stole my best spoons out of

tle as possible, brief as the time was, Mrs. Pegrim finished the securing of

ck and doesn't want to allow it? Or mebbe he's minded to get the spring cleaning done early; if so, he's too forehanded,

e her into the kitchen, Mrs. Pegrim quickly assembled a pick-up breakfast, of whic

, only said fetch her down? That's like a man. Anyhow, I'll tell neighbor Selleck to feed my fowls and the cow and heifer until he hears contrary, besides which, you'll ha

on the hearth, for she still cooked in the open chimney over a bed of wood embers by the aid of pot hook, crane, and trammel, Satira joined 'Lisha at the table and p

e wishes? He's got a tidy sum laid by and a trade and a position under government. Of course I'll go and help him, not but what a widow must feel, losing he

Oliver ain't got time to entertain suitable, and the quicker we get down there, the sooner

as to her live stock, Satira Pegrim relapsed

tira, launching the question suddenly

am of amusement flitting

or fe

of

ied c

op

r and s

ckon

riends,

s on the way to growin' real friendly." More than this, Satira Pegrim could not extract, and she contented herself by weaving roman

ide porch, having suddenly made up his mind to stay down at the village for another day, he led the horse and bobbing two

was added to the mystery. With a gasp, combined of suppressed speech and astonishment, she seized her bag and going up to the room over the kitchen that she had previously occupied, donned a gown of stout indigo print, and throwing over head and shoulder

idow Baker, were actually holding an animated conversation with Gilbert through the delivery window of the beehive, standing a-tiptoe in their endeavors

left ear, stood on end; his beard was buttoned under his collarless blue flannel shirt, giving his face a curiously choppe

herself kneeling and very much jarred upon the edge of a bright patchwork quilt, in the centre of which sat the lady baby, alternately feeding herself and the puppy with a thick slice of bread which she held butter side down. In

orner of the cherished shawl. At the sound Gilbert turned, a look

at she had bought merely to prolong the interview. "Take 'em right back to the house and I'll come over soon as

n the chest, that's what she needs. But who be they, 'nd how'd they come here without parent

w and have got to find ou

ly rigmarolled

ad now come in, "will you go over home with sister

t of them letters," said 'Lisha; so brother and sister, the lady baby muffled in the

theories of the event before which the war news had temporarily paled; for never, even in the memory of Select

to take up the clew; for in these good old days of New England, the F

ted to go to the stable at Westboro with the buffalo-robe, after which t

the Selectman asked when the postmaster returned and 'Lisha had driven off to Wes

be?" asked Gilber

ing a flywheel of his thumbs, at the same time adjusting his upper teeth in place with a clicking sound. That it was the wandering

ed by worthless parents, she goes to the poor-house free; while if she can be attribu

for your interest, this matter isn't federal business, nor connected with this post-office, so if there's anything to say, come 'round to the house later on and have it out. Under anything that may come out, the child is innocent, and it might come pretty hard a score of years fro

's all right and hushed the bel

horused

who brought the chi

erous quid of tobacco and passing the remainder around, as though prepar

of sawdust by the stove, while Gilbert came from the hive to lean over the case wher

but trust to any folks that wanted one coming over, for it was near midnight. I suppose I must have dozed off by the stove in the office, because the first thing I knew, a man stood there by the fire stamping his feet to warm th

I've not a driver I could send out

eam there and bring it back in the morning. I'll pay you ten dol

ve him Spunky Pete, it'll be a safe risk, for he won't go but

toward the depot, the bells jingling nice, and pretty soon I see the sleigh come back with somebody else within and go up the turnpike this way, and so I went upstairs and turned into bed. It was after I'd got into a good first sleep w

hat way if I don't give him his feed first of the bunch. Yes, sure enough, there was Pete pounding away on the porch. At first I thought he'd s

it after under the seat) and the two big ones on the shafts were hushed by being wrapped in paper. 'I wonder what's up,' says I, 'the horse has come back safe, but there's something amiss somewhere. A man doesn't give up ten doll

bits of newspape

hey're torn from The Bosto

ar," ventured the Justice of the Peace. "Nobody, so far as Mr. Binks the agent saw;

" asked the Justice of the

ap with a chin piece that pretty well covered his mouth. He was short and thick-set, 'n' I think his eyebrows were light, but that's about all, ex

bert. "Then wherever they came from and whoever they are, they meant

uld come from, mightn't she be of some distant kin Down East of old Curtis's, who didn't know

tice should be put in the best county paper. I reckon those from whom the child was stolen should have as much chance to know of it as if one of us had found a good horse tied at

man of your years-with prices what

self with his cane; "but we have a mystery among us for the first time, boys, and we must not treat it lightly. I

day by asking a few questions at the Bridgeton station, the group, havi

s and twilight again fell around him; for a while he had struggled against it, and then, as the neighbors said, "become resigned." Now, everything was upheaved; work, his consoler, lay on the bench untouched; the sun melted the ice from the halyards, and yet he did not go to raise the flag of victory where it must be seen from John Angus's windows. The hour struck and then the next befor

toward the voice. "Oh, it's you, is it, H

, and she said yes. You see, there wasn't any school this morning because it was too slippery, but now it's all wet.

r and see little missy. Isn't this about the time of day for a barley stic

. Pegrim sat mending some socks with the rocker drawn up close to the lounge upon which the lady baby was enthroned and

d down there for little girls." Her face flushed, puckered up to cr

e's a little boy come to see her, the very first caller. Satira,

kin of the Misses Felton, who also had Harley blood in the female line. While a man of less wealth than John Angus, Oldys was so much more liberal with it, so much broader in his sympathies and culture, that nothing of importance was undertaken in the community without his advice and sanction. As for his wife,-in that clannish and conservative

do?" A crow came from the prettily curved lips by way of answer, and she began a sort of game of peek-a-bo

's nice and big though, being so new; they're mostly blinky and queer at first, like kittens. W

left at the door, and made a dash for them, for if there is any

d father's going to buy me one of a better kind next Christmas. I'll be seven then

ed Gilbert, who was now brushing his tousle

ith her?" aske

little arms," answered Gilbert, busy wit

m heaven, they must go back there too, and I was afraid that my puppy would be dreadful

hat she saw in his face made her close them again. Whatever her feelings as a hard-shell Baptist upon the

his attention now embarrassingly divi

irst of the month, to think out a name for the lady baby. As for the pup, suppose you help me o

pantry, where she was slicing bread. "Won't y

something, lady baby," Hugh said, gently kissing the dimpled hand she thrust into his face, "and byme by, when you

eam, in which the wording of the notice for the papers was the chief theme, until he was roused by a spoon pounding his ha

sed in midair; "I've been thinking, suppose'n the Oldys took a fancy to adopt her. Wouldn't that squar

ettled on Gilbert's face, but Sat

, but longer or shorter, recollect one thing, you'll have no call to thi

d Satira, her cheery voice dropping to a ludicrous whimper, as the vis

e can't; I said me!" retorted Gilbert, about whose long forefinger