Hepsey Burke

ay during supper. "We haven't had a missionary tea

onary tea do you mean

Zanzibar, or what's doin' in Timbuctoo. Then we look over the old clothes sent in for missionaries, mend 'em up, and get 'em ready to send off. Then we have tea and cake. I've had my misgivin' for some time that perhaps

elps to get people toget

see the things that have been sent in this last week for the missionary box. There's a smoking jacket, two pairs of golf-trousers, several pairs of mismated gloves, a w

Thunder Cliff at four o'clock; and when Maxwell came home, before the adven

calls on your

ve made a

mebody'll suspect that you don't always

ation that they are interested in. I simply co

have started right with Elmira Snodgrass, she would have thawed out at once. Elmira is always lookin' for trouble as the sparks fly upwards, or thereabouts. She'd crawl through a barbed wir

al books and read up on symptoms. By the by, is there any p

o be sure, Ginty's no Christian Mother, or any other kind of a mother; but she's as full of enthusiasm as a shad is

a radiant smile. Pulling a pansy from a bunch in her dress, she adjusted it in his buttonhole with the happy shyness of a young kitten chasing its

arked, "Are all these things to go to the missionaries at Ti

rily, "and I hope they'll get w

ry appreciative, Mrs. Bu

most people give to the Lord what they can't use for themselves any longer--as they

ough for the missionaries," Virginia re

business to have any feelings that can't be satisfied with second-hand clothes, a

sending them useful things

hat word 'useful' if I w

ed Miss Bascom meekly,

scent bag, made of silk and filled with

ll enough in their place; but they won't feed missionari

to desperation. But do we always limit our spending money to necessary clothes and food? The truth is, we all of us spend anything we like as long as it goes on our

. Burke?" a little sallow-faced woman

oposition to make: if you'll take these things you brought, back with you, and wear 'em fo

e to this challenge, the box was

side of the world was attended by the welcome and surprising fragrance of patcho

to the front piazza, whe

a moving glance towards her pastor, and then got down to business. She began with the original and striking remark that it was the chief glory and function of woman to be a home-maker. She continued with something to the effect that the woman who forms the character of her children i

ch children always stood modestly and reverently by their parents' chairs, consumed with anxiety to be of some service to their e

knowledge. Then, when half-past seven arrived, they were to rise spontaneously and promptly, and bid their parents an affectiona

ing of the rewards which good mothers reap, in the vi

s there the budding promise of glorious womanhood. What mother does not watch the development of her little son with wo

y bare legs were lowered into view, followed by the rest of Nickey Burke's person, attired in his nightshirt. It was the work of a moment for the nimble boy to slide down the rope onto the ground. But, as he land

t, though very red, made a brave effort to ignore the highly

there, than the innocent, unsullied modes

ell Jones. The rest of O. W. J. followed in due time; and, quite ignorant of what awaited him, he began his wriggling descent. Most unfortunately for him, the hem of his nightshirt caught on a large nail in the eaves of the roof; and aft

s. Oliver Wendell Jones picked himself up, unhurt, but much frightened, and very angry: presenting much the aspect of a punctured tire. Then suddenly discovering the proximity of the missionary circle and missing the rear elevation of his shirt about t

neck as a concession to the popular prejudice against "the altogether." The gravity of the missionary circle was so thoroughly demoralized that it was impossi

to hunt up Nickey, who was dressed and sitting on the t

f conscience does all this idiotic

Gazing serenely down at

I told Ollie the fire was breakin' out all around us, and the sparks was flyin', and the stairs was burned away, and there was no way of 'scapin' but to slide down the rope over the roof. I 'aint to blame

est her face should relax

f was ample reparation for the untoward interruption of her oratory. She delivered into his hands, with sensitive upward glance, the receptacle containing her manuscript, and set a brisk pace,

l of time and study to your subj

s. "Home-life is, to me, almost a religion. Do you not feel, with

-she glanced up at him apprehensively, whereupon, lest he seemed to h

audiences; their attitude is so stolid, so unimaginative. As you must have realized, in the pulpit, they are so hard to lea

ghtly shod, stumbled neatly and grasped her esco

tated,--"I often wonder, as my eyes wander over the congregation, how m

ttle at a loss, though anxious not to seem unrespo

he simpler problems, here in Durford," he replied. "

and?" (she glanced up with tremulous flutter of eyelids) "--you have

mpersonal significance in parish compliments. A more self-con

ave seconded my efforts so energetically--indeed I don't know what I could have accom

wn portion, and soon magnified it to a basketful--and soon, again, to a monopoly of the entire supply. As he gave her his hand at t