ank down in a chair and wept when
her mother urged her to go to a husking-party in the neighborhood.

"You've got to spunk up an' go, if you don't feel like it," said her
mother. "You'll feel better for it afterwards. There ain't no use in
givin' up so. I'm goin' to get you a new crimson woollen dress, an'
I'm goin' to have you go out more'n you've done lately."

"I--don't want a new dress," returned Rebecca, with wild sobs.

"Well, I'm goin' to get you one to-morrow," said her mother. "Now go
an' wash your face an' do up your hair, an' get ready. You can wear
your brown dress, with the cherry ribbon in your hair, to-night."

"I don't--feel fit to, mother," moaned Rebecca, piteously.

But Deborah would not listen to her. She made her get ready for the
husking-party, and looked at her with pride when she stood all
dressed to go, in the kitchen.

"You look better than you've done for some time," said she, "an' that
brown dress don't look bad, either, if you have had it three winters.
I'm goin' to get you a nice new crimson woollen this winter. I've had
my mind made up to for some time."

After Rebecca had gone and Ephraim had said his catechism and gone to
bed, Deborah sat and knitted, and planned to get the crimson dress
for Rebecca the next day.

She looked over at Caleb, who sat dozing by the fire. "I'll go
to-morrow, if he ain't got to spend all that last interest-money for
the parish taxes an' cuttin' that wood," said she. "I dunno how much
that wood-cuttin' come to, an' he won't know to-night if I wake him
up. I can't get it through his head. But I'll buy it to-morrow if
there's money enough left."

But Deborah was forced to wait a few weeks, since it took all the
interest-money for the parish taxes and to pay for the wood-cutting.
She had to wait until Caleb had sold some of the wood, and that took
some time, since seller and purchasers were slow-motioned.

At last, one afternoon, she drove herself over to Bolton in the
chaise to buy the dress. She went to Bolton, because she would not go
herself to Silas Berry's store and trade with William. She could send
Caleb there for household goods, but this dress she would trust no
one but herself to purchase.

She had planned that Rebecca should go with her, but the girl looked
so utterly wan and despairing that day that she forbore to insist
upon it. Caleb would have accompanied her, but she would not let him.
"I never did think much of men-folks standin' rou