d not
freeze, I took potatoes, turnips, and sometimes some cabbage for a
boiled dinner, with a piece of pork to go with it.

When the elder found out who was sending it he tried to thank me, but I
made him promise not to tell his family where these things came from, on
pain of not getting any more. I said I had as good right to contribute
to the church as any one, and just because I had no money it was tough
to have the little I could give made public. By this time I had worked
up quite a case, and was looking like a man injured in his finest
feelings and twitted of his poverty. The elder looked bewildered, and
promised that he wouldn't tell.

"But I'm sure, Jake, that the Lord won't let your goodness go
unrewarded, in the next world, anyhow, and I don't think in this."

I don't think he actually told, but I have reason to believe he hinted.
In fact, Kittie Fleming told me when I went down to their place after
some seed oats, that Grandma Thorndyke had said at the Flemings' dinner
table that I was an exemplary boy, in my way, and when I grew up I would
make some girl a husband who would be kind and a good provider.

"I was awful interested," she said.

"Why?" I asked; for I couldn't see for the life of me how it interested
her.

"I'm a girl," said she, "and I feel interested in--in--in such
things--husbands, and good providers." Here I grew hot all over, and
twisted around like a worm on a hot griddle. "I didn't think, when you
were playing the needle's eye with me, that you acted as if you would be
a very good husband!"

I peeked up at her through my eyebrows, and saw she was grinning at me,
and sort of blushing, herself. But I had only one word for her.

"Why?"

"You didn't seem to--to--kiss back very much," she giggled; and as I was
struggling to think of something to say (for it seemed a dreadful
indictment as I looked at her, so winning to a boy who hadn't seen a
girl for weeks) she ran off; and it was not till I was sitting by the
stove at home after washing up the dishes that evening that I thought
what a fine retort it would have been if I had offered to pay back then,
with interest, all I owed her in the way of response. I spent much of
the evening making up nice little speeches which I wished I had had the
sprawl to get off on the spur of the moment. I grew fiery hot at the
thought of how badly I had come off in this little exchange of
compliments with Kittie. Poor Kittie! She supped sorrow with a b