Page:Saxe Holm's Stories, Series Two.djvu/146

136 too, and stoutly discountenanced the growing disfavor into which that ancient and picturesque art was fast falling. "You can always spin at the odd times when you would n't do anything else," she said, and by chests full of home-made linens and woolens, she made good her words. With all this notable industry and skill, she was also warm hearted and cheery; had a pleasant word for everybody, and was a master hand at "bees" of all sorts, especially at "quiltings."

She was generous, too, and gave away her turkeys at Thanksgiving, and her chickens in July, with a cordial liberality not common in the country. She was generous, moreover, with what costs more than food or money, sympathy and help; she was confided in and leaned on by everybody; and even if her words sometimes seemed a little brusque or hard, it always turned out that, in their sense and substance, they were right, for Susan Thatcher was the incarnation of common sense. As soon as Deerway recovered from its first shock of surprise at the announcement of John Bassett's intended marriage, the town was unanimous in its approval.

"The very best thing he could have done," they said; I wonder nobody 's thought of it before."

"He could n't have found a woman in all the country who 'd have gone right on to that farm, an worked everything 's Susan Thatcher will."