It broke, and no gloomy clouds have since arisen to obscure its smiling skies.
AUNT MARY'S PRESERVING KETTLE.
"I DECLARE, if these preserves haven't been working!" exclaimed Aunt Mary, as she opened a jar of choice quinces, and perceived that, since they were sealed up and carefully stored for the winter, fermentation had taken place.
"And the peaches, too, as I live!" she added on examining another jar.
"Run, Hannah, and bring me my preserving kettle.

I shall have to do them all over." "Mrs.Tompkins borrowed it, you know, yesterday," Hannah replied.
"So she did, I declare! Well, you must run over to Mrs.Tompkins, Hannah, and tell her that I want my preserving kettle." Hannah departed, and Aunt Mary proceeded to examine jar after jar of her rich store of preserves, and, much to her disappointment, found that all of her quinces and peaches, comprising some eight or ten jars, had commenced working.

These she took from their dark corners in the closet, and, placing them on the large table in the kitchen, awaited patiently Hannah's return.

In about fifteen minutes her help entered.
"But where is the kettle ?" inquired Aunt Mary, eagerly.
"Why, ma'am, Mrs.Tompkins says as how she ain't quite done with it yet; she's finished her pears; but then she has her mamlet to do." Aunt Mary Pierce was a good woman, and her heart was full of kind feelings towards others.

But she had her foibles as well as her neighbours, and among these was an almost passionate admiration of her beautiful bell-metal preserving kettle, which was always kept as bright as a gold eagle.