The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-04-05
Commercial Advertiser.
Family Reading.
" HANDSOME IS, THAT HANDSOME DOES

There was a great STIR and hustle on the
stoop, rs some one stamped and shook off the
snow. 1t was as though the north wind had
suddenly taken 4 body, and was about to
burst noisily through the door. The people
within, by the warm aitchen fire. looked
around in expectation and even the cat
started hurrledly from her nap under the stove.
where she had been lying motionlesS for
almost an hour, curled up with one paw over
her white head.
Why, Della Edmonds is it YOU making
all that racket? | thought there were as
many as two boys and a man, if there weren't
a horse said Lottie. coming forward TO meet
her guest.
In truth, only one energetic, vigorous little
girl had managed TO make all the outburst,
and she came IN now bringing so much cold
air, and withal wearing such n breezy, frosty
look, that Grandma Curtis, who was in the
corner cutting and ~braiding rags for a mat.
shivered till she actually sneezed.
1t was an odd-looking object, with a round.
fat face, and a stout body, which, with all It's
wrappingS, seemed as thick as it was long
but she looked hesithy and glowing, and had
a broad, good-natured smile.
Come out here, Lottie. wont YOU ?" she
said.
In a minute Lottie was back again whisper
ing to her mother, who looked obviously to-
ward the window, and said aloud,
- Isn't il too snowy %
"Oh, no Mrs. Rathbun,' eagerly replied
the funny bundled-up figure answering to the
name of Della, " it isn't bad at aU. She can
Just take and put on some old stockings like
me- and she looked at the long blue stock
ings which were drawn over her shoes and
-, 40 - I.a- l-,aas - md - ,c,rt =, ~ Ill -
No, | should think not, Judging by the
looks of your nose" very inopportunely re-
marked one of " the great girls'-that trial
of down-trodden little sisters. Where do
they wan to go now ! 1t is perfectly ridicu-
lous TO think of going out such weather,-for
children" she added, as she thought of the
evening singing-school.
Delia's courage, like that of all heroes, in
creased with obstacles and she answered
quite braveIy that her mother thought Mis-
Ann and Miss Martha would be lonesome
after such a long snow-storm, so she was
going to spend the day with them if Lotto
could go.
81 guess you put your mother in mind OF
it first" returned Clarabel. Il wouldn't lei
you stir a step if you were my girls"
Lottie often had occasion to rejoice that
her voung-lady sister wasn't her mother, and
she couldn't help wishing now that Clarabel
wouldn't talk SO much, for she was a little
anxious about the effect.
But her mother, after some reflection.
q didn't care if she went, if she would wrap
up warm and come home early"
Yes, ma'am,' said she, running after her
hood and cloak, but not without seeing Clara
bells pretty mouth disfgured by a curl Of
~contemptuous displeasure, as one who would
say, Mother is quite too easy I'd keep
you a great deal %stricter than she does ~
All, Miss CIarabel ! these overbearing, half
grown sisters do not make despotic mothers
after all; and it is a great pity that they
throw so many needless shadows on the
bright faces of the younger ones by their petty
tyranny.
As Della had said, it was not very cold nor
very Z" bad" considering that the snow had
been falling for a day and a night. Some
men had been along with oxen and a sled.
plows chained on the sides, to . break
- road, but, as it was not trodden hard, The
gINsS!unged in at every step.
ThNNN,stopped occasionally to make prints,
as the y@led it, by lying on the soft snow
for an 49, with their arms extended
then p~ressfsAain it the baskets which they
carried, and Mn, in the same way, dis
tinct impressions& their fat, bare hands.
Miss Ann and "a Martha lived so near.
that, with all these ~sssdrances, they wer.
very soon at their s6fsascottage. Ia the
time it looked like 1zsssg5rown nestcf
some huge bird, it was so hidden by climb.
ing woodbine and long-branched trees, and
now