The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1869-01-15

and daughter-the one intent on taking ad-
vantage of the moonlight tc finish the
evenings work; the other, obivions of
milk pals and dish-wipers, was secretly
dwelling upon the contents of the stealthily-
obtained books then securely hidden in her
bed up stairs, and of how she would feast on
their contents when free, aided by its friend
ly beams.
Lately she had become as gay as a lark, as
active as humming-bird, and as musical as
nightingale, which all combined to puzzle
her mother, to such degree that she DEEM
ed it proper to take her to task on the sub
ject; as she said severely
"I declare, Agnes, you are the strangest
creature Is it because you have brother
less that you are happy~ ..t........
She had never alluded to the absent so be-
fore, and her tart query startled her dsugh-
ter, fearing that she would guess the truth
intuitively; but the incensed parent did not
heed her visible agitation; continuing: IA
few weeks ago you went browsing, moping
and signing about, glum from morning till
night. Now you are everlastingly hummin'
some outlandish tune, yelling silly songs up
stairs and down, from the time you get up
until you go to bed. You provoke me past
endurance with your gloves, and fnnikin be-
fore the glass, putting on airs, and teasing to
wear stockings every day in warm weather,
Did any one ever hear Of such extravaganza
expect you will soon be above work alto
geher. Goodness knows you hardly earn your
salt now. You'll want to be called Miss
Willard, too, 1 suppose, my fine lady; but /
| tell you, I'll have none of your fine lady airs
abont me-"
Her mother paused for breath, pinning up
her sleeves with jerk.
Agnes blushed, confused, at this uncon-
scous home thrust, and hastily left the room
with little note lying warm on her heart
addressed to "Miss Willard a
All, Mrs. Hatfield! in those few weeks
your child has become woman! Your reign
| is over; your power gonel What wonder
that she was gay, and not easily frowned
DOWN. Doing little acts of kindness, ie-
gardless of snappish returns, snd smiling in
| the face Of unmerited fault-fnding!
Often Mrs. Hatfield, ever on the alert for
shortcomings, detected a peculiar change in
| her daughters churning. Frequently, of
late, the usually regular sound of the dasher
| would almost cease, as if the operator were
! falling asleep. At such times the vigorous
lady would tbump loudly on the floor, over
| head, as O gentle reminder to the young de-
linquent that the cream must be kept in ac-
tive motion. Agnes would obey the warn
| ing by churning for a moment most ener-
getically, but soon the dull splash would be-
come slower and slower, driving her mother
almost to despair. Simultaneously with the
knocking over head would the vigorous
thump Of the dasher go on below, Now
the truth is that Agnes was trying to read
as we'll as churn, aud, of course, as the book
became interesting, the churn grew SILENT -
| Once she narrowly escaped detection by her
mother suddenly appearing on the scene to
personally investigate the matter. Aggie
adroitly managed to throw the book out of
the low window-looking wonderfully in
nocent and industrious. Her mother scolded
of coarse, but the book remained safe in the
tall weeds outside, as mute as Agnes on the
subject of the bewitched churn.
| TO BE CONTINUED