The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-12-01

licked slow, mournful monotone, which
would have driven hypochondriac
mad.
Little Ruth Skinner stood at The
kitchen table, white apron tied Owe
the brown calico dress which had awul.
ened Deacon Carey's admiration, anc
the sleeves rolled up above her round
white arms, stirring some fragrant com
pound of spice and raisins and orange.
peel, while five of the six Carey boys
stood around surveying her, as five tai
barn. door fowls might stare at a tiny
golden pheasant, or a Seabright ban.
tam.
"Boys, boysr' croaked the deacon
emerging from his room, in the glories
Of blue suit with brass buttons, and 9
pair Of shirt collars which held his chir
up at an angle OF forty-five degrees, "yc
haven't no more manners than pack o
gipsiesl Miss Ruth, don't mind 'em !"
"Oh, don't, assure you, sir!" said
Ruth, laughing. Lewis, please give
me the iron spoon from the nail by the
dresser"
al wish you wouldn't call me sir,
said the deacon, with what would have
been tender glance, if the shirt-collars
would have admitted of it.
Ruth arched her pretty eyebrows.
What shall 1 call you 2"
"Call me Obed," was trembling Oil
the deacon's lips, when he caught the
ten eyes OF his sons fixed wonderingly
on him, and the words never found ut
terance. The deacon looked into the
oven instead, and coughed sonorously.
"You won't go to church, Ruth +"
ooh, can't, sir-Mr. Carey, l mean,
The turkey must be looked after, and it
won't do to risk burning the pies"
"Wall, boys" said the deacon, "come
along"
Can't I stay and help Ruth ?" ques-
toned Lewis young giant of nine
teen.
mo, you can't" said the deacon,
brusquely. pretty way o spendin' the
Governors Proclamation Thanksgivin'
to be home round under Miss Ruths
feet. You'll go to church, every skin on
ye, or my name amt Obed Carey. No
son omine stays home from church on
such day as this. Where's Joe!"
HE was out a-fodderin' the crceters, ~
sullenly answered John, the second son.
"Joseph Joe" bawled the deacon,
but there was no answer.
q guess he's gone to church," OBJ
served Jared, who was giving his cow
hide boots last tender application of
candle-end, in front Of the fire.
HE needn't ha' been in such a hur-
ry," grumblingly commented the dea-
con; "but he apays had way of his
own Of doing things. Ruth, my dear,
don't stand SO near the tire.-you're
burnin' your face the color of a cabbage
rose"
Ruth murmured some scarcely articu-
late answer as the deacon tapped her
cheek with clumsy eSpieglerie, and bent
more closely than ever over her work.
Where's my wooden comforter Z" next
demanded the deacon. Hosea, go look
in the big corner cubburd fort"
Hosea left off tormenting the cat to
obey, but he presently lifted up his voice
aloud:
doors locked, father"
"No, 'tain't locked nuther," sharply
responded paterfamilias. But he went
to inspect the "cubburd" for himself,
nevertheless.
"Well, if l ever!" cried the deacon.
Winch O you young mischiefs has got
the key"
There was e unanimous denial. The
deacon looked round with lowering
brows: IF that ere keys lost Amt
that the chuch-bells
And, postponing the judicial investi-
cation until the religious services of the
day should be over, the deacon caught
up stray mufiler, twisted it round his
parchment-like throat, and sped upon his
way, with his five sons following in long
array.
And Ruth Skinner Yves left alone with
the cracking wood fire, and the ticking
clock, and the soft clicking Of the snow
flakes against the window-panes, and the
plaintive strain Of hymn-tune she was
murmuring under her breath as she ar
ranged the cranberry tarts on the dresser
shelf and filled up the oven to its very
mouth with paste-shells full of golden,
trembling custard.
Only for a moment, though. There
was an ominous grating as OF the wards
of rusty key in the corner cupboard
door, and a smothered laugh, and the
next instant, Mr.. Joseph Carey, tall,
handsome young fellow of three or four
and twenty, burst out, like magnified
JaclS-in-the- box"
"Joe~ cried Ruth, turning scarlet.
Don'tp
Don't! You mean do" said Joe, un-
tremendously taking Ruth round the
waist, and lifting her fairly off her feet.
"Why l thought l should have stihed
among the old hats and boots"
But, joe it's so wrong
at would have been deal wronger,
little Miss Morality, to sit pretending to
listen to Elder Longsentence when my
heart was in the old kitchen at home
with you. Now, see here, Ruth, I'm not
going to stand this any longer. Give me
the big iron spoon"
Joe tied towel deftly round his slim,
well-molded waist, and commenced STIR
ring vigorously at the saucepan he took
from Ruth's hands.
Isn't that righty"
"Yes," said Ruth, duoiously;" but you
mustn't spatter So"
Mr.. Carey accordingly relaxed some-
what of his over-zealous earnestness, and
looked at Ruth over the top of the table.
"Come, Ruth, you promised to give
me an answer to-day"
Miss Skinner shook out the folds of a
snowy mass of table napery, and eyed it