The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-02-03
GUT IN THE RAIN.


Millie Warmers tasteful little hat and
graceful shoulders, unprotected save by a
thin shawl, Notwithstanding the beseech-
ing glance of the prettiest pair of hazel
eyes Iliat ever looked up TO cloud in that
way.
When Millie came TO a large white
farm honse, she very gladly and rather
hasiily-for just then there was a heavy
peal of ihunder-opened the gate, and
went up the flower-bordered path 10 the
house, and as another peal of thunder was
Lightning, Millie entered without ceremo-
ny. She took in at glance the contents
of the room, plainly but neatly furnished
The cane-seated chairs, the pretty
cbiniz covered lounge, the bookcase filled
with books and sheet>music the violin in
its case in the corner, the vase of faded
flowers, and the ornaments on the man.el
There was no one there, but she heard
a childish voice in the next room and
again knocked. A dark eyed girl of ten
CT eleven years opened the door.
Mile explained why she was there.
With the ease and manners of one much
older, the child bade her welcome, placed
a chair near the stove and took Miles
dipping hat and shawl
Il was just beginning TO get dinner :;
that was the reason didn't hear you
knock Ii will be long time before the
shower is over, and you must stay with
US to dinner 1t will be ready by the
time Ben comes but that viii not be
for an hour"
''Es, dinne'l be wedIy when Ben
tums,' lispel and laughed little girl of
three years
Tie older child, whose name was HIT
~, resumed:
II can: get very good dinner; amt
quite old enough, but Ben says do nice
IS. He puts it on for me, and see TO il
But he does not allow me to take off ket-
ties, for fear VIII burn or scald myself +;
but | think am large enough TO do that
| like 10 have everything ready for him
when he comes in fired and hungry.
can't make biscut-I wish l could, for
Ben likes them ever 50 much :; but Mar
tha who comes i'll TO make bread for US
says she will teach me-"
"Where is your mother p asked Mile
of the little Eva, when IIetty was out of
the room.
eve has got no mudder but Ben," the
little one hsped
When Hctty came back, Milie said :
"Now | have got nicely warmed, and
my dress will dry just as well at work as
sitting stIl, So will help you get dinner
4 a.
we will have dinner in short time
Eetty was delighted Ben will be
glad. Might she quietly look on and
learn how
Mile was young, and frank, and gay,
and she aud the children som became
very well acquainted over the biscuit.
She said presently, trying potato with a
fork:
The potatoes are done will pour
the water off 50, and then put them on
again to dry. That will make Them
mealy. In a few minutes we will peel
them, and then dinner will be all ready
except taking it up
The dinner seemed very meager 10 lit
| lie Heity, as she ran oyer 'he items in her
mind--pota;oes, peas. pork, biscuit, but
ter, cucumbers, milk and water She
had wanted TO make tea for her visitor,
but she declined decidedly. The poor
child said, apoIngetically
"Whe father and mother were alive,
we used to have good many things for
dinner, and Martha, our hired girl, used
10 get them all but when they died, and
Squire ohns said he bought a mortgage
on our farm, and thai we had got to pay
every cent the day it was due, or lose
everything, we had TO do without good
many things, and we are very poor now,
and Ben is afraid we cant have enuugh
to pay il, and they all say we may LOOK
for no mercy from Squire Johns, for he is
! very hard to the poor, and he has always
wanted our farm, because il jcins some of
/ his own land where he wants TO build.
heard all about 1t when one of the neigh
bors was talking with our Ben, though he
didn't want me to know about ~"
Mile had listened 10 this with a curi-
Gus mixture of feelings, for Squire Johns
was declared lover OF hers, and though
| she had not accepted him, she had been
I pleased with his attentions, and had GER
! tainly given him encouragement. NIore-
over, he was TO receive his final answer
in three days from that lime, and she was
! not sure the answer reserved and laid
away for that time was ''no-" True.
/ hlilie was not in love with him, bnt she
! had waited so long IN vain for that &C.
static state of feeling She had read and
! heard SO much about. thought SHE was
no; capable of love, aud that To like any
one was s;s much as she could expect.
But she certainly liked Squire Johns a:
well, if not better, than any one, and his
love must certainly be disinteresed, for
/ lie could not know that-but now Millie
stopped Could he not? Might he not
have found ont some way? If this story
| was trne wonld siich a man be likely tC