The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-08

eut ElButly huTlnlSlnB Innb tle subject
was distasteful to his wife and niece,
and therefore doggelly pursuing II.
/" Has he been in hefe this afternoon,
HenriettaS"
though recollection Of Frankie part.
ing attitude camc over her guilty as she
spoke
z" Well, just sec that he don't then ;
and You tend to your work" was the
surly reioin1er; and the old man sub.
sided into discussion OF his dish Of
greens.
For a few moments silence reigned
about the table. Aunt Baxter, with
the policy induced hy,long experience,
remaining mute, and Hetty because her
angry tears choked her uttcrance.
Presently n subdued ccnYcrsation com.
menced aiId Was for some time carried
on III an undertone between aunt and
niece, Suddenly camO tho awful ques-
ton, which had all tho time been hang
ing like doom over poor Hetty's head.
where's the doughnuts :"
"They were Just done aud quite hot"
replied Hetty, flushing crimson. "The
gingerbread Is fresh, and I thought you
would just as Lief have It tonight"
"You know better" amiably return.
ed Uncle Baxter. Just you step
quick and get some"
Hetty mechanically rose to obey,
when her aunt quietly observed:
at seems pity to let the ginger
bread dry; but l presume Aunt Saman-
thy will be glad OF it.
"Aunt Samanthy won't get IL, then,
that's ALL" returned her lord and mas.
ter, quite unconscious TINT this was
precisely the response she wished and
expected. "Sit down, Henrietta, and
another time don't cut gingerbread
when there's fresh doughnuts in the
house."
So that danger was over; but in pro.
portion as her fear Of her uncle's dis.
pleasure passed away her indignation
against Frank Kennedy increased. She
could not readily forgive him the scold.
ing she had received or the moro for
midable one she had escaped.
"I think I'll run up to grandma's,"
said Aunt Baxter, the next day, as they
left the dinner.table, "if you can clear
away the things alone"
"0hl I can do that easily enough"
replied Hetty, with alacrity, for tile
poor child had been planning all the
morning how she could get m oppor.
tunity to replace that dreadful missing
dish.
every well, /" said her aunt: "and il
you want something TO do. you might
sort the rest OF those flannels."
~ want to gather my dress skirt"
said Hetty, faintly, blusling as she did
so for the deception.
"Well, I don't care, so You're not
idle !" and Aunt Baxter walked heavily
and respectfully out Of the gate, adorned
with her Sunday bonnet and her best
No sooner did tho gate click behind
her than Hetty fell to work with the
greatest energy. Eggs wcro beaten,
spice measured, sugar and shortening
weighed, and worked into the dough
which had been surreptitiously rising
behind the pantry door since morning.
Tho fat was tested, and the strips Of
the soft yielding mass speedily reap.
peared in crisp, brown twists piled up
in n large yellow dish, which dish was
spiteiully placed out Of reach from the
open window. The young lady did not
sing over her work to-day, but frowned
blackly instead, rs she flew from stove
to table. The frown dCepened percep-
tibly when, Just as she was contempla.
ting the Inst Of the golden brown cakes,
n well-known voice was heard from the
window, exclaiming
"Hcaven defend us What capa-
city Uncle Baxter usthave for dough-
nuts, II he has eaten all you made
yesterday, and now demands more |"
This was too much. Hetty felt the
blood leaping through her veins.
I" Mr.. Kennedy !" she said, icily, ait
is possible to carry joke too far. 1
nm so busy this afternoon that can
not stop to hear you talk nonsense :"
with which cutting quotation she turn
cd with much dignity to leave the room,
and presently found herself wildly
struggling with the door-latch, which,
with the usual peryersity Of inanimate
things, chose this inauSpicious moment
for sticking fast.
"Won't you tell me what I have
done?" pleaded the delinquet, seizing
his opportunity.
81 don't care to discuss the point"
replied Hetty, still fumbling with the
obdurate doorlatch.
GLOW unfair you arcl" he broke ont,
impatiently. "You accuse me OF some
offense, and then utterly re-
fuse to allow me to defend myself"
"I don't accuse you OF anything"
said Hetty, shaking the door ftiriously.
81 know that you consider joking at
every time and on every subject per.
fectly allowable, but when I had told
you fairly what uncle can be when lie is
vexed, l did think II very cruel and in
considerate that you should set him on
me Just for a silly trick"
al give you my word, Hetty, that /
had no idea Of your unclC's really
grudging me those cakes, II that is what
you mean, or even knowing anything
about It," Hotty elevated her eye
brows. "Of course I know he Is stingy,
and all TINT, but I had no idea you
wero in earnest when you said lie would
visit II on your head. My taking them
at all was only bit Of fun, anyway"
"And q very stupid Bit Of fun" inter
polnted Hetty. But Just hcre the door
yielded to aparticularly vigorous twitch,
and Hetty rushed upstairs.
The tea.things were hurriedly washed
up and put away that evening, and Mrs.
Baxter sot forth sedately through the
village street, for II was conference.
meeting night. Who does not know
that ,,,nnk;t,s ., ,,,n1i ,,ll, sl ,,i,, -; :, =,