The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-06-29

! person ought to when coming to call
on the minister's folks, with her shawl
trailing behind her for foot or more,
and her mothers new bonnet slipped
down over her head until there was
very little but bonnet left to be seen
above her shoulders.
so! did you ever see such comical
sight?" cried the minister's wife. cts
some little girl out promenading in her
mothers things, I'm sure. There! she's
knocking"
The minister went to the door and
opened it. Prue walked in with all the
dignity and occurrences imaginable.
g BE 'ou re min sterP" she inquired,
looking up at him critically.
81 believe am" he answered, smil-
ing into her plump little face. And
who may you be?'
"Oh, I'm Prue," she answered.
"An' be 'ou re min ster's wifep" to the
pretty little woman who stood by the
window looking so pleased and amused.
Eyes, think | am" was the reply.
Won't you let me take off your bonnet
and shawl?"
"Es, dess I'd BETTER" answered
Prue, who liked the looks of both of
them, and began to feel at ease.
"Dis is my mozzer's new bontit.
She said might tate it. tum tall
in'.'
"Bless your pretty, sweet face! I'm
so glad you did," cried the minister's
wife, kissing Prue's rosy cheeks, as she
took off the bonnet and shawl. 1--we
got little sister at home just about as
big as you are, and I've been wishing
all day could see her. Your coming
will keep me from getting homesick,
maybe"
"Aunty Tanny"-Prue's language
for Aunt Hannah" said she dessed
'ou was homesick, an she said she liked
'ou lots, an she said we'd dorter tall
on 'ou, so l tum. An brought some
posies," and Prue presented her chrys-
anthemums and carnations.
"You brought these to me?" cried
the minister's wife, with Sparkling eyes.
"Ah, you sweet little thing, you! Do
you know?-my mother has some like
these growing close by the doorstep,
and it's almost as good as visit home
to see them," and she held the feathery
white flowers with the scarlet carnation
glowing among them like bit of flame,
up to her face, and when she took them
away and bent to kiss Prue, the spark
ling eyes were dim, and there was
something in the heart of one of the
chrysanthemums very like q dew-drop.
Then she got little vase and put the
flowers in it, and set it by the window,
where she could see it all the time.
And then she sat down on a little seat
by the minister's side and cuddled Prue
up close to her, and told her all about
her little sister whose name was Susie,
and the minister smoothed her yellow
hair softly, and patted her dimpled
cheek, and smiled down into her eyes
so pleasantly that Prue was sure she
liked him better than any other man
she knew except her papa.
By and by the minister's wife started
up, declaring it was tea-time, and she
put Prue in her husband s lap while she
set the table. He told her little stories,
and it didn't seem to Prue that more
than two minutes had gone when his
wife said supper was ready. Prue
never once thought of declining the in
vitation to eat, and took her seat be-
tween them quite as much at home as
if she belonged there.
"Tm going to have my flowers where
| can see them better" the minister's
wife said, and brought the vase of
chrysanthemums and put in the center
of the table. "You don't know how
glad am that you brought these, little
Pruen
"Tll bring some MORE" said Prue,
and just then there was knock.
The minister went to the door and
opened it.
"Have you seen anything of little
girl?' asked some one, and Prue
screamed OUT
"Here | be, mamma. Use tallen' on
'em. Tum in an have some upper"
Then the minister and minister wife
and Prue's mother laughed, and Prue
looked on wonderingly. That laugh
was the best kind of an introduction.
q missed her, and when | came to
think of it l remembered that she asked
me something about calling on you, and
after that she said something about
bonnet and cloak; and as l found my
bonnet and shawl were gone | con-
cluded she must have come here. |
hope you didn't mind it."
"Pm delighted with her visit" an
swered the minister's wife. "Take off
your bonnet and shawl and have tea
with us, please"
"We're neighbors, you know, and
neighbors shouldn't stand too much on
ceremony" added the minister, and
Prues mother accepted the invitation,
and sat down opposite her little girl
1t was very pleasant time for all of
them. Prue was sorry when the meal
was over, for she knew she would have
to go home.
"You must let her come over real
often" the minister's wife said, as she
put the "new buntit" on, and adjusted
the shawl about Prue's shoulders. 81
like such callers very much"
"rll bring 'ou some more posies,"
said Prue. And then she kissed the
minister and his wife good-by, and
she and her mother went home from
her first "tall. "-Eben f.. Rerford, IN
Christian Union.
He thought to head off the voluble
barber Sitting down in q chair he