The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-02-28

OH mite like me.
Yes, he flirted for two long, very long,
hours; and when (the party ended at
our house, the children proposed kiss
ing game, he, my naughty, reserved
lover, Joined in with that bold Brooke
girl, and chose her for "partner"
every time, kissing her on the mouth
and she has pretty mouth-as he did
so.
I should have liked to box her ears,
and his too. for that matter-but I didn't |
of course not. I sauntered about with |
Ned Parker, and looked up into his |
face as though every moment discov-
cred some new beauty in it; and when |
Meta bade me goodnight (Anthony |
could find no excuse for offering to walk |
home with her, her brother Dick being |
thereJ, I kissed her, and hoped she had
enjoyed herself.
"Oh very much-very, very much,
indeed" said she, hinging look which
she meant to be tender, but it wasn't
she has big, black, shallow eyes-at
Anthony. 81 never enjoyed myself so
much.
But as soon as the garden gate closed
behind them 1 took my engagement
ring from my finger and flung it upon
the ground, and / actually, I'm ashamed
to tell it, but did-made my hand into
fist and shook it at my promised hus-
band. What would mamma, the dear,
meek darling-I don't get my temper
from her-have said if she had seen me ?
AS for Anthony, he wasn't the least
bit frightened, but caught the fist, and
shut it up in his strong right hand like
something in box.
"I hate you?' I cried. "Nobody
ever treated me so before"
"But how many have you treated SO ?"
he asked, with smile; and couldn't
help thinking how handsome he looked
in the silver moonlight.
Everybody has always done what
ever wanted them to do" went on,
stamping my foot.
"And consequently spoiled You" said
he.
"What did you love me for, if I'm not
not nice?"
"Because 1 knew the moment I saw
you, you wee thing, you were my fate.
1 thought you were nice then, and want
ed to take you in my arms the moment
you smiled on me-"
"And now? ?"
"And now I think you a bad-temper-
ed, selfish, willful, unreasonable girl. !"
| "Indeed !" and wrenched my band
away, but not before he had kissed it
with the most provoking coolness.
"Then we'll part, unless you change your
opinion Immediately, and promise never
to speak to Meta Brooke again.
~ shall make no such silly promise,
Barbara" Good gracious the idea OF
his calling me Barbara 81 have prom
ised to drive her to the depot tomorrow. "
"You return to the city together ?"
"We return by the same train, as we
have done dozen times before"
"Go," said I, almost beside myself
with rage. 81 never want to see you
again.
care you sure, Barbara ?" he asked
"quite sure? I think you had better
wait for day OF two before you Danish
me. If by the day after tomorrow
your birthday-you still 'hate me, send
me word to that effect, and 1 will, the
moment your note is read, accept posi-
ton offered me this morning, and start
for home beyond the sea. Goodnight,
Miss Darling"
"Good- night, Mr.. Ditto"
And he strobe away up the road, and I
picked up my ring and stole into the
house, and cried as though my heart
would break. 1t was so cruel of him to
be unkind to a poor little thing like me-
The next morning, as / sat on the
front porch darning the childrens stock
ings-dear me it seems to me every
time stocking g-darning time comes around
that there never could be another family
ypIf or 10 Ant fhn,,
drove past with Meta Brooke at his side.
I hid behind the stocking basket until
they were out of sight, and then I flew
to my desk and wrote as bitter q note as
woman twice my size could have writ
Office that very evening by our little
servant-maid.
Our little servant-maid is pretty lit
tie maid, with large honest gray eyes, a
small red mouth, bright chestnut hair,
a pleasant smile, a neat, plump figure,
and a remarkably cheerful disposition.
And a clever little maid she is, too-can
wash and iron and cook, and do hun
dred other things; but she possesses
one taste which interferes sadly with
the performance of her domestic duties
the most insatiate hunger for itera-
ture, which she gratifies whenever she
finds an opportunity, in season or out of
season, morn, noon. or night.
Potatoes and stews are burned, bread,
cakes, and pies baked to cinders, doors
left open all night, breakfasts delayed,
lunches forgotten, dinners served too
early or late-all on account of this love
of reading which characterizes our little
servant-maid.
She nearly drowned baby once, while
giving her her bath, by letting the dar-
ling's head slip under the water. while
she devoured story in a Harper 8
Weekly she had taken from table near
by. She let my canary escape while she
removed his empty seed cup with one
hand, and held Helen's Babies in the
other, her eyes being fixed on the book.
She spilled the soup one dinner-time
over papa's immaculate white vest while
trying to peep at the magazine he was
glancing over. She set the hot flat-iron
on our best damask table-cloth, and left
it there to indelibly imprint it's triangu.
lar portrait, while she hastily read a
murder case in the morning paper.
She could scarcely be got out of bed
mornings, because she was tired and
sleepy from reading the book she had
abstracted from the bookcase the night
before, and when she did get up she
actually sat before the dreary-lookine
stove for half an hour or so, intently
H..