The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-03-07

point
OF all the sisters. Anie's temper
seemed "a be the most rasped ON that
eventful evening. Everything went
wrong with her.
My goodness, Essis Mayne! g. said
she. senmblng breathlessly around,
pOkiug under chairs, the bed. the bu-
reau, and even looking half demented
into her bandbON, II do believe you
have got on one of my Oxford ties 10y
mistake.
mo such thing, Annie. replied the
sister addressed, who WAS AT that moment
subjeotiug her eye-lashes 10 u mysterious
treatment which necessitated the making
mp of horrible face, " mine were to-
gethor IN the shoe bag.
"Come, do get out Of the way, Es,
another yoice-Miige's WAS heard
complaining Il want the glass To do
my hair; you've been long enough put
ting on that black stutr To make yourself
into Hottentot."
What I want 10 know. girls" said
Annie, who had found her shoe in the
work basket, aud was now struggling
with an obstinate lacing, 4" is whether
any Of YOU had sense enough TO light the
gas in the hall ."
Nobody in this family pre,ends TO
be smart but you, Annie, responded
Cecil, saucily.
Then so down stairs this instant and
see 10 il, " exclaimed the eldest sister,
peremptorily. " Here | am only half
dressed. and every time there is the
least noise it gives me such "A start Lex
pecting TO hear the bell. | have sort
OF feeling that Mr.. Pickens will be here
early"
Cecil. who hated 10 be ordered about,
scolded:
"Oh, bother You and your old Pick.
ems T. but she threw a shawl about her
and went hastily down stairs.
" suppose ma wouldn't 20 to the
door" continued Annie. "it the bell
should ring forty times before any Of us
are ready-here, Midge. hold these
crimpiug irons III the gas for me.
In spite OF all these wrarying annoy
ances, could there have been possibly a
sweeter, more artless face than Amie's
when she had coa1ed the little tendrils
of hair low down upon her forelta
had knott ell her silkcn tie and turned
10 60 down stairs?
She was in good season after all, and
bad full five minutes quite 10 herself IN
which 10 collect her thoughts. Yes,
said she, al have made up my mind.
II may not be so romantic and all that.
hut am sure plenty Of girls wunld jump
at the chance. must tell him before
hand that he must not expect me 10 give
up the glide aud everything -" here
the bell pealei through tine house, and
rs Annie ran hastily 10 the front door her
heart seemed 30 fiutter in her throat.
Her first guest was, as she had surmlsed,
Pickens.
He stepped into the hall, and as he
hung his hat and oyercoat upon the rack
he glanced inquiringly about. None OF
these roguish sisters were in sight-only
Amie, looking not unlike a dewy rose
bud. He WAS gentiemaulv person OF
fifty or thereabouts, with beard and
hair we'll griZLled nor in his strongly
marked features did one discover the
least hint of a susceptibility % rounded
curves and bright eyes-yet these had
taken him captive.
One glimpse of his face and Annie
knew intuitively that decisive momen;
in her life had come. Nor was she
mistaken, for Mr. Pickens took the white
hand she slyly gave him. aud held il
close TO his immaculate shlrt-front and
whispered "Mine, Annie p
eridiculous bell sounding once more
with startling emphasis, cut short the
first kiss .r
Later IN the evening, when the parlor
was all alive with viyacious conversation
aud music, when everybody seemed 20
he entertaining everybody, one after
another, the four girls slipped out into
the kitchen, whittier Mrs. Mayne had
withdrawn herself directly after dinner.
Annie was the last 10 go. She knew
that her sisters intended making n
, united appeal to their mother to forego
I her angry resistance, and 10 assist them
! in pleasing their guests and she
thought, "I am sure ma will be melted
at once. II | can whisper two or three
words in her ear.
Unfortunately, when Annie got to the
hall door she heard loud voices in angry
discussion.
From parlor 10 kitchen is always a
sharp transition but was there ever SO
marked a contrast between the two
rooms as in Mrs. Mayne's house that
night?
"There's no doing anything with
ma, said Ceci E" she's inst as obstinate
as the Sphinx"
"Yes everybody has been asking fol
her." said Nudge. pouting, land won
dering why she didn't come into the
parlor." ...
$50 be sure-and | would have told
them she is sick, but like as not il did,
she would come popping in the next
minute, saying that's never felt better
in her life" added Essie.
Then Mrs. Mayne broke in angrily
Don't want another word from Won,
Esther. I've caught you at your tricks,
miss Didn't you think had any eyes
in my head when You were giving Oliver
money in the hall t>-nighi?''
"Well, suppose / did. - retorted Essie,
Indignantly; / cant see people coming
to the house and go away without a
crumb TO cal"
} "That's just what they will do. said
the mother, rapping her knuckles furi-
ously on the table at which she had been
sitting with her sewing. "Didn / tell
You that there shouldn't be any supper
I tonight? And as for tampering with
| your brother, and making him as dis
obedient as you girls are, that will not
permit 7"
"You don't mean to say" exclaimed
Essie, nearly inarticulate with anger,
"that you stopped Oliver from going
out ?"
That's Just what do moan 10 say"
/ Mrs. Mayne's temper had now risen 10
such pitch Of evaporation that, not
withstanding the fact that since her en-
4 trance Annie had not ceased to pour gem
I tie pleadings into her mothers ear, the
! good lady felt she must have some fuller
vent than mere words Her finger itch
cd to box somebody's ears.
Just as she lanced about from one 20
the other, poor unfortunate Oliver, who
had been sitting on the lounge behind
his mother, in swinging bis foot. acci-
dentaly kicked his mothers chair.
Quick as a fash she wheeled about on
him and gave him sound slap.
"I amt doin' nothin'," he cried,
sharply, clapping to his geography to
hide the Claude Duval he had been
slyly reading. "You needn't take il
out on me because you are mad at the
girls.
"Things have come to such pass,
said Mrs. Mayne, bitterly. "that never
expect to take any peace or comfort in
this house any more ="
Just then there came gentle rapping
at the hall door.