The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-02-21

1
just go ON and make your arrangement,
without saying word to ma. She will
be angry, but what can she do ?"
"Well, I don't know but what yor
are right, Midge," returned Annie
musingly.
"Of course" asserted Cecil, ''since il
is for your sake that we are Matching III
this plot, Annie, you will have to shoul
der the blame; but then we will bach
you-won't we girls ?"
Then they went up stairs, and in hal
an hour these four had written, sealed
and addressed twenty-five or thirty
dainty letter notes.
"Nsw," said Cecil, moistening the
last stamp, and affixing it with business
like CELEBRITY, all we have to do is tc
get Oliver to post them. You go and
call him Els"
"Where is he ?"
ooh, out in the back yard saving
wood, guess" said Cecil, esconcinp
herself comfortably in chair with Q
book.
Great readers of romance they ali
were.
When there was no immediate diver.
sion offered in the way of promenade OF
ball, one or the other of the sisters had
been known to pass a whole day at O
time, oblivious of everything except the
deeds or misdeeds of some hero of the
Strathmore type.
"Look here, Oily" said Annie, sweet
ly, when her brother had come up into
her room; want you to do something
for me, like a dear good fellow"
What's up now ?" asked Oliver, the
more gruffly, because he knew his sister
had motive for pleasing him.
81 want you to post these letters for
me without letting ma know"
"Why don't you post 'em yourself ?"
drawled he, ungraciously, turning one
envelope after another to study the ad-
dresses.
90, you know we'll enough, Oily it
does not do for young ladies to run ont
on the street without fixing up-now, it
don't matter about boys Bit"
"Ihat's what you always say" re-
turned her brother, remembering the
many times he had been left ont at the
elbow because in Mrs. Mayne's system
of household economy the girls had
| always to be supplied first.
But Annie knew well how to avert any
unpleasant argument when it was polite
| to do so.
"Never mind-see here" said she,
slipping small piece of money into his
hand.
He became perceptibly better natured
on the moment.
"Say, Annie" he cried, still intent on
the envelopes, "I'n bet my head you
are doing all this on account of Mr..
Pick"
He got no further, for his sister, turn
ing red as a rose, hustled him out of the
door. How had he spied that name,
when she had put Mr.. Pickens' invita-
tion in the very middle of the packet?
Unconscious of these Vaccinations,
Mrs. Mayne was drudging away in the
kitchen with that intense absorption in
her work which denotes the thorough
manager.
Annie found her over the ironing
table.
Mother" said she, "I should like
very much to have some company here
next Wednesday evening""
the petticoat just finished so satisfactory
turned about sharply.
" Amanda, she exclaimed, "you are
q fool"
Whatever luxury Mrs. Mayne denied
herself, she certainly did not deny her.
self the luxury OF plain speech.
"I'm sure l don't know what you MI zap
by that, ma"
~ tell you it is not to be thought of
not for one moment" replied her
molher, punctuating her sent snces with
vigorous thumps of the smoot hing iron.
"1'ye got my plans all laid out for next
week. {"
"What is there to do on Wednesday ?"
"Mrs. Nesbett is coming to cut and
baste your polonaises, and I want to get
q good days work out Of her: so you see,
Wednesday evening, of all evenings, is
the worst for company"
Annie naturally wished now, that she
had not been so hasty about sending the
invitations. However, regrets were use
less, SO she said:
"But, mother, why need that inter-
fere-"
Her mother cut her short peremp.
torily.
"Don't argue with mo, Amanda. Go
along and get your worsted work, and
tell Essie want to hear her practicing
right away"
Strange to say, Annie wasn't 80 cour-
ageous as usual ; so she idled about
without renewing the forbidden topic.
and having looked into the small square
mirror hanging by the sink more from
hasit than from inclination, thought
what hideous complexion this glass
gives me-" and walked out of the room.
The moment she showed her face to
her sisters, they knew she was disqp-
pointed. After she had detailed her |
conversation with her mother, and had |
been rated for not being bolder, Midge
cried spiritedly: Sc
" Never mind, Annie, I'll go right out |
and see ma. myself"
She was the most demonstrative of |
the family, was Midge SO she stole up |
behind her mother and slipped her arm
around that ample waist. Mrs. Mayne /
was too warm and busy to be in a tend |!
so, without turning about she
said;
That's you, Margaret, know your
tricks; go along"
"You look SO tired, ma do let me
help you."
"You can't do this-go along"
80, you never think ANYBODY can do
anything bat yourself !" laughed
Midge.
Because it is SO much easier to do a |
hing than to bother showing somebody |
slse." s es5sa3l Tl
Nevertheless Midge ooaxed 80 admira-
bly, that her mother left her work and
vat down by the table. A handy |