Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-02-22
ISLAND POND VERMONT, FRIDAY,

"Say, ma, dear, why won't you let us
have company on Wednesday evening ?"
"Well, upon my word, you girls are
ridiculous. 1 thought 1 settled all that
with Amanda"
Yes; but ma, dear, you settled it the
wrong way to suit us.
go, I know your tricks, Margaret, and
you are all alike. You make up your
minds to anything, and there is no get
the notion out of your heads"
"Now, mother dear, if we are self
willed," exclaimed Midge, roguishly,
show did we possibly become so? We
couldn't inherit it from You, of course.
Why can't you have Mrs. Nesbett here
some other day?"
"Why can't Amanda have her COM
pany some other EVENING""
"Well," replied Nudge, slanting her
head with an air of being very critical
over her work as she bore hard across a
rough place, "because she has already
sent out the invitations"
Mrs. Mayne's temper was instantly all
ablaze.
"Get away from there, Margaret, "
she cried, "you are pulling that bias
seam the wrong way; give me the iron. "
But Midge was determined not to let
the main question drop,
You needn't worry about baking" ?"
said she, mildly, "because it would be
80 easy to order a few things from the
confectioner.
"Don't let me hear another word
about it, I tell you," retorted her
mother, in high dudgeon. "And you
may tell Amanda for me that whoever
sets his foot inside the front door on
Wednesday evening, if he was the Pope
of Rome, would be insulted.
Notwithstanding this edict, and the
fact that Mrs. Mayne's pleasure had not
been softened meanwhile by entreaties,
tears or tempers, at precisely seven
o'clock on Wednesday evening the girls
had all gone up stairs to dress.
They occupied two small rooms open
ing into each other, and were obliged to
share many things in common. Just
imagine four girls forced to take turns
at one mirror Then add to this the un-
accountable way which ruf1es, skirts
and ribbons have of getting mixed up,
and you will not be surprised that there
was some wrangling during the interest
ing process of toilet making. However,
there are some things which must be
viewed from purely feminine stand-
point.
Of all the sisters, Amie's temper
seemed to be the most rasped on that
eventful evening. Everything went
wrong with her.
"My goodness, Essie Mayne!" said
she, scrambling breathlessly around,
poking under chairs, the bed, the bu-
reau, and even looking half demented
into her bandbox, "I do believe you
have got on one of my Oxford ties by
mistake"
"No such thing, Amie," replied the
sister addressed, who was at that moment
subjecting her eye-lashes to mysterious
treatment which necessitated the making
up of horrible face, "mine were to-
gether in the shoe-bag."
"Come, do get out of the way, Els, "
another voice-Midge's- was heard
complaining. 81 want the glass to do
my hair you've been long enough put
ting on that black stuff to make yourself
into Hottentot."
"What 1 want to know, girls" said
Annie, who had found her shoe III the
work basket, and was now struggling
with an obstinate lacing, sis whether
any of you had sense enough to light the
gas in the hall ?"
"Nobody in this family pretends to
be smart but you, Annie" responded
Cecil, saucily.
"Then go down stairs this instant and
see to it, exclaimed the eldest sister,
peremptorily. Here 1 am only half
dressed, and every time there is the
least noise it gives me such start-ex-
pecting to hear the bell. I have a sort
of feeling that Mr.. Pickens will be here
early"
Cecil, who hated to be ordered about,
scolded:
"Oh, bother you and your old Pick
ems !" but she threw shawl about her
and went hastily down stairs.
suppose ma wouldn't go to the
door," continued Annie, eff the bell
should ring forty times before any of us
are ready-here, Midge, hold these
crimping- irons in the gas for me-"
In spite Of all these wearying annoy
ances, could there have been possibly o
sweeter, more artless face than Amie's
when she had coaxed the little tendrils
of hair low down upon her forehead /;
had knott ed her silken tie and turned
to go down stairs?
She was in good season after all, and
had full five minutes quite to herself in
which to collect her thoughts. eyes, !"
said she, "I have made up my mind.
1t may not be so romantic aud all that,
but am sure plenty of girls would jump
at the chance. must tell him before
hand that he must not expect me to give
up the glide and everything -" here
the bell pealed through the house, and
as Annie ran hastily to the front door her
heart seemed to fiutter in her throat
Her first guest was, ,as she had surmised,
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
Annie, looking not unlike dewy rose
bud. He was o gentlemanly person of
fifty or thereabouts, with beard and
hair well grizzled /; nor in his strongly
marked features did one discover the
least hint of susceptibility to rounded
curves and bright eyes--yet these had
taken him captive.
One glimpse of his face and Annie
knew intuitively that decisive moment
in her life had come. Nor was she
mistaken, for Mr.. Pickens took the white
hand she slyly gave him, and held it
close to his immaculate shirt-front and
whispered: "Mine, Annie ?"
The ridiculous bell sounding once more
with startling emphasis, cut short the
first kiss.