Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-06-21

"I am much obliged to you," said
the stranger, hurriedly putting straw
berry into his mouth.
"Now you are eating the strawber-
ries," said Barbara, severely. "You
shouldn't do that"
"One or two is of no consequence"
apologlzed Squire Dallas's hired man.
But was going to say, suppose this
company gentleman--"
Captain Severn, his name is" in
terposed Barbara.
Yes-suppose that Captain Severn
shouldn't fall in love with either of your
grown sisters?"
"Then he'd be very great disap-
pointment," cried out Barbara, "be-
cause Lisette is six-and-twenty, and
Maude says she'll cut her throat sooner
than be an old maid"
"Ho might fall in love with you," sug-
gested the young man, regarding his
pretty companion with sidelong glance
from beneath his long lashes.
"With me !" repeated Barbara. Me
"a little girl that wears dresses without
trains, and isn't out of her scales yet
Now, tell you what, young man, you
are talking great deal too much and
working a great deal too little. Per-
haps, if you re very smart with the ber-
ries, I'll bring you one of Phillis's tarts,
and put it on the stone fence to night.
Phillis does make the deliciousest straw
berry tarts |"
"That would be delightful" said the
stranger, promptly.
Pnr hor 4.,Nto ella ,y,tn
the berry basket.
81 begin to think we've got almost
enough" said she.
Not yet," pleaded her companion.
EYES," nodded Barbara. "And
mamma will be in hurry, and Maude
will scold dreadfully if I'm not there in
time to do her back hair"
"It strikes me-" said the stranger,
with half smile, that you're good
deal like Cinderella in the story books"
Barbara considered the matter for
second or two.
$50 l am," said she. "I never
thought about it before but I do be-
lieve am little like Cinderella. But,
dear me there's no glass slipper for
me. And as for you, young man" re-
lapsing all at once into the severe Men
tor again, "you had better get back as
fast as possible to your work and don't
let Squire Dallas catch you lettering
again, if you've any regard for your
place."
The stranger stood with doffed cap
and attitude of chivalrous attention.
"But you'll not forget the strawberry
tart ?' said he.
Certainly not; if once I can get old
Phillis's back turned long enough to
steal it out of the milk-room," said
Barbara.
"And off she tripped, with rosy
stained lips, golden hair foa ting reck-
lessly in the wind, and light elastic feet
bowling down the buttercups and red
clover as she went.
"Dear me, chile" said Phillis, as she
came into the kitchen, rosy and breath
less with the haste she had made, "what
a time you's ben p
"Not half an hour" cried Barbara,
finging away her hat, and splashing hel
face with cool water out of the bucket.
"Has he come, Phillis ?"
ode company young man, miss ?
said Phillis. "No, he amt. An Miss
Lisette she's a-scoldin' cause you amt
ben to arrange de roses for de big
bokay in de middle OBJ de table; an
Miss Maude she done can't fix her hair
to suit her; an'-dar's de missus calm
now. Run, Miss Barby, run!"
"There, mamma, told you so p said
Miss Maude Wylde, the intellectual"
member of the family. "It will be an
inconvenient crowd if Barbara comes
to the table"
" Let her wait, said Lisette, serenely.
"But won't wait |" flashed out Bar
bara, her blue eyes glittering with in
dignation. CT will come to the first
table. After arranging the roses and
gathering the wild strawberries, and
Mamma, is it right to keep me in the
back kitchen all my days9"
my dear my dear |" demonstrated
Mrs. Wylde, "you are forgetting your
SELF"
"And I do so want to see Captain
Severn !" added Barbara, resolutely
choking down the big sob which rose
to her throat.
"What nonsense |" said Lisette, the
dove-eyed beauty with the rippling
hair and the complexion of rose and
snow. GAS if Captain Severn would
ever look at you !"
"But may look at him, suppose ?"
cried indignant Barbara. "And Pm
sixteen years old, and you've no right
to treat me like baby"
"Children children! don't get to
quarrelling," said Mrs. Wylde. "And
Barbara can sit just here behind the
tea-urn, and I dare say we shall have
plenty of room"
"There |" said Barbara, with a tri-
umphant grimace at her sister.
"Horrid little spoiled child I" said
Maude.
Barbara always gets her own way" "
commented Lisette.
"Hush /" said Mrs. Wylde, authori-
tatively. "Here comes your papa up
the laurel walk with Captain Severn. I"
Lisette peeped from behind the folds
of the futed Swiss curtains, Maude ran
to the Venetian blinds of the bay
window, and Barbara climbed with six
teen. year-old agility into chair to peep
over her sisters shoulder.
"Oh, good gracious p cried she,
dropping from her aerial perch with
startling suddenness.
"What is it ?" said Maude.
cts Squire Dallas's hired man !"
gasped Barbara.
"What2" said Lisette.
CT don't mind about the first
table" said Barbara, turning pink and
white, like York-and-Lancaster rose ;
"I'd rather eat in the kitchen with
Phillis." And away she darted like a
scared young doe, before any one could
stop her.