The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-12-10
A MOUNTAIN RIDE.

VI course we girls all pltled Rachel
Tinkham, but we never quite made her
one of US. ---
She was such shy little thing, and
blushed if you spoke to her, and acted
afraid of her own voice, ana wore print
dresses all the time, and never was invit-
ed to our parties.
She lived in tumbie-down old house
which had been a very grand mansion
once.
The Tinkhams had been very great
people IN my grandmother's day. Moth
ing was left of their grandeur now, how
ever, for there had been wine in one gen.
GRAFTON, and whisky in the next, and de-
lirium tremens in the third.
Rays father was the third. She had
wretched time keeping house for him.
Her mother was dead. :-r
1--WE" were the girls of Mrs. BANDS
private school. ,,r.
A dozen Of us we're out upon the east
verandah one morning. We were all
talking at once. Some one, it seemed,
had said the high school girls were bet
ter scholars than we were.
4. every we'll. So they are" f..
This was Kate Avery, and she was
standing up by the lattice where the
morning-glory vines grew, and where q
hundred clusters of little bells swung out
blue and purple and rose-pink. II
Kate was anything she was honest though
she was handsome too.
"We have music and French CONVERSE
ton, and Loua has phaeton, and have
two donkeys, and Queeny has been to
Europe; but" lowering her voice, ''it's
an awful secret though it's the truth. The
high school girls are miles and miles be-
yond us in Latin and mathematics"
:. "Indeed they are," said I. "I'm what
mademolselle calls an sidgit' in arithme-
tic: l really suppose that two and two
make four, but if one of those girls we're
to tell me that they made five, I shouldn' t
dare dispute herr ..:s H. ,'.....
''The fact u.s." said Kate, sslittle Tink.
ham IS the only one of us who Is sure of
her multiplication table. But then she
doesn't really belong to u.s.. She would
not be here if it wasn't for sweeping and
busting to pay her,tultion. There she is
this minute" ~ g..
A small, tired looking figure in coarse
dress came in sight round the corner. 1t
was Rachel with her load of books in her
arms. @ T..&~ T. &c..
"She has worn that dress every day for
three months" said Loua Stedman; 81
verify believe she goes to bed when it is
done up" , .'. :3.t:
"My dear, she can't. She has to wash
and iron 1t herself. On, there is Queeny p
cried Kate. It was such a gentle, grace
full girl who came walking fast to over
take Ray, caught step as she overlook her,
and began talking pleasantly. doesn't
she look nice in that seal brown suit?
And isn't itjust like her to carry Rays
books for herr" s.. .-..., : -. -
Queeny's real name was Alice. You
would have known why we called her
Queeny4if you had seen her walk beside
little Hnkham that morning, open the
gate, and stand still, erect, with that:
grand way of hers for the girl to pass
through. I believe we all rather wor-
SHIPPED Queeny. III "a Il" 81.
.1 Kate met them with her forehead all
tied up into hard knots, and asked Raw,
"didn't she want to be an angel and help
her with those dreadful fractions?" 49, :
So they two sat down on the doorstep
and the rest went into the school-room.
Then Lou called out to Ray to come and
dust her desk. She said ut wasn't half
busted" Queeny said: .l~=sE
''Ray is busy. will do it;'' and she,
silent and prouder than ever, busted LOUIS
desk herself. .1aa sras yr h.
It was this morning, Friday, that Mrs.
Bland told US that tomorrow would be-
""Mountain day." s.s 81 s##.~ .= "A
All the schools IN our town drive to
the mountain once year. Our day al
ways comes in September 2a
This time Mrs. Bland couldn't 90, so
she sent along her cousin to matronize
us: She was fidgety person, afraid of
spiders, and no good any way.
ssWe are to start at nine o,clock.n
Queeny said. "Ray, can you be ready
so early9' @
Queeny was new scholar. She didn't
know that Ray never went with us to
such places. Now she flushed and re-
piled: a ~
II don't think l can 60 to the noun.
tain. ..#ea |
Fas.tG 1898 ...a. p ,s.f