The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-09-04

k44o NoACACoo WOA0D hAABAb nave 0u0C0 W
the trouble Of the girl he loved. At least
she should be relieved from the annoyance
Of his society, end, with a sigh, he re-
marked:
at was uncivil of me to join you. Miss
Rachel. when you came out to walk alone.
beg your pardon. And as I have an
and down to the Widow Browns and
am going around that way, will leave
you here
81 would be glad to have your COM
pany," Rachel Mofatt felt constrained to
say; >,
Walter Gibbs answered. ''Glad to have
your company" he muttered as he walked
AWAY pretty story that, and she wish
ing me ten miles away, from the moment
l joined aer! What poor blind fool /
have been"
The woman whose happiness George
Reynolds had trifed with so wantonly.
walked slowly toward her home and sat
down on the little porch. watching the
moon come up. She overheard her
There's as good fish in the sea as was
ever caught. It's my opinion the man
who gets our Rachel will find there is
better than George Reynolds has caught:
and I'm sure Rachel will find better
fish than George Reynolds, if he does
think he is the biggest toad in the pud-
de-"
Over Rachel Moffatt's sad face fitted
smile that was almost merry. To think
on comparing Medbury to a puddle, and
George Reynolds to the biggest toad!
Then her thoughts wandered to herself.
Did her father and mother suspect her
liking for George Reynolds2 And Walter
Gibbs-had her face tattled to him of Sc
crets that she fam would have kept2
Henceforth she would wear a mask, and
hide her secret in her heart.
She went into the house and sat down
by the lamp-light Her mask was on, and
she wondered IF Mrs. Reynolds had m ade
the fruit cake for the reception, or whether
they had bought it Of the baker of Med
bury.
Mrs. Moffatt thought that Mrs. Rey
nolds would make it. She was such a
hand to have everything done up in her
kitchen. Maybe" she added, MRS.
Reynolds would like your help in making
lady-cake or something. You're such a
master hand in lady-cake, you know,
Rachel. Supposing she should express
herself that way, what should say to
her?"
Rachel's mask threatened to fall. To
90 into George Reynolds home and help
prepare for the reception of his bride
Only moment and the totterlng mask
was up. Certainly" Rachel answered,
'tif Mrs. Reynolds should ask my help, l
/ ,~,o,,lJ Ia Glad 10 ~ che o1JaJ mo-
ment after, as if she were giving the mask
final securing touch.
And SO Rachel Moffatt found herself
beating eggs and stirring butter and
sugar In Mrs. Reynolds kitchen, listen
ing to the woman's garrulous chat.
"Lady-cake it will be, | expect" she
said, pausing in the midst of her culinary
operations to watch the whites of eggs
rising in a foam under Rachel Moffatt' s
dexterous manipulations. "And expect
she's very fine lady we're a-making it
for; but it's matter that wouldn' t like
to go no farther than between us two,
that I'd a been satisfied if George had
picked out a wife nearer home I'm sure
shouldn't a said a word if she who is
making the cake and she who would eat
the cake had been the same identical In.
divldual."
Rachel's mask shook a little, but she
was a brave girl. '.Oh, l am sure George s
wife will be nice lady, and dare say we
will all like her very much, she answered.
Rachel Moffatt's words were fully veri-
fed. George Reynolds wife proved to be
a very nice lady-a little delicate creature,
all pink and white, whom it was impossi-
BILE not to like. because she was thorough
ly amiatle and lovely.
"Who is the lady in white with the
pink flowers in her hair?" asked the
bride of the bridegroom. the evening OF
their reception, as Rachel Moffatt entered
the room, somewhat late. ''She looks
very lovely, but l shouldn't think she
would like to wear flowers of the Judas
tree. Don't you know?" she asked, an.
swering the inquiring look of her hus.
band. THAT is the name of the tree
that bears those pink flowers. am a
great botanist-don't you know that, my
darling?"
The darling colored, seeing Rachel Moi.
fatt and the pink flowers. and remember.
ing certain words uttered beneath the
shadows of the pink branches.
Rachel Moffatt was study to anothe,
man at George Reynolds reception. Wal
ter Gibbs eyes followed her wherever she
moved, and he went home thinking of the
mystery Of womanhood as it revealed it.
self in Rachel Moffatt and pink flowers.
The Judas-tree had never bloomed but
once when George Reynolds and his wife
came to Medbury to live.
George don't get on so well as could
EXPECT" Squire Reynolds said; and Mrs.
Reynolds limited to half dozen neighbors,
hoping it would 60 no further than be-
tween herself and the one with whom she
talked, that Georges wife was we'll
meaning, good-hearted little creature,
but, bless her heart! she didn't know the
first thing about housekeeping, and she
hadn't any knack at making the most OF
her means.
George Reynolds wife sent for Rachel
Moffatt one day. 81 would have come
down myself" she apologized, but really
was not able;" and Rachel, looking in
to her face, saw that the pink had all
faded out, leaving only the wilderness OF
the previous year. You see. dear" she
went on, with winning frankness, II
wasn't brought up to anything useful, and
the housekeeping don't go right, and
George and ! have moved out, thinking
We could manage better. and it would be
better for the baby. l remember what
beautiful ladycake you made for our re-
ception. and the praises that were in ev-
erybody's mouth about your cooking.
And now. my dear Miss Moffatt. would
you mind showing me little, and see if
can't learn to manage better. and make
Georges home more comfortable? |
thought would rather ask young per
son lie you than George mother, even v
And so Rachel Moffatt found herself in
George Reynolds kitchen, instruc.ing the
child-wife in the mysteries Of cooking.
and trying to impart to her some Of her
rare knack." as the people called it.
One day, rs she came out Of the little
gate and took her way toward her own