The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-02-18
Selfft Sto,v.
IN DISGUISE.
sY IDA ROWLAND.

III wish some Of you girls would &c
With me,Y said father, as he drew on biz
gloves and Strengthened his necktie
Hooked wistfully st mother; but she
shook her head, as she always did when
the subject was broached; so cloke,l
back the tears, and tried to look as il
did not care
He was going to spend the day 10 the
| city, our old home, that we left two years
ago, to "bury ourselves in ohscurity,'
|as. Blanche expressed it. How / longetl
to go; for, although only two hours
ride from our present home, We bad nev
er been back
1t seemed to me foolish pride that
kept mother and the girls from going
1t was not the city l cared to see, only
our old home II would be happiness to
stand at the gateway, like q beggar. and
gaze my fill on the loveliness within -
The velvet lawn, cleaning fountain and
fowers--l can close my eyes and see
them yet.
The train whistled for the crossing
and father started, we all following him
TO the porch to watch him as he took a
cross cut through the fields to the sta
ton
That's just like man. said Blanche,
contemptuously, as he passed out of
hearing 1T would be great pleasure
to go TO the city in suit Two years old,
and have all our old friends put up their
eye glasses and stare as though we were
wild animals escaped from q menagerie
We would be sure TO meet the very ones
we did not want to see.p is lt,s.rg
"You seem to know just how this cut.
ting business is DONE" said Lille, Ian.
guidly lifting her great blue eyes.
Somehow it was always great efFor,
for my sister Lille 10 move She was
very lovely, with her satin white Skin
and golden hair; delicate. like the fpwel
whose name she bore, But must con
less always had an irresistible impulse
to shake her up, and make her move fol
the once as if she had little life.
ssOf course | know how it's done
didn't we snub the Ford girls when thei
father failed?"
"And now you are getting paid TO
| it, said I, little maliciously
Thank you, we have not been snub
bed yet, and shall not put ourselves il
the way oft. l am sure we are as goo,
as ANYBODY in this stupid village"
4 1--WE have the reputation Of thinkin
ourselves little better" said 1; "and
for one, think it very foolish in you girl
to feel SO about going back"
i "You cannot be expected to feel a
We do" said Blanche, loftily. "Yo
1 were nothing but schoolgirl when "
left. dare say no one would recogni2
you. Besides, you never had propt
spirit about such things"
! "Faith is all Barringer. every iuch,
{ said mother, drying her eyes The teal
, always flowed plentiously when our pa
was recalled. "She is not bit like n
family"
mo, / am thankful I am not, il to |
like them must make every body mi
cradle around me, by be-moaning o,
past greatness am sure the who
world is before us yet, and we mig
make ourselves very contented and ha
= py here" -,
Il went out aud washed the breakfa
dishes then, and wondered at myself
1t was the first time / had ever had Il
boldness to express my thoughts.
:. Some way these little tasks of hous
work always fell to my lot Mother az
II the girls managed to keep the rest OF Il
house in some sort of order; but Il
kitchen was my domain, and must co
fess liked it They said it was n
coarse taste; bat they seemed TO enjc
]. the dainty dishes l conjured up. F
ther said was a natural cook, and mat
I bread equal to that his mother used
make This was the highest praise
could ask, Tor Grandmother Barring
n was a model housekeeper or cour
/ made many mistakes at first, and th,
we're mistaken il they thought l was
natural cook / studied cook hook
most as closely as Lille and Blancl
! did the novels they obtained from Il
circulating library
sl When the crash camel was. as Blancl
said, school girl, and, being oh
awkward girh had seen nothing uf