Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-12-23
Gales ano Skettbes.
A MOUNTAIN RIDE.

OF course we girls all pitied Rachel
Tnkham. but we never quite made her
one of us. She was such shy little thing
and blushed if you spoke To her; and act
cd afraid of her own voice, and wore
print dresses all OF the time, and never
was invited to our parties.
| She lived in tumble-down house. which
had been very grand mansion once.
| The Tinkham'S had been great people
in my grandmothers day. Nothing was
left OF their grandure now. however, Tor
there had been wine in one generation.
whiskey in the next. and delirum tremens
| in the next.
RAYS father was the third She had
wretched time keeping house for him.
Her mother was dead.
I'VE" were the girls in Mrs. BANDS
private school.
| A dozen OF us were out upon the front
veranda one morning. We were all talk
ing at once. Some one. it seems. had said
the high school girls were better scholars
than we were.
Very we'll So they are "
This was Kate Avery. and she was
standing by the lattice where the morning
glory vines grew. and where hundred
clusters of little bells swung-blue and
purple and rose-pink. II Kate was any
| thing, she was honest, though she was
handsome too.
I'VE have music and French conversa-
ton, and Lou has u phaeton, and have
two donkeys. and Queenic has been to
Europe. but. lowering her voice, Its an
awful secret, though its the truth, the high
school girls are miles and miles beyond us
in Latin and mathematics "
Indeed they are" said |. I'm what
the madamoiselle calls an 'idgit' at arith-
metic. really suppose that two and two
make four, but Is one Of those girls was
to tell me that they made five, shouldn't
dare dispute her" .
The fact is.n said Kate, little Tink-
ham is the only one who is sure of her
multiplication table. But then she doesn't
really belong TO us. She would not be
here if it were not for sweeping and dust
ing 10 pay her tuition. There she is this
minute
A small tired looking figure In coarse
dress came in sight around the corner; IL
was Rachel with hers load of book in her
hands.
"She has worn that dress every day 70,
three months" said Lou Steadmam: -
verify believe she goes to bed when il II
done up
MY dear. she can't, she has TO wash il
and iron il herself. Oh. there is Queene,
cried Kate 1t was a gentle, graceful cir.
who came walking fast TO ouertake Ray.
caught step as she overlook her. and be.
gan to talk pleasantly TO her. does shS
not look nice in that seal brown suitf
And isn't it Just like her to carry Ray
book ?"
Queenies real name was Alice. Yo;i
would know VIC called her Queenie, II yoyl
had seen her walk beside little Tinkhars,
this morning, open the gate, and stand
still. erect. with that grand way of hers
for the girl TO pass through. Ibelieve We
all rather worshiped Quecnic.
Kate met them with her forehead all
tied up in hard knots. and asked Ray.
..didn't she want TO be an angel and
help her with those dreadful fractions?"
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 II wasn't half
busted" Queenie said;
Ray is busy, will do it, and look
ing prouder than ever, busted LOUIS desk
herself
1t was that morning, Friday, that Mrs.
tpit uo biihA "'"f'
be Mountain Day"
All the schools in our town drive TO
the mountain once year. Our day al
wavs comes in September.
Tbi. time Mrs. Bland couldn't 20. 50
she sent along her cousin TO matronize us.
She was fidgety person, afraid Of spiders.
and no good any way.
I'VE are 10 start at nine o'clock,
. oai1 EsRar he rpaHv
so early?''
Oueenie was new scholar See didn't
know that Ray never went with us to such
places. Now she flushed and replied ::
..Idon't think can go TO the mountain. !"
Certainly you are going" Alice said
in her queenliest way. ''ff YOU can't 60
tomorrow we will put off going"
Saturday is my day to clean the school
room" Raw answered.
. 1--WE will clean It. Let's begin this
minute" and of came Queenie's cnffs
and Kate's, all the cuffs, in fact. We
went to work and had such fun sweeping
and scrubbing. Just imagine Kate and
Oueenie washing the floor. They did il
well. too.
"Now, remember Queenie said the
? last thing, everybody is to wear her cid
est dress. And. Ray. would you be kind
enough 10 bring hard-boiled eggs tor 9
luncheon One apiece for us all round.
Now think it was just beautiful Of
A Qucenie to think Of that. She knew. little
E Tinkbam couldn't bring frosted cake and
S French rolls as the rest Of US did.
SO she spoke Of the eggs. We all re-
membered that Ray had wonderful chick
ems. I am sure the word about old dresses
was meant to help her, too.
The next morning Obed Tainter cam.
round with his uncovered omnibus and
his two great horses and picked US up
We went after Ray last. She was stand
ing in front Of the old house, beside 4th,
tumble-down gate, with her basket Of egg
in her hand.
She looked perfectly happy. and he
dress was 80 clean and smooth Kate whis
}. pered TO me:
: THAT dress has been washed and iroDe
since last night. Just think Of it!'
II was a clear warm morning. an
j. every one was in such glow Of spirits
e ! think we were all glad that Rachel wa
: with US.
n But if it hadn't been for Queenie, Ra
= would never have gone; and II Ray bAdn
~ gone the rest Of Us would never hay