Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-12-21
A MOUNTAIN RIDE.

and acted 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 Tinkhams had been great people
in my grandmother's day. Nothing was
left of their grandure now, however, for
there had been wine in one generation.
whiskey in the next, and delirum
tremens in the next.
RAYS father was the third. She had
a wretched time keeping house for him.
Her mother was dead.
1--WE" were the girls in Mrs. Bland's
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. bad
said the high school girls were better
scholars than we were.
Very well. So they are"
This was Kate Avery, and she was
standing by the lattice where the morn
ing glory vines grew, and where a hum
dred clusters of little bells swung-blue
and purple and rose-pink. If Kate was
anything. she was honest, though she
was handsome, too.
1--WE have music and French conver
sa,ion, and Lou has a phaeton, and |
have two donkeys, and Queenie has been
to Europe, but, lowering her voice, sits
an awful secret. though it's 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
arithmetic. really suppose that two
and two make four, but if one Of those
girls was TO tell me that they made FIVE,
| shouldn't dare dispute her.
"The fact is 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
no, be here If it were not for sweeping
and busting to pay her tuition. There
she is this minute"
A small tired looking figure in coarse
dress came in sight around the corner; it
was Rachel with her load of books in her
hands.
"She has worn that dress every day
for three months said Lou Steadman
II verify believe she goes to bed when 1t
is done up"
MY dear, she can't, she has to wash
it and iron it herself. Oh, there is
Qucenie," cried Kate. twas gentle,
graceful girl who came walking fast to
over,ake Ray, caught step as she over
took her, and began to talk pleasantly to
her. Does she not look nice in that
seal brown suit And isn'ti it just like
her to carry Rays book :"
Queenes real name was Alice. You
would known why we called her Queenie.
if you had seen her walk beside little
Tinkham this morning, open the gate.
and stand still, erect, with that grand
way Of hers for the girl to pass through.
believe we all rather worshiped
Queenie.
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 it wasn't half
busted" Queenie said:
Ray is busy, will do it" and look
ing prouder than ever, busted Lou's desk
herself.
1t was that morning, Friday, that Mrs.
Bland had told US that Tomorrow
would be Mountain Day"
All the schools in our town drive to
the mountain once year. Our day al
ways comes in September.
This time Mrs. Bland couldn't 60. so
she sent along her cousin to matronize US.
She was a tidgety person, afraid of
spiders, and no good any way.
1--WE are to start at nine O'Clock"
Queenie said. Ray, can you be ready
so early"
Queenie was a new scholar. She
didn't know that Ray never went with
US to such places. Now she flushed and
replied:
81 don't think can 60 to the noun
tain"
Certainly, you are going Alice
said in her queenGest way. "lf you
can't go tomorrow We will put off going"
Saturday is my day to clean the
schoolroom," Ray answered.
ave will clean it. Let's begin this
minute" and off came Queenie's cuffs
and Kate's, all the cuffs, in fact. We
went to work aud had such fun sweeping
and scrubbing. Just imagine Kate and
Queenie washing the floor. They did it
well, too.
"Now, remember" Queenie said the
last thing, Everybody is to wear her
oldest dress. And, Ray, would you be
kind enough to bring hard-boiled eggs
for your luncheon: One apiece for us
all round
Now l think it was just beautiful of
Queenie to think of that. She knew
little Tinkham couldn't bring frosted cake
and French rolls as the rest of us did.
So she spoke of the eggs. We all re-
membered that Ray had wonderful chick
ems. l am sure the word about old
dresses, too, was meant to help her.
Tho paxt rrorn;po Ohed Tainter came