Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-11-10

down Clare's back.
"oh, you horrid boy" Glare cried.
"Jetly, / do wish you'd make Jack be-
have; can't shell il he keeps shooting
peas down my neck"
"Jack," the head OF the family said,
with great dignity, "if you don't be-
have you shall not have single pea for
dinner, and as we shau't have anything
else you'll be likely to go hungry"
"Pooh who could stop me?" he re-
torted, contemptuously, but ceasing his
tricks.
1t happened to be Jetty's holiday, and
the whole forenoon was devoted TO pro-
paration for the wonderful dinner of
peas. Bread and butter and peas were
to be the bill of fare; nothing else.
The table WAS spread with the best
damask and china, relics of better days,
and at last came the important moment,
when Jetty, having gone through as
tumultuous uncertainties rs did Mrs
Bob Cratchit over her Christmas pud-
ding, was ready to take to the table the
big bowl of steaming peas, buttered
and seasoned to turn, and sending
forth an odor delicious enough TO tempt
tho king OF sybaris.
"Oh, gollyp CALCULATED Jack, flour
ishing his long arms, which so persist
emily grew beyond his jacket sleeves
Chow good they smell +
"Don't they?' said Kate; "Jim did
on ever smell uything that made you
SO hungry ?"
Hungry" retorted Glare. II should
think anybody might be hungry; it is
an hour past dinner time"
"My mouth fairly waters" went on
Jack. "I wish, Jeity, you'd get along
little faster"
81 would, il yoa'd keep your long
arms"
Alasi for the vanity of human hopes
and the emptiness of human expeeta.
tions Nobody ever know exactly how
it happened, bu by tho slipping of her
foot or the unsteadiness of her band, or
by some dreadfal combination of both,
Jetty let the big china bowl fall, and
the dinner OF peas was deposited. q
green heap, in the middle of the kitchen
floor, with dish turned upside down in
the middle of them.
"Oh, thuudorw
ooh, JettyP
"Oh, Jim !"
Exclaimed in concert Jack, Glare
and Kate. Then there was an instant
of terrible silence. and then 4 low, pro-
longed howl came from Dick. Clare
began TO sob Justify and Kate to cry
softly, while Jesty sat staring at the
heap of peas in stony silence, as if
she were transformed into marble With
horror.
"Ob, Jetty," sobbed Glare. How
could you? Oh, il is too cruel I"
"Jim," ssid Kate, trying to keep
back her tears, "dou't look that az.
1t isn't really any matter, of codrses.
Really any matterp cried Jack, in
a rage. "Td like to know what you
call any matterp
"Oh, I'm starving to DEATH moaned
Glare. "Oh, those beautiful, beautiful
peasp
BY this time tho tears we're streaming
down Jetty'S face, and the entire family |
were gathered around the peas, seated |
on tho door and lamUntiBg in company. |
Perhaps We could scoop up the
top" suggested Kate, hopefully. |
They'll be clean aud nice"
So spoons were brought and quite
respectable portion Of the heap was
restored to the dish, a state Of thin Is |
which quleIed Jack and Glare, and re.
stored something like serenity to the
entire party.
But fate never does a thing by halves.
and this time i. was Kate who dropped
tho dish she held while Jetty carefully |
spooned into 1t such peas as she could |
cave from the general ruin.
"oh, Jim |"
"Oh, Jiml"
"oh, KatoP
"Darn itI Thunder Cuss i'll
Blast It'll Therol" shouted Jack, de-
family.
The awful profanity Of this speech |
startled and shocked the girls beyond |
"Jobn Franant westart /" Jelty said,
rising to her feet with white face, and |
speaking in u voice that carried terror
to the heart Of the culprit. "what
would mother say II she could hear you |
swear7 Go upstairs this minute. and |