The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-09-10
BARRARA'S GUEST.


shall we do2" .
1t was q sunshiny day in early July,
with the great clusters of tiger-liies all
in blossom in the garden, the cherries
beginning to turn, crimson on the trees,
and the roses Ainging their subtle fra
GRANGE on the air, as if they fancied them
selves blooming in some Persian Vale
The thermometer stood at eighty in the
shade. Sduito Duloiher's hay-makers
were dotting the sides of the distant up
land, and all the windows of the little
cottage were wide open, to admit what
ever stray whifIs Of cool wind might be
roaming athwOrt the blue air. And lit
tie Barbara Lad ripped her muslin dress
apart and was sitting, Turk fashion, Oh
the floor, considering how best she might
combine the breadths into something
more modern, when Lisette, her sister,
came flying unanimously upstairs, like
the wild little sprite that she was.
Barbara was small and dark, with blue
black braids of hair, large, solemn eyes,
crimson dot of q mouth, and the pref
test of round, dimpled chins. Lisette
was tall and slender-a sort Of human
lily, violet-eyed and transparent-skinned,
with shining yellow chrls. gathered into
net, and a sweet, bird-like voice, not
unlike that of linuet And these two
girls, with their little brothet Benny,
were all that the old doctor had.
He had married late in life. this odd
eccentric disciple of Galen, and lost his
wife when Benny was baby; and ever
since the young things had grown up by
themselves. like the wild roses on the
edge of the woods. ....
'Do!" repeated Lisette. "we must go
down and set the table, that's what we
must do"
But there's nothing in the house for
dinner !" cried Barbara. tragically clasp
ing her hands, as she rose out of the
whirlpool of pink muslin on the floor
"Oh, dear oh, dear Why don't peo-
pie stay at home when they aren't want
ed p Who is it, Lisette, anyhow"
I'm sure I don't know" answered
Lisette. "Some travelling book agent, 1
suppose, or some shabby genteel medical
man, from nobody knows where, who
thinks he is entitled to come here just
because papa is an NJ. D. only caught
sight of the back of his coat, but it had
dreadfully seedy look"
II do think papa is too bad" sighed
Barbara. II was going to have the whole
day for dressmaking, so as to look decent
at church next Sunday, for Mr.. Dulci-
mer and his sister are coming back, and
ono doesn't want to look like a native
Patagonian. And was going to give
papa bread and cheese, and n glass of
homemade root-beer. Papa dent care
what he eats. But he's so particular
about bis guests. And I sent the last
dozen of eggs to the store to exchange for
three spools of sewing silk and paper
of needles, and told Benny to carry the
pot of chicken soup to poor old Mrs.
Gumbo, who is sick and poor, and all
alone in the worldw
'Charity begins at home" dolorously
quoted Lisette. "Couldn't We catch a
fowl2"
"As well try to catch a savage zebra Of
the Wilderness" said Barbara. Zone
would think they were every one EN-
trained racers, by the wsy they run"
"a meat-pie ?" suggested Lisette.
There is no meat to mako it of, said
Barbara, brusquely.
There's the remains of day before
yesterdays steak" said Lisette. ave
might mince it up fine, and"
"Oh, Lisette--dear Lisette J" cried
Barbara. I'm so sorry. but l gave the
steak to tramp, yesterday, between two
slices of bread and butter. He looked SO
hungry, and he said he had had nothing
but raw turnips to eat for two days And
when was looking for white roses, this
morning, saw the two slices, with only
one mouthful bitten out of each, flung
into the bushes. And, oh, Lisette, there
was a black bottle beside them. krd
I'm afraid he wasn't nice, honest trampr
"Then that settles the meat-pie bust
ness, said poor Lsset.e: Couldn't we
make the white pigeons into a fricassee?'
MY white doves into a fricasse?" al
most shieked Barbara. "Oh, you cruel,
cruel. heartless, marble-souled thing /!
Why don't you talk of making me into a
fricassee, and done with it?"
Barbara, don't speak so loud - said
Lisette, energetioally. "Well send 10
Widow Millet's and borrow her dinner -
"What ?" said Barbara, fairly astound-
ed by the magnitude and originality of
her young sisters idea.
"Send Benny" said Lisette. Tell
her wen return il next week. Write d
note, and say that papa has invited a
gentlema1 to dinner, and that we haven t
a mouthtul mt to eat in the house, except
bread aud cheese. Mrs. Milfet is an ex-
cellent cook; she always has something
nice And you will see that this will
help us out Of our dilemma"
Yes" sighed Blrbsfa, "but there's
my muslin dress. Why couldn't the man
stay away until l had modelled it over,
like the plate in the fashion magazine ?"
Never mind the fashion magazine"
said Lisette; ''but rim and set the table
as fast as you can. And be sure that You
put on the very best cups, and remember
to tarn the cloth so that the darnsd spot
viii come under the tea-trsy7"
And down stairs sped little Barbara.
with cheeks as rosy red as cherries, aud
black braids breaking loose from their
pins in confusion of shining jet while
the guest, sitting compossdly ont Spon
the porch, had had full time and oppor-