The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-12-15

They are considerably pretty"
As she spoke, Miss Peay opened her
| basket and took out o dozen smooth, red
apples, fragrant and fair.
| "Oh, how nice! Thank you ever and
ever so much" cried the Caldwells, in a
heartfelt way. "Do stop and sit with us
WHILE"
Eyes, I was meaning to-" returned
Miss Peay. II live over to the cross
roads, good bit from here; but rode
with my brother Philip as far as the turn
of the road. He brought his grist to the
mill here, for he thinks Cooley grinds
| better than the man does at our place.
And he had one or two arrants ut the
store; so 1 don't need to be back to the
| turn under half an hour, or such mat
ter"
"And you live with your brother?"
asked Mrs. Caldwell.
"Oh, yes; him and me, we never,
ne'er one of us married, and we've al
ways lived together. We was twins,
but we arn't any alike. You would
not think We was anything to each
other"
SIS it on farm like this where you
live?" asked Mabel, forgetting her dis
content at once.
Something like. returned Miss Peay.
''My brother, he carries on the outdoor
| work, and keep house for him."
"Do you do all the work your own
| self-every bit?" asked Mabel, in tone
of pity and wonder.
LA, yes, Miss: hope SO; and have
good bit of time left for my knitting. I
knit twenty-five pairs of white muslin
mittens and twenty-five pairs of footing
last winter. MIR. Call, to the brick
store, takes them, and pays one-half the
money and one-half the goods.
"Feeting! What are feeting?" asked
Mabel
"Feeting! Why, don't you know?
Mems socks are stockings, or whatever
they call them. finished off a pair this
morning"
"Oh, mother" exclaimed Mabel.
Cant get pair of Miss Peay's feeting
and send them to Mr. Winamaker."
Mrs. Caldwell smiled; and the quick
black eyes under the calash caught the
smile and the thought behind it.
"Tisn't likely" said she, my home
spun, blue yarn would be suitable for
city gentleman, but would send him a
taste of my sopsovines in welcome, if
there was a chance"
"Oh, yes!" cried Mabel, do send him
some apples. We are just sending box
of ferns and MOSES for his aquarium and
there is plenty of room"
Send them, to be sure" answered
Miss Peay, opening her basket again and
as though it had been the widows barrel
that never lacked its handful, producing
another dozen of smooth, red apples,
fragrant and fair.
Miss Peachy Peay went away presently
with another brisk little courtesy. But
the effect of her visit lasted longer. 1t
even outlasted the apples. Mabel's good
nature continued all day, and as she &C.
cupied herself filing a letter to Mr..
Winamake- with a picturesque and
enthusiastic account of the visitor.
But that was not the last of the visitor.
| She came again upon another day, when
Mabel was in the midst of another fit of
dissatisfaction.
This time Miss Peay brought some
early blackberries and great handful OF
water lilies; and she came in dress still
odder and der-fashioned, with the same
little dipping courtesy and the same
| quaint cheerfulness of manner.
"Mr. Winamaker was ever and ever so
much obliged for those apples, Miss
Peay," cried Mabel land he says if you
are as nice as your apples, he wishes we
would take you home with us. Will you
go, Miss Peay? Now, please do"
Home with you!' exclaimed Miss
Peay, her black eyes shining with mirth.
"a plain country body like me would
make pretty figure in the city. And 1
should be worried to death by all the
noise and buz. Somebody a-going by in
the road pretty much continually, ] ex-
pect; and q fire likely enough some
where's about almost every day. But |
thank him and you, too, for the invite. ;"
"Oh, Miss Peachy, you must go! Mr..
Winsmaker wants to see you awfully. He
truly does," persisted the inconsiderate
child.
Miss Peachy laughed heartily; but be-
fore she had time to do more, the village
coach drew up before the door, and Mr..
Winamaker himself got out.
At that sight Mrs. Caldwell rushed
eagerly upon the piazza, followed by all
the children; and Miss Peay was left
alone in the room, with no way of escape
but through the little square entry,
where Mr.. Winamaker stood paying the
driver and shaking hands with the
| Caldwells.
Che h.J N - ;Jaa ~ ~, aa+;p m hin, tbou h