The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-12-09


too, gathered and retained ali th
pleasant oders Of the kitchen, 80 tba
any one with an acute sense Of smel
might have given the Lawson's dali,
bill OF fare to = dot.
On this particular evening, thing
were title worse than usual, for the
were saving themsslves for tomorrow
when the whole house was 10 bs put Il
order, to do honor 10 tae new pastor
You can imagine, much better thar
can describe, Mrs. Lawson's feeling
when the open door revealed TO hei
Ratoniahod gaze, not the familiar, dirty
visage Of John Grimes, but the hand,
some, smiling countenance Of their new
minister. She retreated step, then
stood staring in silent dismay at the
unexpected visitor. Mr.. Lawson and
the boys scrambled up and began 70
look for their coats, while Mary Jane
added to the general interest Of the
scene by pouring steam Of hot tea on
the back Of the sleeping cat, who, with
loud "meow," at being 10 rudcly
wakened, started ia a straight line for
the door, Mr.. Don't involuntarily step.
ping aside to let IL pass.
At this critical juneture Mrs. Law
sons wits returned 10 her. Stepping
forward, she shook hands with Mr..
Dent, assuring him, when no had made
his explanation, that il made no dif.
ference, and that sho was real glad TO
see him,--a breach Of truth, by the
way, for which shn suffered many a
consaience-pang. Mr.. Lawson blum.
dered promptly after her. and was
likewise called 20 account by his Con-
science. Sam took his hat and coat,
and deposited lhen on the dusty table
in the next room, while Johnny oblig-
ingly moved along TO make room for
tho plate, knife and fork which Mary
Jane brought from the cnpbard, be-
hind whose screening doors she had re
mained long enough 10 tear down the
row Of curl-papers across her forehead,
and TO tuck the ends smoothly away.
Mr. Dent saw through il all at ence.
His experience in boarding honses,
and as zone Of tho family" bad bean
vide and varied, and included more
than one presentation of tn, worst"
as well as tho ''best foot lie felt
sorry for them all, especial, -, pretty
young girl, whose scariss c.eeks and
downcast eyes told how krsnly she
felt the awk kwardn.ss Of The situation
ia which his th,iughtI.-s,nsso. hal placed
them. Nevertheless hs managed 20
mako herity n-si. The piaii. bread.
and fresh sweet butier, The colL, juicy
meat and simple sauce, were a grent
deal more n his :asts than the heavy
indigestiblc food TO which he had been
accustomed Of late.
Little il mattered TO him just then,
that the table cloth WAS ON awry, be-
sides bearing the marks Of several
days usage, that the cup which Mary
James trembling hand passed him, bad
l6st ita handle in some psst conflict /;
that the hutterdish bore evidence Of
having been used at the two proceed
ing meals, and that the meat dish had
cracks enough To render it almost
sacred in the eyes OF those harmless
lunatics, the china collectors.
Their embarrassment and efforts 20
keep up conversation was 50 evident
that Mr. Dent concluded IL would be
an act of mercy to shorten his visit AZ
much az possible; 30 shortly after tea
was over he shook hands all around,
and was escorted 70 the door by Mr..
Lawson, who, for the first in his re-
menbrance, was heartily glad 10 see
the door closing on guest.
The next morning, the boys noticed
that their mother and sister, WIN had
sat up talking the night before, long
after the others had retired, both ap-
peared in clean dresses and aprons.
Also, that Mary Jane had forgotten to
put her hair in papers, and that her
eyes and nose were red and swollen, as
though she had been crying.
With prsssntiment Of something-
they hardly knew what-thcy hurried
home the moment school was out.
They found the kitchen empty, but the
door between it and the dining room
was open. and, pssping in search of
their mother, they Aaw, much to their
pretty. white-draped
dinner table, with n row Of chair placed
around it. A second glance
revealed the fact the best dishes We're
all there, even to the cherished celery
glasses.
III wouder who's come Not the
minister again, | hope" and Sam tip
toed across the room, aud cautiously
peeped through the crack of the door
inte the hall.
"'Taint man, anyway, for there's
no hat but fathers old straw that's
been hanging. there since kingdom
come.' Continuing his investigation,
he crossed the hall and looked in al
the open par!or door. A fire was
burning pleasantly, but the cat was
tho only occupant.
Meantime, Johnny had been count
ing the plates, and when Sam returned
from his unsatisfactory tour, he was
met with the information that there
was nobody coming after all, for there
we're only FIVE plates.
"What does It mean, anyway y was
the question which the boys lips and
Mr. Lawson's eyes asked, as they all
gathered around the table.
"It means" said Mrs. lawson, with
a glance at her daughter, "that Mary
Jane and l have talked it over, and
have determined that we'll never be
caught again as we were lust evening.
So from his time forward, we are
going to look on ourselves in the light
- ocrn~nv,x, W. .r,;ll ,,an ali ac f,nrs