Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-09-26
"very." said saidee. indtfsrent,v

Very" said Saidee, indifferentlv,
But while Belle was talking, she hat
made up her mind what to do on tn
day of this May picnic.
Early IN the morning, while the f1us1
of sunrise was still crimsoning the sky
and blonde Belle lay asleep with he
yellow hair in crimping pins, Saide,
arose, dressed herself quietly, and slip
ped out of the back door like little gray
shadow.
At eight o'clock Aunt Leah raped
with her cane on the ceiling of hel
room, which was directly beneath thu
one occupied by her nieces. Belle mad,
her appearance presently, in a faded
calico wrapper, rubbing her eyes after 8
dr0wsy fashion.
"Where's break fast ?" said Aun1
| Leah.
"Where's Saidee ?" counter question
ed Belle. 20, know, the selfish thing
She has got up early, and gone down in
to the woods to get some pink azaleas for
her hair before the other girls think o.
1t. She wants to astonish US ali the pic
mic. But think she might have told
me :"
"I'm afraid Saidee thinks more of her
self than she does of u.s." said Aunt
Leah, sourly.
And Belle, in very Ill humor, began
to prepare the break kfast-a task general.
ly assumed by her elder sister.
While Saidee, hurrying down the
path by the swamp, took the short cut
across the clover meadow, and was pre-
sently knocking at the door of the brick
house where the load of furniture had
stood the day before.
The old lady with the crooked cap and
the cherry cheeks came to the door.
.Have you yet engaged any one to
blushing very prettily.
"We can't hear of a soul" said the
old lady. every one is engaged just
now, and"
"If you thought I could be of use,"
family began Saidee.
"Bless me, child J" said the old lady,
Sides" looking closer at her, "you are
lady"
"But know how to clean house, for
all that" said Saidee, valiantly. "I've
done it every year at home. We are
ladies. but we are not people of means.
And I think you will be suited with my
q little money, and"
"Come in, my dear!" said the old
lady; "come in and have a cup of tea
with us. I am Mrs. Hartwick-and
this is my daughter Kate"
"Saidee Lynn !" exclaimed the soft
voice o. pretty young girl, lying with
sprained ankle on the sofa.
To her amaZement our heroine recOg-
nized one of her old schoOlmates, Kate
Hartwick, who had graduated in the
same class with her, at boarding school,
two years ago.
"But you surely never have come here
to avork 2" said Kate, in amazement-
Eyes, 1 have!" said brave Saidee.
"Why, is it any less creditable to clean
paint aud wash windows than to play
croquet or do Kensington stitches? And
my Aunt Leah has lost all her little
property, and we are very, very poor!
So now you know all about it. And
when [ have eaten my breakfast, if Mrs.
Hartwick will give me cleaning cloth
and plenty of soft soap, I'll show her
what can do?"
So that Miss Lynn was mounted on
a step ladder, polishing off an antique
mirror, when Kate's soft voice was
heard, saying:
20, Harry is that you? We suppos-
ed of course you were at the picnic
Miss Lynn, this is my brother Harry.
Harry, let me present you to Saidee
Lynn, my dear old schoolmate, who has
come to help as to clean house"
Miss Lynn made as graceful bow as
she could, under the circumstances. Mr..
Harry Hartwick inclined his head.
"At the picnic, indeed!" he retorted
merrily. "I've been hunting high and
and low for some one to help you, and
for lack of any success I have returned
to do little white-washiDg myself"
10, have you ?" said Saidee. ~ know
such nice recipe for kalsomine-as
at ALL"
'Let's make it," said Mr.. Hartwick,
promptly.
No picnic could ever have been more
delightful than this day among dust,
whitewash, securing sands and brooms.
Kate, on her sofa, hemm0d curtains !;
Mrs. Hartwick hustled to and fro Sal
dee, with her curly hair tied up in q
handkerchief, secured paint, and Harry
whitened ceilings and at twilight they
had three rooms in perfect order.
"We have achieved wonders" said
Kate, looking around at the neatly
tackled carpets-the soft, garnet plush
hanging-the pictures on the walls, the
crystal brightness of the windows
while Mrs. Hartwick took Saidee mys.
teriously to one side"
"My DEAR" said she, II do not know
how to thank you sufficiently. But I
am ashamed to offer you dollar and q
half. although
"But shall not be ashamed to take
it," said Saidee, smiling. "Why should
l? That is, If you think I have earned
my dear, you have more than earned
it," said the old lady; land If you can
possibly come tomorrow"
"Of course will come," said Saidee.
Weary as she was, Saidee went around
by the village to buy some Young Hy-
son tea for the old lady before she re-
turned to the gothic cottage.
"Well," she cried, brightly, to her
sister, what sort OF day did you have
at the picnic ?"
''Awfully stupid" yawned Belle.
"And the handsome young gentleman
from Locust Lane didn't come at all.
Didn't he ?" said Saidee.
"And where have you been?" de-
mandod Belle, in an injured tone.
20, spending the day with a neigh
bor!" said Saidee, with laugh.
They finished the ehouse-cleaning that
week. Mr.. Hartwick found it necessary,
we may add, to walk home with Saidee
the next evening, and he developed q
remarkable talent in the amateur paint.
ing and kalsoming line before they got
through.
isn't she pretty, Harry ?" said Kate,
when at last they were settled comforts
ably, and Saidee had gone home for
good.
''She u.s." said Harry, enthusiastical.
ly; land she is brave, and she isn't
afraid of honest work; and altogether
she is my beau ideal of a girl"
Mamma" whispered Kate, laugh
ing, after her brother had gone out. II
believe our Harry is in love with Saidee
Lynn"
"I'm sure I don't blame him." said
Mrs. Hartwick. "She is little jewel." +"
And Leah never knew where the
Young Hyson tea came from, nor the
sponge cake, nor the white grapes, nor
all the little luxuries which had cheered
her of late nor did she suspect any
thing until one day Harry Hartwick
came to her, and formally asked for her
NJ ny< h. u