The Columbus journal., 1882-06-14
PUMPKIN PIES.

Pinkie was balanced or the toes of her
slippers, upon the top of a cider barrel.
gathering hops, when Tom Carroll drove
along with his wagon piled up with red
and yellow apples, and a big, lusciOusly
golden pumpkin in the conner, and
stopped at the gate.
Pinkie Immediately hoped of her
perch and hid behind the barrel; but Tom,
coming up the walk with the pumpkin.
saw the edge of her pink dress.
Cant fool me, Miss Pink Pendle-
ton." said he, rolling the golden sphere
upon the porch. Il can see through
more things than a barrel. There's the
first pumpkin of the season."
Pinkie scrambled up, shook out her
skirt and surveyed the pumpkin. half
wonderingly from under the brim of her
eat, turning her back upOn Tom, who.
however, only went off down the path
whistling carelessly, and drove OF to
town with his apples.
Tom and Pinkie having INDUCED in q
neat little tiff the week before had since
amused themselves with trying to freeze
each other, very un~succesSfully it would
seem. Judging by the warmth of temper
both could exhibit on the smallest prov
Ocation. And this was the first time
Tom had called since the last ''unpleas-
6ntnesS."
did I ever.,' said Pinkie, and she
glanced over her shoulder to see if Tom
was looking back. which. of course, he
was. whereat Pinkie turned scarlet and
scowled. though Tom was too far off to
see that "If he's trying to make up"
she continued, "what does he be such
q stick about it for? Expects me to 60
two-thirds of the way, of course; men
always do. But he began the row, and
if he wants to make it up, let him say
80, out and out. See through more than
. barrel! Just him-always insinIatingg
things"
And Pinkie, thus foolishly tanning
her anger, sat down on the step and
kicked her toes against q peck measure.
The bone of contention which had
served Tom and Pinkie with xcuse for
more than one squabble was a gentle
man from the city, who was spending
the summer at the farm owned by
nnkie's brOther-in-law, a comfortable,
old~-fashioned homestead, with clover
carpeted orchards, cooled with dense
shade. and haunted by the gurgling
murmur of a brook and the %slumberouS
hum of bees.
Perhaps the boarder found an added
charm, thought possibly a fleeing one,
in Pinkie's spirited brown eyes and
piauant manners. And Pinkie-why
Pinkie would have been coquettish to
. mullen stalk and nev thought
~serionSly of the matter at all
Why shouldn't she walk to church
with Mr.. Hatherton and pin a red rose
bud in his coat? Why, then, should Tom
loom up like a cloud and cast cold water
ON her innocent amusement? To be
sure, they had been the same rs engaged
Tom and ~Pinkie-since the days they
went nutting together and quarreled
over their grammar. But that vas no
reason-so Pinkie thought-why she
should not look at any one else.
To make matters a little worse, Tom
had stylish young lady cousin visiting at
his house whose company, Pinkie had told
him, he no doubt found an agreeable
substitute for hers, a supposed fact she
thoroughly resented, Notwithstanding
the proverb says it is a poor rule that
will not work both ways.
But here on the porch lay Toms gift,
and ~(probable) peace-Offering for having
been unusually bitter at their last tilt,
and perhaps The scOwl had departed
from Pinkie's forehead; her eyes were
growing tender.
Young Hatherton strolled around the
corner, with his straw hat tilted grace
fully to one side and q handful of early
wild purple asters. which he presented
TO Pinkie.
These" he said, a much more
fitting offering to beauty than is q
pumpkin"
He pronounced the word scOrnfully;
he had witnessed Toms visit and
now eyed his gift with much disdxin.
which unaccountably nettled Pinkie.
"They are prettier to look at" she
answered, but l don't suppose they
would do quite as we'll to COOK
The young man shrugged his shoulders
and sauntered away indifferently; his
gallantry of late was growing rather
careless and fi:ful.
And Pinkie wa inconsistent enough
60 put the asters in her hair, and
then pull them out and throw them
under the step. After which method of
relieving her feelings she picked up the
pumpkin to carry into the kitchen. and
10 made the discovery that there was q
scrap of paper attached to the bit Of
stem which remained to the pumpkin.
And this was written on the paper:
Coming over tomorrow. Forgive
ness and pumpkin pies can solace an in
Jured spirit"
How like Tom.
A small dimple found its way to Pink
les rosily-velvet cheek; and Pinkie's
married sister, Flora, q plump, white
and generally sweet-tempered little
woman. came in and saw it.
"Have you and Tom made up?' she
asked.
Il haven't" answered Pinkie.
"Are you going to-"
don't know" perverse Finkie ne
turned.
"You are a very foolish girl if you
don't" said Flora, land l will say he
is too good for you"
Pinkie scratched her rosy ear with
her hairpin, and smiled at the pumpkin.
what do you Think she asked, ..of
man suppoSing he could find balm for
his wrong in pumpkin pieF'
81 should say" answered Flora, "if
the man WAS Tom. you had better make
the pies, and make EN- as good as
possible"
"Oh, you're S awfully practical
said Pinkie, darling of, with her chest
nut name flying.
But all the same, before next NOR
ning's sun had mounted very high in
the heavens, a trim little lady, neatly
done up like a brown-paper parcel. in a
very large linen apron. betook herself
to the kitchen and provided about in the
pantry, seekingth the sugar. the cinnamon.
ginger and all the various ingredients
necessary in the manufacture Of pump
kin pies.
A sound of wheels was heard in the
lane, and Pinkie tripped out to the