The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-11-17
CHERRYS CHOICE.

vi Sit[lttll ~ OIIOBOEt
Cousin Cherry shook the table cloth en-
ergetically and savagely. She was a little
bit snappish. The Silverdale girls have, as
our old friend Mr.. Timkins says, mostly
got "pccoolyairies." Cherry is one of those
beings who seem built on springs, and also
seem to be possessed of She idea that the
springs never need the fabrication Of good
rest. But they have nerves, those fly about
people, as well as less ambitious or enter
prising folks who give out and get the
then they are apt to make it lively for the
rest of us.
| believe some really good natured peo
pic are often accused of having their item
per up" when the trouble is they have
over taxed their nerves.
When Cherry's nerves get out of order.
she either ''rares" (Clem's expressive and
pet term) and strikes dsmay to our hearts,
or takes to blueness and lamentations, and
makes us feel guilty Of dark deeds in OPP
pressing poor, innocent girl.
She had been busy all the morning, and
then sprang up like a rocket the minute
dinner was over and went to sprinklng
and rolling up the clean clothes, in the
kitchen, preparatory to the ironing process.
Then she came in and berated me ami
Glen for tarrying long at the tea; for we
were not eating nor drinking, simply sitting
at the deserted table trying in a lazy,
langud fashion to tell our fortunes in our
tea leaves.
"Bothe,l" said, "I don't care for tea;
only drank it so could tell my fortune,
and now can see nothing in the leaves
but grasshopper."
Resembles Dick, don't it?" said Glen,
and while was trying to think of a word
to express my scorn for such an insinua-
tion, Cherry came In and flew at us.
The rest of the folks had meandered Off
in various directions, mostly bent on tax
ing maps, except our geological boarder,who
was gone to hunt rocks.
Cherry moved lis out of the way and
went to clearing the table.
"Why in the world don't you rest, Cher
ry?" said Clem. "Mollie aud l would do
the dishes, you would give us time to
take breath"
"Time to take BREATH" echoed Cherry
"you'd fool over those tea leaves all the af-
ternoon."
After this calumnious accusation, we
bent the noble energies of our minds to
prove that we were capable of the exrrtion
and the resolution necessary to wash the
dishes at once. Glenn got the water,
hunted the towel; and Cherry shook the
cloth with superAuaus vIgor, and Just then
the geologiGt came around the corner. He
smiled at Cherryj but the state of CherrY's
nerves did not permit her to smile back
ale hasn't any more tact than humble
bee" said Clem.
"But he doesn't make as much racket a
a humble bee,' l said.
The geologist was always calm and slow +,
or nearly always, had never seen him
excited but once, when one Of his "speci
mems" fell through a crack in the floor and
could not be got out again.
Our other summer boarder, young Pop
pies, who caught bugs and killed them with
ether anc pluned them on cards, apd he
would take on over a little tiny bug no
bigger than Il mustard seed until you would
think it was q mastodon at least.
81 hate rocks" We heard Cherry say, out
On the porch.
"Ah, my child, | think You cannot mean
that" the geologlst answered IN his slow
tone that exasperated Cherry in her ruflled
condition.
81 DO" she asserted. "You litter every
thing MP with them. My marble St. Pat
rick has to stand in a Garner on the floor
because there is no room for him on the
what not for the rocks. l don't like
them"
"Ah, but dear Miss Cherry" he answered
gently, they are a part OF the Lord S world
and his work, as much as the flowers and
trees you love. love the rocks see
his hand in all from the great boulders to
the tops of which you cannot see, to the
smallest pebble, Did you ever think Of
this, Miss Cherry.
Ipeeped I out from the kitchen door and
beheld my cousin with fame in her cheeks
and remorse in her eyes, Evidently she
had not thought Of it. But knew quite
we'll that she did like rocks As for the 81
Patrick, she had poked him in the corner
herself, because his elbow was chipped of.
Some would have said this ding was all
temper | considered it a case Of nerves
She was ashamed Of it herself, but she did
not say so as she should have doue, aud by
ana by the Aologist took himself of, which
was not wise Of him, for young Poppies
lured her 20 go with him and hunt butter
flies and bugs.
She consented at last but left orders that
Clemenlina and should do the ironing,
"WhaG shirts and all?" said 1.