The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1884-12-31
Phebe's Trick.

Phebe's Trick.
can invitation to the picnic-and Burt
Williams will be there. How splendid y
Phoebe looked in the glass as she spoke
and thought to herself that she was real
lv very pretty, and that she was just the
person to grace the Williams mansion
as its mistress. "And if l can only have
him to myself for the day, "she thought,
he will surely offer himself. He don't
know which he likes best, Lizzie or me.
If | could only keep Lizzie from going. )"
But to keep Lizzie from going would
not be so easy. What excuse was there
to make to her cousin for wishing her to
absent herself from the merry-making
A sudden thought occurred to Phoebe:
1t was fearfully mean one. She could
hide Lizzie's shoes. At that moment
Lizzie had just one pair besides her slip
pers, and her foot was so small that she
could not wear those OF any other mem
Der of the family.
There would not be time to buy pair
for they were miles from town, and the
general store only dealt in rough boots
that Lizzie could not wear.
eyes" Phoebe said to herself, shat
would keep her at home"
She crept into Lizzie's room and saw
the shoes, with their tops turned over,
set upon the window-sill. Nothing could
have favored Phmbe's plan better. Some
tramp would be supposed to have stolen
them. She whisked the 4 away in an
instant, and, hiding them under her
apron, carried them to her own room and
hid them at the bottom OF her trunk.
80 Calls fair in love as IN war, = Sire
said to herself, after all, it was not love
for the man, though she thought him
handsome as much as love for his estates.
Phoebe was very ambitious, and she was
poor. living with her aunt and obliged
to take everything from her hands.
There was, perhaps, some excuse Tor her
wishing to marry we'll
Down in the dining room Lizzie was
laughing over the picnic. She too, hoped
to have Burt Williams at her side all Day
and she had really given her heart to
him. 1t would have made no difference
il he had been a poor mechanic, instead
Of Burt Williams with the greatest for
tune in the county. She thought ne
loved her sometimes; still Phoebe trieC
hard to cut her out, and Phoebe was
prettier than she was she knew 1t.
! ''He would show his preference to
! dav," she said, and as he behaved OF
this occasion she would judge OF hi
heart eff he likes Phoebe best, | vii
stop thinking of him." she said t.
herself.
"Come girls" said her mother, "dres
yourselves, and pa can drive you over
and take wraps, for it is sure to be chill
after dark; and don't sit down by tn
river-T misdoubt it is dangerous. An
don't stand in the sun.
But the girls were off before she ma
done speaking, and in few minute
lizzie was heard to cry, in a meloncho
wav. from the head of the stairs
HOh. ma / can't find my shoes"
Phoebe heard and laughed. The mot
er ran up stairs. AS Lizzie pinned u
scarf about her throat with her most U
coming turquoise pin she heard the
decide that the shoes were stolen by
"The idea of putting them on t
SLIP said the mother. ;,
| 81 thought they seemed damp, So
| Lizzie. ooh, dear, how tooilsh | wa
Now l must stay at home. Ana siie
gan to cry little.
oil ostonishment and commiseration, "a
who asked if she should stay at no
also. %, -,
"Of what use would that be?'' ash
Tizzie. Oh, no; 60. | declare,
the unluckiest girl! wanted to go
/ much"
"Of course, you did," said Phoebe
herself.
II Her uncle drove her over to the pic
grounds, talking all the way about
III zie's shoes, and Phoebe felt very M
III and contemplate. Somehow she co
II not enioy herself, and as the time W
III on and Rurt Williams did not pres
II himself she became utterly ,wretcheed
II "Where is Burt?" asked everybo
But Burt came not.
III Evening drew on. People began u
iii home. It had been the stupidest,
III most wretched day for Phoebe.
III Meanwhile, Lizzie, sitting with
~ crotchet work on the piazza, hear
IN voice at the gate, saying:
IIu "Good morning, Miss Miller: i,
AN She looked up. There stood Burt
I'M liams.