The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-05-31
''Bad Friends"


Lu and Mamie were bad friends.
They We're never going to speak to each
other again rs long as they lived and
breathed-that is what they said
Poor little girls! It was so very I'M
comfortable being bad friends. They
hadn't been so for an hour before they
felt sorry, and were ashamed of their
quarrel-and well they might be, for it
was about such little. insignificant
thing that | am not going to bother my
head to tell You what it was.
These little girls lived next neighbors
TO each other, with Just an old, crooked
tree orchard between them. Their
papas were brothers, and Grandma
Lane belonged to both of them.
Grandma Lane had given them a pair
OF twin dolls-that is, she gave one
twin TO Lu and the other. to Mamie.
They had to tie pink and blue rib
/ bon around the wrists of these dolls to
tell them apart, for they looked Just
alike. And since theywere such very,
very twins as Mamie said, they must
have twin names. SO the little girls
had put their heads together, and after
some hard FRAMEWORK LUIS doll was
named Ellathear and Mamie's Edith
NEAR. ... s.
They had had very pleasant times
playing with the twins in the old
orchard. They had enjoyed themselves
much going to day-school and to Sun
day-school together, getting their les
sons together, and sewing their ''stints''
together.
But that was when they were good
friends, For almost a whole dreadful
week the poor twins had not been
played with, and the silly mothers had
struggled along apart to and from
school, and only looked at each other
sideways with their foreheads scowled.
They were both tired enough of being
bad friends, but they had what Grand
ma Lane called the ''Lane grit which
in fact, was something that made the
Lanes very disagreeable, though
Grandma Lane didn't say that.
And right into this dreadful week
came May-Day, warm and sunshiny.
They both went Maying, after school,
in the woods near their homes, but
they didn't go together. oh no, though
their hearts ached for each other, and
they felt lonesome and dismal.
Mamie stayed near the edge of the
woods, and Lu went back amongst the
thick trees. Mamie didn't have the
''Lane grit" quite as bad as Lu, and
she tried little to get near her cousin;
but Lu wouldn't stay in one place, and
poor little Mamie's feelings were hurt
so that she began to cry.
But while Mamie was crying and
picking flowers she thought of some
thing. Something that made her dry
up her tears, and hunt around for the
prettiest flowers and pick them very in
dustriously.
Next morning there was a May-basket
left at the front door of LUIS home. It
was q pretty paper basket with some
sweet fresh flowers, and on the handle
there was tied a note with: ITO Ella
thear, from Edithmear," written on the
back in Mamie's crooked handwriting
that Lu knew so we'll
Lu opened the note very eagerly:
DEAR ELLATHEAR-I thought that would
send you IA May-basket; they are some that
my mother picked out in the woods. wish
that they were nicer and more smelling, but
they are not; but they are the incest she
could find She said that she thoughSathat she
saw your mother there, too. l am awfuEy
mad. From Your True And Ever Twin
g EDITHMRAR.
P. MI wish that you would come and see
me. ~.
Lu went Immediately and hunted up
her twin. Then with the twin on her
arm she started for Mamie's home.
Mamie saw her coming, and with a
happy, pink glow on her face she
snatched up her twin and ran, to meet
Il have only just brought Ellathear
to see Edithmear," said Lu when they
met, and Lu spoke in very cold way,
with little scowl, for her Lane grit
wasn't quite conquered. t.
Let EN- kiss" said Mamie, holding
out her twin.
Lu held out her twin, and while she
was doing this Mamie somehow got her
arm round LUIS neck, and put soft,
bashful kiss of her own on LUIS cheek.
And then the "Lane grit ;" quite
gave out. Lu returned the bashful kiss
with q hearty smack, and before the
twins had kissed the mothers were not
bad friends any more. Youths Com