Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-05-09
HOW MARGIE WAS TEMPTED.


HOW MARGIE WAS TEMPTED.
Catherine" said Mrs. Lee. as she
came out of the pantry with a bowl of
raisins in her hand, al think we had
better make some frult-cake to-day"
Margie was standing at the table near
the window. She pricked up her ears
ut this. Fruit cake, such rs her mother
made, was her delight.
"Oh! goody!" she exclaimed.
cit IS very small piece you will
have at best, child" said the mother;
"this is to be company cake 1 saw
we were about out when was down
cellar"
Margie's face fell. Company cako''
was name given to it by Will and her.
self. Living in the country, as they
did, it was always necessary to be pre-
pared for sudden and unexpected guests,
and it seemed to the children as if the
best of mothers cooking" was al
ways put aside, to be served only at a
time when, as they had been taught, it
was shockingly rude to ask for second
piece.
Her face grew much longer when her
mother, giving her the bowl of raisins,
told her to stone them as quickly as she
could.
She would have refused if she had
dared, but Mrs. Lees children were
brought up in the old-fashioned way, to
do as they were told without word.
"How mean it is" she thought, ito
have to pick over these raislns, when I
hate it, and never to have more than
one little piece of cake! Oh, l wish I
might once have little loaf oil for my
self. l think mother might give me
one. She wOn't t; she never will. | wish
was grown up. What fun l should
haver'
And here she fell to thinking so deep
ly she quite forgot about the raisins,
until aroused by sharp tap on the
head from her mother, who told her to
hurry and not waste time in dreaming.
She worked rapidly after that, and
had them ready for her mother, then
stood amoment before running out to
her play to watch the batter poured
into the pans and the whole put in the
oven. AS the last pan was going in she
ventured 10 ask:
"Couldn't have little loaf for my
self, mother?"
mo, indeed" said Mrs. Lee, brisk
ly, as she closed the oven-door with a
bang. II don't want you eating such
rich stuff. will make you little loaf
of sEOnge-cake, if you want one"
But Mareie did not care for the
sponge-cake, and, Cor the present, the
subject was dismissed.
Next day, she went down in the cell
lar for an apple. While she was there.
she suddenly thought of the cake baked
the day before.
81 wonder how it looks" she said tc
herself Il think will take a peep at
it."
1t was such little step from where
she stood to the crooks where the cake
was kept. Only one step. She took it,
and peeped in at the cake. How nice
it lookedi
Before she had time to think, her
hand went in. 1t did not come out
empty, rs her mouth could testify
soon after, if it had not bean too full to
speak.
Then she was so frightened at what
she had done, she raiI upstairs and into
the garden as fast as she could. There
she spent five minutes in hating herself
and wishing she had never done it.
She would not GO into the cellar again
for ever so lOng-no. not until the
company" came and ate the dreadful
cake.
But, alasi for her resolutions, in
about an hour her mother sent her to
the cellar for something she wanted.
Margic noticed the cloth which had
covered the cake was not put on as
smoothly as when she first went down.
1t had TO be lifted off and put on anew
When she came up stairs, there were
some crumbs on her frock. Mrs. Lee
was too busy to notice them.
elbow long it took you, childr' she
said, as Margie handed her the desired
article, and, not waiting to be ques-
toned, ran ont of the kitchen.
After that, she went to the cellar
every day 1t seemed as if the cake had
bewitched her; she could not keep it
out of her mind.
One day, her mother said:
You must not eat so many apples,
you will be ILL.,"
Margie grew very red, but said moth
ing.
Once she thought it very greedy new
er to share the cake with Will, and car
ried him a piece to where he was sit
ting, under the apple-tree.
Where did you get it?" he asked,
after the first bite.
Never mind" she said, but looked
uncomfortable.
II hope. Margie. you did not steal
it?"
Will looked very grave.
Eat it and ask no questions, she
said. with poor effort at laugh.
This was Just what he would not do,
but put the cake on the seat beside him,
and getting up. walked away without
a word.
Margie knew that he despised her,
and she had too small an opinion of her
self at the time to force herself upon
him. Besides, there was the piece of
the cake. What could she do with it?
She had no inclination just then to eat
it Where could she put it out of sight?
At last, taking it in her hand, she
stole softly to the pig-pen. and that day
the pig had an unusual feast for dinner.
VIII never alluded to the sub ect again,
but Margie felt sure he thought of IT |
whenever be looked at her. and that, to |
her guilty conscience, seemed ever often |
Days went by. No company came,
and the cake grew less and less, until |
at last there was but a small piece left. |
Margie was a miserable girl through |
those weeks, and began to look really |
i'll.
II can't imagine what is the matter |
with the child" said her mother. one |
evening. ''She is so unlike herself"
20. l guess she is all right" said her |
father. absently.
just then he was deep " interested in |
q political article in the evening paper |
"a way with some men.
At last the end came. One evening, |
rs they were all sitting at tea, Mr.. Lee |
said to his wife:
Have you any fruit cake in the |
house? feel just like having piece"
"Why, yes" said Mrs Lee. II made
a couple of loaves two or three weeks |