The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-10-31


ward.
Ii you could have looked into the
family sitting room at Squire MooIe's
shortly before 8 O'Clock on the same
evening you would have had CHEEKY
picture before you. The after supper
clearing away was over, for the sitting
room was also the room where the
daily meals OF the family were eaten.
The leaves of the old-fashioned dinner
table had been let down, and the Ia
bic itself, covered with a bright oiled
cloth, set back against the wall. The
crumbs had been carefully brushed
with a turkey wing, from the neat
homemade carpet, and Annie's work
stand was drawn up in front OF the
ample and blazing fire oil hickory logs
which cracked cheerily in.the old-fash-
Toned fireplace.
A bountifully piled tray OF red
checked apples and a plate full OF
cracked walnuts were on 1T, IN close
proximity to Annie's coquettish work
basket, made OF pine cones with her
own deft little hands, and daintily
lined with blue silk.
On one side OF the fireplace sat Mrs.
Moore, fat, fair, more than forty, and
at peace with all the world. She sat
swaying backwards and forwards at
intervals in her low rocking chair,
knitting as she rocked, and refreshing
herself now and then with mOuthful
from half eaten apple which lay
within easy reach, Just upon one cor
ner OF the table, or touching in a ca
ressing manner with the tip of her
foot, a sleek, lazy-looking gray cat
that lay purring and blinking OIL the
hearth rug before her.
Annie sat on the other side OF the
table deity drawing her needle in and
ont long piece Of white cambria, and
with her head as busy as her hands
with trying to contrive some clever
way of incidentally mentioning the
visit, which she was now mOmentarlly
expecting, to her mother, without ex-
citing the suspicion OF its being a pre-
arranged affair. She would have Civ
en- a good deal to have been able TO
say in an off-hand manner that she
wouldn't wonder if Mr.. Winthrop
were to drop in, as he was IN the hab-
it of calling occasionally on Sunday
evening at about this time. But she
recollected, with a twinge of con-
science, how hard she had tried to per-
suade the old lady to accompany her
husband on the promised visit to
Aunt Ruth's, in spite OF her forewarn-
ings OF coming spell OF ''neuralgy,
which had intimidated her from ven
turing out into the damp night air;
and also how she had pleaded headache
as an excuse for not going herself.
She knew that her mother was quite
sharp enough to draw her own infer
ences from these two facts, and the
additional one of her being dressed
with more than usual care to spend
an evening at home.
Il shall not dare to tell her now"
she said to herself. Shed be sure to
think that | wanted to get her out of
the way, so that might have David
all to myself" So, like wise little
pusS, she was silent.
III venture my word on 1t, you
would not have wondered at our bash
full young farmers desperate enthrall-
ment if you could have seen Annie
Moore as she sat sewing by the fire
that frosty night in November. She
had, Just before supper, INDUCED in
what a Western girl would call a Fix
ing up" A neat fitting dark chintz
dress, looking as fresh rs when 1t had
first come out OF the village store, a
dainty white linen collar and cuffs,
and a cOquettish frilled apron ofwhite
muslin, and a blue neck ribbon tied IN
a cunning bow, were the chief items of
Annie's toilet. But she looked as
sweet and pretty as if hours had been
spent in dOnning satin, lace and Jewels.
Her rich, Havy, gold-brown hair was
carried in shining folds away from her
warm red cheek, and caught up in the
meshes or a silken net at the back.
Eight O'Clock and past! Worthy
Mrs. Moore was doing on her knitting
Her shadow on the opposite wall
bobbed about in a grotesque mimicry
as she nodded to and fro-now crush
ing the voiuminous white satin bows
on the spruce cap against the back of
her chair-nOw almost falling for
ward while her fat hands at
length dropped listlessly in her lap,
and her ball of yarn rolled down upon
the hearth. Puss, espyingit, was soon
busy unwinding and converting it in
to all sorts of Gordian knots.
All at once a double rap at the door
AN audacious double rap-which
said Let me in" so loudly and inn
patiently, and in such a self assured
manner, that Annie, rendered nervous
by suspense, started up with little
scream and set her foot on Madame
Puss tail, who, in turn, gave vent
still more loudly to her amazement
and displeasure.
All these three combined, or rather
rapid successive noises, aroused Mrs.
Moore, and she started wildly into an
erect posture, rubbing her eyes, setting
her cap border, and exclaiming:
''Bless my soul, Annie! What was
that Somebody at the door? What
time is it, AMI how, and what can it
be? So late as this, too"
Its not very late, mother. Only a
little after s. I'll 90 and see who it is, .
said Annie, demurely, and at the same
time taking the one candle from the
table
"Nol Here Annie, you wind up my
ball and brush up the hearth while | 20
to the door. Drat that cat"
For the old lady's feet were all this
while struggling in the perplexina
meshes of the unraveled yarn.
In her hurry Mrs. Moore forgot to
take the candle with her; and as she
stepped out into the small, unlighted
front entry, she unwittingIy closed be.
I hind her the door OF the room she had
/ Just left. Almost at thesame moment
she put her hand on the handle o. the
outer door, and opening it, she sud
/ denly found herself in the ardent EN-
brace OF a pair OF stout arms. A
whiskered face was brought into close
! proximity with her own, and before
she could fully realize her position,
she received prolonged kiss-a hearty
smack, given with significant gus
to which indicated that the unknown
was taking his revenge for some past
slght-paying off some o Id score: for
1t said as plainly as words could have
done: There take that" And al
this fell upon her unoffending, virtuous
matron lips.