Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-12-04

fore others. s5 @s 5.9. |5S .3s5
Very good" said Laura, retiring
with q final waves. while Alfred laughed
quietly to himself. ss' f"
'tYou are a child, and no mistake, .
he thought, contemplating his cousin
patronizingly from his lofty summit
OF twenty-three years. ''It would be
comical if the black flag should be ex-
changed for awhile one before / leave,
young lady" s.2 az + F .5 .1,
Early the next morning Laurastood
IN the garden waiting for her aunt.
The horse was harnessed, waiting to
take them to the village where Miss
Southwell did all her marketing. She
had becnJtrying for some weeks to in
doctrinate Laura into it's mysteries,
and the young lady proved herself an
apt scholar
The old-fashicned, pleasant house
which Miss Southwell and her brother
had occupied now some thirty years
stood on q hill in the outskirts OF the
village. The grounds were tastefully
laid out, the mountain air was deli
clous and invigorating.
There could not be a. more glorious
morning than this, yet the expression
OF trouble on Laura's pretty face
showed that her mood was not in har-
mony with the day. sz.~.. i, 90. .
$50 provoking, she muttered, ''that
! should have lost my temper that
way! But it was bad enough to have
my ball croaueted way to The ends of
the earth without his locking SO
pleased over it,"
"Sophie Higley, too, growing over
Mr.. Palmer and me as she did! It was
real un]adylike. And to think OF her
whispering TO Mary Shaw that was
"a little singing cockatrice!' I never
can get over thatp
"But, oh dear! 1 did Say some
dreadfully spiteflll things. Well, I
don't care; Alfred and Sophie were
really aegsrayating, and Mr.. Palmer
thought SO, too. How polite he is, al
ways making you feel SO pleased with
yourself! 4 wish he wasn't such a
fool,nn = - '~f*
At this moment Maria, one of their
servants, came running down the
piazza steps. Shelooked so frightened
that Laura's heart leaped to her
mouth. :. = "~
"Oh, Miss Laura, your aunt has
hurt her ankle bad, and I'm most
afraid It's broke. She was halfway
down the stairs when she fell, and her
Whole'weight came on it,"
But Laura was in the house by this
time. She found her aunt in her room
lying on the lounge, looking very pale,
but composed. "Don't be frightened,
child" she said in a soothing tone;
"my ankles not broken, only badly
sprained. Katy's drawing me some
hot water to shower it with. And
now dear, as your uncle is away, l
feel that you and Alfred must be my
main dependence" 49,
:You and Alfred" It seemed an odd
conjunction. But Laura only muir
INJURED, as she laid her cheek against
Miss Southwell's, "What can we do
for you, dearest aunty?"
Aunt Lefty kissed the girl affection
ately. Our friends from New York
will be here this afternoon, as you
know, and l am sure they will spend
at least a week with US. Judging from
past experience fear I shall be laid
mp sometime with the sprain. Now,
Laura, you have proved such capa-
BILE little housekeeper on one or two
occasions that l feel can trust you
even with company in the house. And
then our girls are so capable"-with q
smile at Katy, who came in just then
with the hot water.
''Bless you, ma am, We'll do beautl.
ful," said Katy" Though its sorry l
am to see you laid up"
'Well, Laura, want you to go to
market the first thing. Your cousin
will drive you over, I know. rve al
ways found him kind and obliging.
And then he has such good Judgment.
Here is the list OF things l want you
to order"
Whatever misgivings Laura felt, she
did not make them known. "I'll do
just, what you tell me, aunty," she
sald,T with unwonted docility. "Now
please attend to that poor ankleright
away. Sha' we stop at the doctors
and ask him to come round?"
"No, no; I'm an old hand at sprains
and can treat it better myself ="
"Well, don't worry, precious aunty,
Tor We'll all do our very BEST" said
Laura. a.
But as she descended the stairs she
felt half afraid, half rebellious. II
hate to ask him." she murmured to
herself. GLOW he did treat me last
night and this morning, too! Why, he
would scarcely look at me-"
Yet in her heart there was a secret
longing to be friends with her cousin.
She was too proud to apologize, but
an idea struck her just then. Her
face broke into smile, as, taking out
her handkerchief, she tied it to the
handle OF her parasol.
'My flag of truce" she said, giving
it a flourish, II shall ask for q sus-
pension Of hostilities till uncle. gets
back" :..: " :
Fastening her steps, she tripped off
in the direction of the arbor where
her cousin was wont to smoke his
morning cigar.
Eyes: there he was, enjoying that
masculine luxury and the newspaper
togethers Laura slackened her gait
now, as she approached, waving her
''white flag" solemnly and slowly.
Alfred looked up, and his face relax
ed into q smile. "Well?" he asked,
glancing humorously at the handker-
chiet. 81. :. Il: 5. $.5...- . ssSe.
rIt'sa flag Of truce said Laura,
solemnly. 8ssS Il
I give come to request Of my honor
able enemy suspension Of hostilities
for twenkv.fO,1r hours ~ = sssS
Agreed said, Alfred, rising and
speaking with such cordial good
humors that. Laura felt her heart inn
rnensely %lightened. ssBut q may ask
the reason for this move on my fair
enemy's part?'