The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-12-07
THAT GRAHAM GIRL.
BY MARY l.. BRUSH.

BY MARY T.. BRUSH.
Well, it's all over, and I'm glad of it.
I never want to camp out again as long
as I live! Nor does Cara Murray. TO
think what q lovely time we had antici-
pated, with Tracy l.oring. the greatest
catch of the year, along, and only dear,
fat, stupid Mrs. Bartlett for our chap
eron! There's no knowledge what might
have happened had it not been for that
Graham girl.
She was governcss to Mrs. Bartlctt's
two children, Tom and Tiny (thc worst
young ones that ever b,cathed y and Mrs.
Bartlett said that she couldn't possibly
think of trusting herself and precious
little ones into the wilderness unless her
dear, faithful Helen went along. So, of
course, Helen Graham went, and so did
lacy Loring, Cara Murray, the two
Avery girls, and their collcgian cousins,
Max and Will Collins.
1t was jolly fun ut first, for during the
journey on the cars Cara and 1 managed
to secure Tracy ourselves. Then we went
by stage ten miles to a lonely farmhouse
"a ''jump:ng-oT place" as Tracy called
it-whcre we were to get the guide and
boat which were to Ike us up Lake
Moosctic-dear me, l cal never remcm-
Der those horrid indian names! But
never mind. Tracy said that he didn't
just like the looks Of Il guide, but Cara
and l thought him real romantic. His
name was Francisco, and he was kind Of
notwithstanding, YOU know, with
flashing, black eyes, swarthy complexion
and long black hair. And he wore u
sort of picturesque Indian costume. He
talked IL good deal to us girls, and rolled
his eyes. aad made up jingl:ng bits of
poetry that didn't sound bad. Tom
Bartlett said that he smclled of onions
and poor whisky, but Tom was always
making horrid speeches. However, this
time he wasn't SO far out of the way, for,
if you'll believe it, we hadn't been camp
ing o.t a week before that r~asvally guide
went off and left us in the midst of q
bowling wilderness fifteen miles from
any living soul. Took our boat, too |!
And we had to make our own fires, and
cook u own meals, and all that
things which we had paid him to do.
Mrs. Bartlett is over forty, but she
doesn't know a thing about housekccp-
ing, for her husbands sist.r, who lives
with her, sees to everything. AS for the
Avery girls, they never ent r q kitchen.
nor do Cara and I. Tracy Loring knew
more than we did, for he could make de-
licious coffee rs we'll as broil fish. 1t
was late in the afternoon, with a cold
rain and wind-storm coming on, 80 that
it wouldn't have been prudent for the
gentlemen to undertake the long tramp
through the woods back to the Giles
farmhouse. Cara and | felt wrctchedly.
In the first place. we We G conscious of
looking drabbled and shabby-there's
nothing like that to lower a woman's
| Snlrltc NNJ coo wa ho1 No :loo &c
what a wild, era y place the woods were,
and SO we had worn dainty, tiimsy suits,
whose rutfles and puffs had soon became
crushed and crumplcd. The Averys
were in the same fix. AS for that Graham
girl. she wore Il plain navy blue flannel
gown, with short >irt and blouse waist.
We had all made fun of her behind her
back, but after n day or two we were
forced to acknowledge that she looked
far more dainty and tidy than ourselves.
Anyhow, T.acy Loring 8 :cmed to think
her attractive, for, from the very first,
he treated her as an equal with Cara and
me. and she laughed md talked as
freely as he did. sh, never seemed to
mind the least hint, not even when one
dag Cara throw out something about
working-r eople knowing their place. At
first, though, she drew hel self up rather
stately Gas she has q fine fgureD and
looked Cara straight in the eyes as if to
find out what she meant, then a smile
began dimpling tho corners of her mouth,
and she sang out m~ischicvously:
when Adam delved and Eve span,
Who then was the gentlemana'
But to go back to tho time the guide
left us. We had to have supper, OF
cour G, but what and how7
i've got some fish, " sa d Tracy; land
| sec that Max has pi ked some fine
blackberries. I can make the coffee, but
the rest of the culinary affairs I'll have
10 leave in the hands of You ladies'"
ooh, my goodness gracious" groancd
Mrs. Bartlett, II never cooked q meal in
all my life"!
We all echoed her words, except He.cn
Graham. who jumped up briskly, say
ing: "i'll try to fix something, thoughi it
won't be very elaborate. for l fear our
resources are limited. Pray, Mr.. L.oring,
what does our larder contain?"
"Humph! Mostly cannes goods, Ibe.
lieve. There arc some loaves Of bread,
but" with a sniff, 'tbcy look kind OF
queer, Miss Graham-th y have.a pa'c,
whity-green fu.z on the crust! It's very
9sthetic-looking, to be surc-but il
doesn't smell good"
"Heat and moi ture haze made 1t
mould. Bread moulds easily in August