Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1886-10-23

eyes glittering with mischief. "Bu'
no0ne will ever know. lfit had beer
II year ago wonld not have stoleT
ay poor little rye straws by stealth
Rufus Darling wonld have giveI
me anything on his farm for the
sake of Louise's bright eyes. Il
only the. needing neishbors would
have let them alonel"
And seating herself in the midst
of the pile of FURNISHED, yellow
straw, she began to select the
smoothest and most perfect Of the
straws, clipping them with heI
pocket scissors and depositlng them
one by one, in u little basket aJ bel
side.
When size had made a beginning,
she could not resist the temptation
to run down to the well und..r thu
apple trees and draw II tin cup0t
water, lnoIstenins5 the straws, and
ssbesinnings pretty a:acessese rs
braid with eager fing ers. &
at will take more straw tllan#l
had anYide;s off, said sh.,:.' must
run back aud get Il few MORE"
Once more she pelched herself
on BIER little throne ani,lsthe sweet
scented rye straw, the brown curls
escaping over her forehead, the ca
ger CRIMSON dying her cheek.
And ut that very mnmenttho big
double doors were thrown open, iltl
hitting a flood Of morning sun-
shine, against which stood Rufus
Darling himself, leaning pictur-
eSquely against his hUrse's shoul-
der.
Liliasjumped to her feet, blushing
to the very roots OF her hair.
Mr.. L arling doffed his hat.
$50 You are the burgIar!" said he.
"Martin Dyer told me that the
barn window was open, so | came
down here to see What it meant"
dit isn't for myself" said
Lilias, looking guilty. at her crisp,
yellow grain stalks; sit is for Louise,
and [ will pay you for them, Mr..
Darling"
"Those rye strawsf" said MIR.
Darling. "Why. 1 suppose Il whole
bale of them would be worth about
three cents. Ii Louise wants a
whole barn full, they are at her ser
vice. But wonder what you are
going to do with them2 Would it
be treason to ask"
Lllias looked timidly at him.
She had f;lncled he would be all
CRY, but he WAS not.
He spoke with Il certain amused
tenderness in his tone; his dark
eyes shone under their long lasles,
that curved slightly upward at the
ends.
All the old times of neighborly
friendship seemed to come back
again there. under the fragrant
shadow Of the barn roof. Perhaps
il lie and Louise were to
meet again, all might go on as he.
fore; for surely Louise could newer
resist the pleadings of those soft,
magnetic eyes.
And Lllias unfolded all her plans,
under promise of the Strictest SO
crecy, and Rufus Darling listened
with deep interest.
"You are going to the garden
partys" she asked.
II have been invited"
sYou will see her there" said
Lilias. "Whoever may be there,
L am quite, quite sure that no one
will be lovelier than our Louise!
But 1 mustn't stay any longer-it
must be nearly seven O'Clock, aud
Louise will wonder where / am
gone. And I have got to hide
away the slrawS, 80 that she shall
know nothing about the bonnet
until tits all fiuishedand trimmed"
So Lilias ran away through the
woods with her apron full Of rye
straw, leaving Rufus Darling st;lud
Ing on the barn threshold, with
one hand shading his eyes, while
Max. tue horse, muache,l the sweet,
white clover that grew almost to
the door.
The little bonnet proved all un-
deniable SUCCESS. 1t Was like a
glistening golden ses.shell, with
the cluster of pink everlastings
dropping over it's brim. and tile
shadowy knots OF soft, black lace
beneath. And the white organdie
dress was almost as beautiful as
new, aud the tears Of gratiied
pride came into Llllas's eyes as
She saw how pretty Louise looked
i'll her impromptu outfit.
dearest Lilly, wish you were
going, tuO.n SAID Louise, tenderly
kissing the sweet, self-sacrifcing
genius who had wrought all this.
Transformation. sit seemsso wrong
for me to take all the pleasure
II shall be just as happyaL home,'
SAID Lilias, bravely.
; ,She did not know how true her
words were destined to come.
1t was nearly 9 o'clock when
Louise came home in Mrs. Stuart
Seymour's carriage.
"Uh, we have had such delight
ful timep' cried tue girl, radianCly.
~ never, never WAS 50 happy in all
my life! And Oh, Liias, L don't
know how l shall tell you! l always
fancied lie liked me little, but |
didl't know"
..Stop, stopn said Lilias, smooth