Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-07-14

suddenly opened before them. 10 go
and live in Blue Corners-a very me-
tropolis compared with their little vii
lage-to live in a big house with rich
uncle-what more in life was left to be
desired
Its like fairy story" said Lizzy.
Don't you know how the fairy god
mother came to Cinderella and changed
her old dirty clothes to q silk dress, and
gave her the glass slippers and took her
off to tho ball2 l always thought some
thing of that kind was going to happen
to u.s."
Lizzy was a great reader of stories,
and very fond of day y-dreaming.
"Will Uncle Patterson give us silk
dresses 2" asked Garry.
81 shouldn't WONDER" answered
Lizzy, confidently. Il think he'll take
a great fancy to us-we'll behave so
ladylike, you know-and Just give us
lots OF things, most anything We want. ="
"Im doin' to make him dive me a set
o dishes, struck in Bess. end white
silk dwess, and q gween pawasol,
nd"
'He won't give you anything, Bess
Milham, said Garry, eff you don't have
a cleaner face when he comes than you We
got now."
"He will, too, replied Bess in high
key.
''lf you two don't stop quarrelling, he
surely won't like either of you," said
their mother, looking in the door at that
moment. Don't get your ideas too high
up, my children" she went on: "but to
be sure, Uncle Patterson has got nice
house, and a big barn, and cows and
chickens and horses, and we shall live
III clover, if he makes up his mind to
have us. So, if you want to 20, remem-
Der you must all behave so like little
ladies when lie first comes that he'll say
to himself, Those children won't be
any trouble to me; I'd rather have them
than not"
"We surely will, mamma said all
three little girls; and, indeed, they
meant it.
That was very long week, but the
eventful day came at last. Saturday
dawned clear and dry and warm. There
was no danger lest Uncle Patterson
should change his mind on account of
the weather. They might expect him
by the stage, he had written. The
stage came by at five o'clock in the
afternoon. He would stay all night, Of
course, So Mrs. Milham had been Civ
ing their one little spare room an extra
cleaning and arranging, A natural
good taste and skill at needlewOrk had
made the room, even with its old fash
ioned furniture and white walls, very
attractive. The bed-spread and pillow
cases and towels were spotless.
To q man who had eyes to observe,
everything in the room was the strongest
recommendation of the housekeeping
abilities of the one who made it ready.
There was, of course, to be something
a little extra for supper. Bess had gone
SO far IS to suggest frosted cake, but the
othe' were not SO daring.
The children were thoroughly drilled
and posted as to all their duties, and
had made most solemn resolutions to
observe all the good old rules about be.
ing seen and not heard, not speaking
unless spoken to, and so forth. Nothing
should be found in their words or ac-
tions that the most precise and critical
of uncles could find fault with.
Lizzy had been out to the village for
something that morning, ard when she
came back she had news to tell that al
most drove their own great event out of
their minds. "Oh, mamma, what do
you Think" she cried, rushing in breath
less. "Now, last night there was hor-
rid old tramp came to Deacon Johnson's
and nobody but Mrs. johnson was
home. and he was awful ugly. He made
her give him supper, and then he want
cd some money, and said he'd knock her
down if she didn't give it to him-and
only that Deacon johnson came home
aud chased him with horsewhip, she
thinks he'd have killed her. And he
hasn't been caught yet, though some
men from the city have been after him."
"Mercy on u.s." said Mrs. Milham. |
eff there is one thing I'm afraid of, it's |
a tramp. l hope to goodness he won't |
wander out here. / don't know what We
should do"
"He'il take Bess first" suggested the
ever-ready Garry. "She's so fat lie can
eat her when he's hungry
"No, he wont, neither" roared Bess,
and burst into an agonized wall at the !
prospect.
People said that Carry's nose was
badly put out Of joint when Bess came,
and that she never got over being a little
Jealous of her. Certainly there never
was very long space between them.
"Why. why.' said Mrs. Milham.
''There. Bess, nobody is going to touch
you, Carrie, I'd be ashamed to tease
her so. Just think, you two quarreling,
md Uncle Patterson coming only this
evening"" This was enough. The two
subsided, and the tramp
alarm was swept out of the children's
minds.
Afternoon came. and it got to be three
o'clock. Never had the hours seemed
10 move on SO slowly to the little girls.
Their clean, white dresses lay on the
bed in their mothers room, reserved to
put on at the last moment, SO that by
no mishap could a speck of dirt soil
hem. Playing was almost out of the
question. They could only watch the
.lock and long for the time to hurry
IN.
"Well, 1 declare" exclaimed their
mother, hurrying suddenly ont of the
,loset, ''if didn't forget to tell you to
,rt sugar this morning, Lizzy! There
sn't grain in the house, do believe.
Here, you run down to the village-no,
[ can go quicker myself. There'll be
plenty OF time before the stage comes"
She hastily put on her sunbonnet. but
INST as she was going ont of the door an
recollection crossed her
mind. THAT tramp-what if he should
,ome here while am away"
She turned to the children. "Lizzy,"
he said, II want you to be very careful