Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-05-18
BUTLER. PA, FRIDAY, MAY lS. 1883

most anything"
Leah gave gave a quick, bright
smile to her father as she went past.
1T shall be all right, father" said
she, "if the gentlemen don't mind
waiting little"
Gentlemen ' audibly sneered
JEANNE. Common teamsters! No,
John, with vicions push at the for
lorn little brother who was nesting
up to her, ego away and don't bother
me. You're naughty disobedient
boy, and it served you right to fall
down and cut your lip open!"
"Jeannie," said Leah, in q low
voice, "will you take the baby while
mother helps about the supper?"
mo, I'll do no such thing" said
JEANNE, contracting her pretty brows
into o most uDamiable frown. "And
if you weren't fool, you'd keep out
of all this turmoil and confusion"
So saying, she drew the light
nearer TO her and commenced on q
new chapter of her novel
Leah only sighed and went more
actively about her work. She was
used to this sort of thing, and as she
moved here and there she had pleas
ant word for poor, little, sobbing
Johnny, q smile for the others, an en-
couraging whisper for Mrs. Falkirk.
"I dunno what we should do with
out Leah" said Mrs Falkirk, as at
length her ep,daughter brought in
smoking dish of ham and eggs. a
glistening tin coffee pot, and plate
of buttered waffles.
"Leah's famous good cook" OBJ
served the farmer compacently.
"And she's always willin' to help her
mother. Jeannie's different now.
They're both my darters, but Pm a
little afraid Jeannie's inclined to be
selfish"
When the supper was over, Leah
helped her mother to put the children
to bed before she prepared sort of
camping down" room for the men,
placing mattresses before the FIRE and
bringing out blankets. And almost
the last thing that the two strangers
heard before they fell asleep was her
soft voice, in the adjoining room,
singing the fretful baby into dream
land
The sun shone brightly the next
day, and Leah came in as sunny as
the morning itself.
I'VE must finish the house clean.
ing to-day, mother" said she, in a
low tone, as she hustled around help.
ing to prepare the breakfast. "Oh,
don't look so despairingiy! There
really isn't 80 much to do, and I'll
help you myself with the rag-carpet. u
"Couldn't l beat them for you,
Miss Falkirk?" asked the smaller and
younger of the two guests, who jus,
then came in, without his heavy
wrappings.
Leah started.
"Mr. Stafford" she exclaimed.
"How came you here?"
Didn't you see me come," said
he, "last night? Why, you were
here!"
"But-that was a teamster"
"My companion was. 1t was hi.
load of hay that was tipped over op
posite your barn door, l chsnced te
be coming by, and helped him get the
horses up. And so, of course. | came
10 also, quite unaware that l was
crossing the threshold of your house
When l preceived that you did no
recognize me, with all my wraps, by
the imperfect light, | made up my
mind to continue a-common team
ter"
He glanced with half.smile, across
to where Jennie sat, curl-papered ant
untidily shawled, still crouching owe
her novel. She looked up scarlet t.
the very roots of her pretty, half
brushed hair.
"Oh, Mr.. Stafford" faltered she
"if 1 had only know"
"But you didn't" said Reginald
Stafford. "Oh, pray don't suppos
that mean to criticise either of yol
in the least degree. | was only tOt
glad to escape long walk across th'
dreary marshes to the hotel. AM
the weather was 80 DREADFUL"
Mrs. Falkirk pulled the gown @
her elder stepdaughter.
Leah" said she, only halt under
standing what was going on, Leah
if the young man wants work"
Hush" sharply whispered Jean
ME. "You get everything wrong
. mother. It's Mr., Stafford-the ric
Mr.. Stafford, who is down here fror
the city, trout fishing, at the Walpol
r Hotel"
What the same one you met q
Clara Wallis May-party?"
, "Yes-do hush"
Jeannis could have bitten off th
tips of her rosy fnger-nails and tor
her hair with rage to think of th
light she had placed herself in befor
q Reginal Stafford's clear amused eye
8 Of all men, she would best hav
liked to please him, and somebo'
t she did not think that she had su
o ceeded.
n But Leah-poor, hard-workine
!, plain, patient Leah, who never e
|, out of patience and always toiled oil
d meek and gentle as o Cindrella-ho
= was it with her?
She remembered her calico dres
= her coarse gingham apron; she kne
j. that Mr.. Stafford was little incline
8 to be tastidious. But, after all, WI
it likely that he would think twi
s about it?
It She knew too we'll that she, unlil
j pretty JEANNE, was not the sort of
j. girl that men grew wild about.
J. But | do wish JEANNE had had
her nice Dress" thought she. "Jea
q ME can be 80 pretty when she fix
n. herself up!"
b. Out under the budding app
re bough, however, where Regina
ID helped her hang up the breadths
q. rag carpet, and q certain jubila
W robin darted to and fro like a brow
n arrow, be detained her when b
would have gone back to the hou
y LEAH" said he, gently, "stop
minute. | have something that wa
at to ask you"