The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-07-20


temper. She flew into a passion and
boxed my ears just before l started"
"Boxed your earsl' repeated the
stranger, repressing strong inclina-
tion TO laugh. "Why, how old are
you?"
"rm fifteen and ahalf," said Chrissy,
almost wishing she had not told the
incident, as the crimson flush rose up
to the very roots of her hair. "And
she oughtn't 10 treat me like a child
| wish she would get married and go
away. l should be deal happier
without her. Oh. OIL there comes a
load of barrels! Old jerks is awfully
afraid of load of barrels. He always
SHES when he sees one"
"Let me take the reins," suggested
her passenger.
And presently, under his charge, old
jerks, who, to do him justice, had
evinced no particular emotion of any
sort, was engineered safely past the
fearful object.
And then Chrissy pointed out the
various localities to him, told him
about the ghost that was said to walk
in old Squire Harris deserted house,
showed him the place where fox was
caught in the spring, and confided to
him where to go if he wanted to find
the finest nutting copses of the vicin-
ity.
And while she was enlarging on
these subjects, old jerks stopped Sleep
lily at the front gate of the pretty
Blessington cottage.
All the Morefeld heads were at the
window-Mrs. Morefeld, Jeanette
Morefield, Susanna Morefeld, and the
married Miss More6eld, whose present
name was Mrs. Josiah Stubbs.
"Bless mel" said Mrs. Stubs in a
stage whisper, "what a very genteel
| young mani"
'It's the city boarder," explained
Mrs. Blessington, between the twinges
| of her neuralgia. "Doctor Buffer re-
commended bim here for pure country
air. He's just up from malaria fever
and needs change, and Doctor Buffer
dear, good man-knew how we were
situated, and that we had a nice front
room to spare"
"Humphl' commented Mrs. More
field. "He don't look much like sick
mani"
While Kate ran out to open the
door, all smiles and freshly-tinted pink
ribbons.
"Is it Mr.. Dorrance?' she said. 81
am Miss Blessington"- with her mos,
engaging air of welcome. "Please
walk in. hope you haven't been very
much tried by the the journey"
"It's Kate whispered Chrissy, sud
denly overcome by pangs of compunc
ton. "Don't let her know l told yor
about her temper"
"I'm afraid there is some mistake,
said the gentleman pausing in the very
act of taking his valise out of tn,
wagon. "My name is not Dorrance
And l was going to MIR. Falkner's
place, where ] have engaged board fol
the winter l am John Wilder, The
principal of the school"
Chrissy dropped the reins, jumped
ou, of the wagon and ran TO hide ner
self in the hay-mow OF the barn.
The Morefe'ds stared harder thai
ever. Kate Blessington looked inf
nitely puzzled.
"Dear mel" she said, ''its one O
Christine's blunders We are very
foolish to have trusted her. Do com,
in, Mr.. Wilder"--with q still more
winsome smile-"and rest yourself, ,an(
have some tea. We are all anxiety tC
become acquainted with our new prin
cipal Petel Pete! don't unharness tn,
horse! Go straight back to the station
Mr.. Dorrance must be waiting ther
yeti
But Mr.. Wilder, with peculiar ex
preston of the mouth and eyes, de
clined Miss Blessington', ivitation.
He would go Immediately to Mr.
Falkner's, he said, if they would b.
goo1 enough to tell him III which di
rection it was.
And so he bowed himself away.
Chrissy Blcssington was very silen
and dispirited when she made her ap
pearance in the graduating class of tn,
school at the opening of the term, an,
she scarcely ventured to look at Mr.
Wilder as be entered her name at tn
head of the list.
At recess she fingered little, as i
there was something on her mind.
"Well," said the principal kindly.
"Im so sorry that | said those foCl
ish thingsl' burst out Chrissy, witt
tears sparkling in her eyes. "That day
you know, that took you for the cit,
gentleman, and drove you to our hous
please, please farget then! Kat
and Georgia are always telling me tina
l shall get into mischief with M,
tongue-and now l know that they ar
right"
And poor Chrissy broke into a sot
in spite of all her self control.
"My child, do not fret yourself,
said Mr. Wilder; 81 will remembe
nothing that you would have me for
get"
AT the end of the year, when tn
Christmas SHOWS lay white on the hill
tops, Mr.. Dorrance was still boarding
at the Blessington cottage, and tor
menting everybody on the subject o
his "diet."
Georgia was getting ready for he
marriage with the army officer, Kat
was lamenting her solitary blessedness
and Chrissy-little Chrissy, who wa
not vet sixteen-was actually engage,
to Mr.. Wilder, the new principal of tn
school.
"Thougb, of course" said Mrs
Blessington, "she can't be married TO
a year yet. "Why, she's nothing bu
a child"
"But | don't mind waiting a little,
said Chrissy, "for the family all trea
me with respect now. Kate don't dar
to box my ears any more
81 should think not" said Mr.. Wi
der.
President Garfelds Physician,
| DIR. Bliss speaking in the highe'
terms of Speer's Port Wine writes th
following from