The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-03-08
THE YOUNGEST SISTER

81 don't know how 1t is, grOaned
Kate Blessington, ''but in our family
things always happen cross-grained. "
''What's the matter now," said
Georgia, the eldest sister, who, with a
blue apron of checked domestic ging-
ham tied around her waist, and her
luxuriant fiaxen hair confined in a red
bandana pocket-handkerchief, was
cooking tomatoes for ketchup.
why, here have the Morefields
come to spend the day, and mamma
has Just taken to her sofa with an at
tack of neuralgia, and there's nobody
on earth to 90 to the train to meet the
city gentleman. You couldn't go
Georgia, l suppose?" with faint
gleam of hope.
Georgia glanced up at the clock,
and shook her head.
Couldn't possibly said she.
''There isn't time to get ready. Why
don't YOU send Peter?"
Peter, indeed! He's cleaning the
cistern out. Such figure as he is!''
81 don't see what you are going to do.
Couldn't go, KateP' pleaded a
small, sweet voice.
came conscious of some one pulling
gently at her sleeve. She turned
sharply around. A tall, rosy girl
stood therc--a girl just at the age
where 'brook and river meet" half
child, half-woman, but infinitely pretty
in both of her personalities. Sunhurn-
ed, dark-eyed. clad in an outgrown
cotton frock, and with her hair braided
into one long, gold-@leaming queue
behind, she stood there, with an i'm
ploring face.
IA good ideal" said Georgia. tasting
of the bubbling scarlet mass in the
kettle, and adding a, trife more red
pepper. "Let Chrissy go?'
''But Chrissy cant drive"
"Oh, yes, I can! urged Christine,
the youngest and least presentable of
all the Bessingtons. Il drove old
jerks up from the farm yesterday
with load of cabbages. I've often
driven him when you didn't know it,
George"
'Oh, you horrid tom-boy" said
Georgia, half-laughing.
But Kate gave little Chrissy a sound
box on the ear. Her black eyes flashed
wrathfully.
christine" size said. I'm ashamed
of you! You're a disgrace to the
family. Don't howl now!" as Chrissy,
rubbing her empurpled ear, broke into
an indignant wall; 1.-THE Morefields
will hear you. Go quick-get on your
hat; and mind you don't show yourself
at the tea-table. Your new frock isn't
finished, and your old one isn't half
decent; and besides you'll be needed in
the kitchen to wash dishes"
The tears dried on Chrissy's eye
lashes at the prospect of driving old
jerks to the station all by herself.
She made haste to pull white wor
sted cap over her rebellious hair, and
to scramble into the rather dilapidated
trap that was waiting at the door.
"Gee up, Jenks!" she cried, brand
ishing the whip with gleeful coun-
tenance. ''Peter, I'm going to drive
to the station!'
..All right MISS" said Peter, who,
fresh from the depths of the newly
emptied cistern, was holding old
jerks, as if there was any danger of
that ancient steed running away.
''Drive careful past Bowery-lane-
he alays wants to turn in there-and
mind you keep tight grip O the reins
if you meet load O barrels or one of
them janglin' tin-pedlar's wagons"
Away clattered the venerable trap,
old jerks falling into stiff trot like
an automatic horse, and Chrissy fairly
radiant with delight.
but Kate oughtn't to have boxed
my ears" she pondered, as the first
elation subsidized. ''There was nothing
wrong in driving the load OF cabbages
home. came by the back road, and
nobody saw me- | don't love Kate
nor Georgia, neither. They're always
laughing at me and making fun of ME,
just because | grow SO fast and my
dresses are so snort They won't let
me come into the room when they've
got company, because I'm only a child;
and they scold me for running races
with the dog, because Pm woman.
l wonder if they call that consistency?
Never mind; I'll pay 'em off yet-see
if DON'T"
By dint of extraordinary efforts on
the part of old jerks, and liberal APP
plication of the whip on that of his
mistress, they contrived to reach one
side of the station building just as the
train steamed away from the other.
Christine looked up and down the
platform. Most of the passengers had
already started forth in different di-
rections; but one man stood there,
glancing up and down the road, with
a valise in his hand, folded newspa-
per protruding from his coat-pocket.
Chrissy hesitated what to do; then
she rose to the emergency.
Halo! she cried, in sweet, high
pitched soprano voice. ''Are you the
gentleman from the city-the new
boarder?"
He advanced with rather a puzzled
countenance-
"Yes," said he. 81"
1--we come to drive you to the cot
tage," said Christine Blessington.
Jump in please! Where's your boxP
There's room for it behind"
my portmanteau is to be sent by
the carrier. But -
s'Oh, very well!" said Chrissy. BE
quick, please,-the horse won't stand!'
The stranger cast an amusing glance
towards old jerks, who certainly
looked as little like a runaway steed
| ha hn