Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-05-28
Bessie's Wedding Cake.

md petite, you know, auntle, with
yes like your violets out in the gar
en- yonder, and hair like spun sun
sine y
Mrs. Warner dropped her knitting
ad lifted both hands in unfeigned
srprise.
"WeH, / declare Charlie Stuart
citing poetical But, Charlie, boy,
o not forget the homely old saying
hat handsome is that handsome
loes,' and 'beauty is only skin
leep.'''
Charlie Stuart shrugged his shape
Y shoulders with a merry laugh, and
leaned his brown, curly head against
the high back of the rocker in which
he was undeniably "taking it easy"
A handsome, careless fellow was
Charlie, who had just owened large
"store' in the fiourishing town of
Pitfeld. He had dropped in upon
his aunt, Mrs. Warner, this lovely
summer morning, for confidential
chat.
\ "Handsome is [ know all that y
he responded lightly, "and tho beau
" is only skin deep-well, who wants
lit any deeper and, Aunt Helen, there
are women whose beauty not being
skin deep, would hardly bear close
scrutiny, eh?" And the saucy fellow
laughed aloud once more. "But, to
return to first principles" he said So
berly, all at once checking his merri-
ment sswe were discussing-or about
to discuss-the approaching marriage
of certain noble scion of the house
of Stuart. Aunt Helen, what is that p
AS the sound of the crash of break
ing china from an adjacent room
fell upon their ears, cutting the con-
versation short, Mrs. Warner quietly
took up her knitting.
ssBessie is in the kitchen making
pies" she observed calmly. sit is
not necessary for her to make such
a noise about it, of course; but II
anv accident has occurred, she will
attend to it without my interference
Such a treasure of a girl as Bessie
Dale is l have never regretted Civ
ing her home, poor child!'
There was a sligt flush on Charlie
Stuart's handsome face, and look
of profound interest in his brown
eyes.
"Surely you know something OF
her parents ?" he queried. Mrs Warn
er shook her head.
"Nothing at all, Charlie. A wo
man was found at our door one night
I were first married. The woman
was dying; there was babe IN he
arms-a child of year old. 1t wa'
a cold, stormy night. The woman
died. without being able to tell III
ANYTHING, except that the child wa
named Bessie Dale, and that the.
had come from a great distance, ant
that the child was of good parentage
The woman begged hard for us t.
keep her. She tried hard to tell al
her story, but death overlook her
and we have never known any more
But Robert and /, having no childrel
of our own, have loved and cared TO
her as though she were really ours
She has been educated, and she
the best housekeeper, for her years
in all Pitfield. And now, Charlie, g
on with your story. Your blue an
oold princess-how poetical, to b
sure will arrive, then, to-day Z!
s.To-day or tomorrow, Aunt Hel
en- And / am so glad that you hav
consented to receive her. Dick Wi
be down in a few days, and we WI
have merry party until the weddin
takes place"
81 shall give reception, c
, course p' cried Mrs. Warner, animal
1 edly. "In my position as aunt
the bridegroom, it will be expecte
r of me and Bessie shall make til
wedding cake"
: "We'n see about that p muttere
a low voice in the neighboring kitcl
en-, where Bessie Dale was sup
her ewes" in the Wednesdays baking
: She had overheard the entire conve
S sation, and the sweet little face ha
e flushed and then grown pale as deatl
while the big gray eyes wore loo
of pain. "Catch me making Charl
= Stewards wedding cake p she pante
low under her breath, choking baC
t the hot tears that would come
o spite of her heroic efforts. SD q
first p
It And then the tears did come, al
{; Bessie stopped short to give the
u full vent. She started up at leng
: half defantly.
ssHere I've broken Mrs. Warner
q big china dish, just because hea
le him say he was going to be marie
L What a fool / m''-drying her tea
L with an angry fourish-''it's none
nv business. Charlie Stuart is not
ino to me and"
+ ''Bessie p
Charlie Stuart was nothing to ne
h. vet the sound of his voice brought
W vivid flush to her cheek, and then S
If turned pale as death.
"You startled me, Mr.. Stuart
= she faltered.
:, Charlie looked aggrieved.
au ssMr. Stuart, indeed - he erie
it ssNow. Bessie, shall never call v
ly NJ n.Io 90 don't won pvDpct