The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-05-10

could lend thee comb to comb them
out"
81 could, of course, but you 'vo no idea
what fright I am without my crimps
Robert never saw me with my hair
straight, and know he would hate tc
have his mother see me unless I was
looking my very, very best. or course,
you know, have another bang In my
trunk" Edith made this frank comics
sion with a wild instinct that it would be
best for Roberts relatives to know the
worst at once, so that any possible con.
cessions to be made afterward. though
she would not yet acknowledge the pos.
sibility Of concession, would strike them
in the light Of unexpected improvement
'but my trunk hasn't come; 30 II you
could lend me pencilw
ell am afraid have no slate pencil" 4"
faltered Esther.
"Well, pipe would do; haven't you
pipe handlel Just a common white
pipe, such as the children have for soap
bubbles, you know"
IF thee will wait n moment will
see, said the discreet Esther.
Edith in the meantime made her way
back to her own room and waited in
suspense, while Esther went slowly down.
stairs, questioning her conscience, and
yet very loath to disnppoint the little witch
who was depending upon her. She had
made up her mind to be very tolerant Of
the worldliness of Roberts fiance, but to
be suddenly called upon to aid and abet
her in 1t, was almost more than could be
reasonably expected of her, even by Rob
ert. And yet it would be 30 unfortunate
to begin the visit with a family jarl She
had terrible consciousness that there
was pipe in the house-Richard, her
little nephew, had had it for soap bub-
bles only the week beforehand TO tell n
lie, even white lie, and permit herself
to be unable to find it. was something
more terrible to Esthcr's conscience than
even conniving at n curl. As IL hap.
pened, however, che really could not find
1t. Here waS ceItain.' sufficient excuse
for going back empty handed; and yet,
and yet-whcn sho camo to the foot Of
the stairs. Esther, instead of going up,
turned aside into tho kitchen.
Bridget, could thee spare n moment
to go across TO the corner grocery and
get me pipe-a common white clay
pipe2"
"A pipe, is itH" said the wondering
Bridget.
"Ycs, Bridget; q pipe; q pipe for-for
blowing soap bubbles" stanimered Es-
thcr. ''Thco knows Dridget--a pipe
such as Richard had for his play"
"Yes, know" said Bridget, wipinC
her hands on her apron, and then rcmov-
ing the apron. SVind is it soap bubbles
.'AU 1o hn t,,,t 80, lI1,,, 4
Faith. III send Up plate fell tor
dinnss1 s1p~sSsssjel .......-
Mrs. bsS4k TO her husband that even
ing, land without wound or a scar on
either side. / only wish you had been
here with your detective camera to get
an instantaneous picture Of the two girls
when Edith opened the door and Esther
handed her the pipe"
As Edith had confidently expected, 1t
was the first of q long series of victories
over Roberts relations, which she gained,
not by trampling down their prcjudiccs
under tho high heels of her French
slippers, but by quietly teaching them TO
like ho- just as sho was. She had an
infinite amount of the gracious tact
which comes with certain Kind OF aris-
tocratic, high bred wordliness, and she
was ut heart most winninSly affection
ate and true hearted girl. Had she been
merely O worldling, the French slippers
would not have fought for her or con-
quercd her enemies, but Roberts rela-
tions made the surprising discovery that
really sweet hearted creature remains
sweet even on high heels; and before a
week was over Edith was tho acknowl-
edged ruler Of the entire household.
1t was even decided In family conclave
that 1t would do 70 give her what, in the
worldly world, would be known as a
reception" They had no idea of doing
this in looking forward to her visit. 1t
was fclt that it would be concession
enough for them to consent to receive as
visitor into the bosom of their own
family the young woman who had disap-
pointed their fondest hopes for the Sc
curity of Roberts future. To have their
friends to meet her, TO see her in tho full
blaze Of her effrontery of long silk gown
and perhaps even of diamonds. would be
to advertise their shame, the disgrace of
tho entire family, in way not TO be con-
templated for a moment. They would
endure, but they would not publish to
the world the fact OF what they were
called upon to endure.
And yet-and yet-at the end of q
fortnight preparations were on hand for
all their friends TO come and SEQ this
wonderful Edith, with full knowledge on
the part of the family that Edith would
undoubtedly surpass all her previous
efforts on this occasion in the art of deco
ration. Edith, however. had her own
plans. On the evening before tho solemn
entertainment, she slipped up stairs, took
of all her bangs, brushed her hair down
perfectly smooth and straight over her
little ears, twisting 1t very plainly be-
hind. and then drew from her trunk a
little gown Of pale gray cashmere, reach
ing barely to her ankles, and without u
ruiiie or q fold, except the fewest possible
plaits at the waist, and absolutely guilt
less Of ornamcntation Of any kind. A
tiny scarf of white illusion was crossed
over her breast, and her contemplated
toilet was complete. Nevertheless, she
surveyed herself in the glass with evident
dissatisfaction.
"Dear me, mamma, it isn't half 80 bad
ms I thought it would be. meant TO
look like fright, and after oil it's rather
effective. III were dressed for private
theatricals ! should think myself i'm
mense. Oh, dear! suppose they should
like me best this way after all !"
It was sorrowful blow to her hopes
on this trump card to find herself still
exceedingly pretty. She was perfectly