The Arizona sentinel., 1889-12-21
tM She has taken it for granted that we would bend to her Will''

| Of the chimney, tits only natural that | you should want to go once in awhile. Gals can't be cooped up like young chickens in pen! And you've worked like all-possessed to help get ready for the boarderS, that I'll allow"
 Just then the creaking of Aunt Sta sia's heavy shoes sounded nearer the bedroom door than usual. Prue and Cherry flew up the narrow wooden stairs like frightened birds: Uncle JOna- than rose up and extinguished the one candle which still burned on the high mantel, and the room was left in dark ness.
 With breathless delight and multi tude of shy precautions, Prue and | Cherry dressed for their first full-blown party, each ''doing" the others hair, and adorning it with clusters of wild rosebuds and crimson clove-pinks, and escaping down the sloping shed-roof, skipped away under the starlight, re- straining their gay voices and sweet laughter until two or three dew drenched meadows should have inter- posed between themselves and the old peaked-roof farmhouse under the but tonball trees.
 But watching their swift footsteps was pair of gleaming green-gray eyes, on which they had not calculated, and Aunt 'Stasia drew back her night-capped head from the pantry window, with subdUed chuckle.
 ''They think they've fooled me, h- s'pose," muttered she; ''but they hain't. They've got out all right, but they won't get back quite so easy, l guess. And one things dumb sartin-not a cent of the city boarders' money do they get! Sly, deceitful minxes! do wonder how they ever managed to lay hands on them rose-colored gownds without me Enowiu of itr'
 So thore was one silver lining to the cloud Aunt 'Stasia never once suspect ed her husband of being an accOmplice tc these two young conspirators.
 "E teach 'em a lesson,'' said she to herself, as she lighted the candle, got out her knitting, and prepared to await the course of events.
 Eleven o'clock struck! Twelve, and still Aunt 'Stasia sat there, resolved to die sooner than yield to the drowsiness that weighted-down her eyelids. At length she started up at the sound of footsteps on the rude plank bridge that spanned the trout brook at the foot of the lane.
 "There they comer' said she, spring ing to her feet and bundling shawl around her head"
 Hor o,-oo oo,,1d 4l,o starry dark of the summer night, but there were figures coming up the lane, and he could faintly distinguish the
 l of untitled voices.
 Cree ping down to the shadow of the old smoke-house, Aunt 'Stasia there awaited her prey, and bounced out upon them as they advanced.
 ''Oh! ye've come, have yep" she screamed. ''You lazy, good-for-nothin', tricky things. But I'll teach you les son ye never Iarned before. Goin there, quick"
 Opening the smake-house door with | rr. hand. she use. the other as a pro- ueling force to push the amazed new .ono-s into the alsnal, old place, turn | ing .-a rusty key n it's wards with a jerk, and then wnIrled around 70 con front their escort, a tall young man, who having fingered to close the lane gate, was just making his way up through forest of tall weeds.
 ''As for you, Calvin Harding," said she, ''clear off these premises, quicker'n flash, or I'll onloose the bulldog! Ain't you ashamed of yourself, teachin' two gals to disobey their maternal gardeens? Eh? Ain't you?"
 Madam"
 Don't madam me-" cried the ex- cited woman, Cor I'll call Bose and scat | him on t'ye! Get off this place, say!' |
 ''Will you listen to me, my good wom- an? Or are you stark, raving mad?'
 At this moment Uncle Jonathan made | his appearance, carrying a lantern.
 ''What's the matter, Anastasia?'' he | bawled. ''Is it chicken-thieves or tramps? I've got the old musket here; shall I fire?"
 And from the path under the apple trees two pink figures emerged, hurry ing along like moving rosebuds, with stalwart young man on either side Calvin Harding and Cissy Aliens oldest brother, Andrew.
 ''Oh, Aunt 'Stasia! Oh, Mrs. Barton" they cried. 'What has happened?"
 Aunt 'Stasia stared around at the scene, now irradiated by the flicker of the lantern.
 ''Didn't just shut you two girls into the smoke-house?" she stammered. And if it wasn't you, who was it?'
 Just then the rusted lock of the i'm provised prison-house gave way beneath the repeated jerks of the tall young man; the door flew open, and out rushed two screaming women.
 ''Take us away, HerbertI" they ''The woman is mad. Don't let her come near us!"
 ''Who be you?' demanded Uncle Jona- than, holding his lantern high in the air.
 My name is Corliss,'' stifiy ex- plained the stranger. 'I was bringing my wife and sister here to board with one Mrs. Barton, at Buttonball farm, and we took a carriage at Button depot to drive across country. But one of the horses fell lame and the driver refused to go any farther, so we started to walk, and we must have lost our way, for--'
 You haven't lost itr' screamed Aunt ,Stasla. ''This is Buttonball farm, and m Mrs. Barton. It's all a mistake. my pouncln' out at you like a wildcat. Nv two nieces-"
 Excuse me" said the city gentleman. ''if I decline to discuss this matter fur- ther. After the nervous shock which these ladies have received thev ri11