Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-04-06
A GIRLS MISTAKE
By HRS. G. BIGG-WITHER.

| 1 Carruthers suggested that they should 1 have something to eat. ''We don't want to cook anything, you know," he said gleefully. 'sTheres a cold pie and things in the larder."
 So they had the ''cold pie and things" washed down by bottle of Burgundy, and felt much refreshed and invigorated thereby. Then Carruthers went up to the loft again to reconnoiter, and came back with the mingled tidings that 1t had stopped showing, but was freezing hard.
 "Then we must get the door open, and try to clear some of the snow from the windows" said Darrell; "for this pro- longed lamplight is rather depressing"
 After some time, and with consider able difficulty, they got the door open, and set to work with will. Meanwhile Leslie, left to her own de- vices, put her own room to rights, made up the fires and explored the larder. There was plenty of bacon, another cold pie, and an apple tart, besides a couple fowls and a fair supply of timed meats. There were also two tins of condensed milk and jar of Liebig; half a dozen loaves, but no butter, and no vegetables whatever. Coffee there was in abund- ance.
 They all helped to get the somewhat . heterogeneous evening meal ready, and when it was over they drew round the fire in quite a cozy, friendly fashion. Leslie insisted that her hosts should smoke their cigars or pipes as usual.
 "Just as if I weren't here, you know," she said coaxingly.
 It was wonderful how much at home she felt and looked already. She made winsomc little picture enough as she sat curled up in big easy chair brought by Darrell from the other room for her benefit. She was not exactly pretty, that young man decided, as he looked at her from his dark corner at the other side of the fireplace-but there was some thing wonderfully lovable and attractive about the pale little face with it's fluffy brown hair, and its great dark eyes out of which the pure fearless woman's soul , looked so trustfully. A man might safely give lis heart into the keeping of such sweet little woman. he reflected further. Then he pulled himself up with Q start, and drowned slightly at his own folly.
 'I know one thing" said Carruthers suddenly, as he stretched himself out in his chair, and lit fresh cigar-"there's not single dish of any kind or descrip- ton going to be washed in this house to- night"
 Leslie laughed; then she grew sud- . denly grave.
 ''Aunt Priscilla will think am dead" she said, looking meditatively into the sT T ,1> r l>o yesterday; it was most unlucky." Both men were silent, for they could not honestly say they agreed with her. On the contrary, I fear that with an utter disregard for the feelings of poor Aunt Priscilla, they were rather glad that a capricious chance had thrown this win some little maiden on their protection. It seemed curiously natural and familiar to sec her sitting there, to see the fire . light glinting on her hair, to hear her childlike laugh. It seemed incredible } that they were unconscious of her very : existence yesterday-only yesterday!
 Next day passed much as its prede- cessor had done, except that the men worked hard all the morning-clearing = the snow from about the house, while Leslie attended to the domestic arrange ments herself. In the afternoon Car ruthers distinguished himself by concoct- ing fearful and wonderful stew for SUD- per, which it appeared he had known and loved in India. Leslie looked on in sarcastic disapproval, and Darrell chop ped up wood in the back kitchen. Owing, however, to somewhat liberal distri- button of cayenne pepper, and the total absence of any other seasoning, the stew was not marked success, though its author declared it was ''the finest thing he had tasted for many long day"
 Three more days passed; the frost still held, and the provisions diminished with had plenty of coals, for the cold was in tense. The men worked steadily during the greater part of each day-not only ). clearing the snow from around the house but working path to the main road across the moor. Leslie found plenty tc occupy her indoors; but fitted in and out at intervals to inspect ''the work" as }. she called the snow clearing. In the evenings they were all glad enough te draw round the fire for rest and warmth And very pleasant evenings they were There was an ever increasing chrrm tt ). both men in Leslie's innocent chatter, il her half childlike, half wonal.Il,- V-ays and in her singing. For sho had offered in naive little way to sing to them, ''tt help to pass the timc." So she sang Z. every night She had sweet, touching bird like voice-a voice that found it way at once to the heart and stayed there
 It was, then, the fifth day of Mis Heath's sojorlrn in the little household and it was Sunday. After the g o'clocl supper-Leslie would not allow it to b :. called dinner-they were as usual gath ,, cred round the fire. The lamp was un
 lit, for oil was scanty and therefore pre-
 cious. Candles, too, were few. And @
 Leslie said, firelight was good enough t talk by.
 ,. sk'Are we to have no music tonight
 Miss Heath?' Darrell asked rather re
 proachfully, when they had sat silent fo
 some time.
 ,o Leslie was sitting on the fender, burr 1o ing her bonnie little face at the fire. A