The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-12-18
ttN She has taken it for granted thai
we WOlllI bend tn har will :"

VOL, wal. odlu OASlC cOlldbudu,
still staring at the soot-incrusted bricks
of the chimney, ''it's 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 a multi
tude OF shy precautions, Prue and
Cherry dressed for their first full-blown
party, each ''doing" the others hair,
and adjoining 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 cleaning 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, I
s'pose," muttered she; "but they hain't.
They've got out all right, but they
won't get back quite so easy, guess.
And one things dumb sartin-not 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
KNOWN of it!''
SO there was one silver lining to the
cloud. Aunt 'Stasia never once suspect
ed her husband of being an accomplice
TO these two young conspirators.
III 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 come" said she, SPRING
ing to her feet and bundling shawl
around her head"
Her eyes could scarcely pierce the
starry dark of the summer night, but
there were figures coming up the lane,
and she could family distinguish the
sound of mufiied voices.
Creeping down to the shadow of the
old smoke-house, Aunt 'Stasia there
awaited her prey, and bounced out upon
them as they advanced.
"oh! we've come, have YEP" she
screamed. ''You lazy, good-for-nothin',
tricky things. But I'll teach you les
son ye never larned before. Go in there,
quick!"
Opening the smoke house door with
one hand, she used the other as pro-
peling force to push the amazed new
corners into the dismal, old place, turn
ing the rusty key in it's wards with
jerk, and then whirled around 20 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.
Gas for you, Calvin Harding" said
she, "clear off these premises, quicker'n
a flash, or I'll onloose the bull-dopl
Amt you ashamed of yourself, teachin'
two gals to disobey their maternal
gardens? Eli? Amt you?"
"Madam-'
Don't madam me-" cried the ex-
cited woman, ''or I'll call Bose and scat
him on t'ye! Get off this place, sayv
'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.
whats 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
ng along like moving rosebuds, with a
'talwart young man on either side :,
calvin Harding and Cissy Aliens
oldest brother, Andrew.
'Oh, Aunt 'stasia! Oh, Mrs. Barton" .
hey cried. ''What has happened?"
Aunt 'Stasia stared around at the
Gene, now irradiated by the flicker of
he lantern.
Didn't l just shut you two girls into =
he smoke-house?" she stammered. !,
And if it wasn't you, who was it?"
just then the rusted lock of the i'm g
revised prison-house gave way beneath J.
he repeated jerks of the tall young :.
IAN; the door flew open, and out rushed :.
wo screaming women. =
''Take us away, Herbert!" they +
"The woman is mad. Don't
IT her come near us!'' "
"Who be you?" demanded Uncle Jona- ~
han, holding his lantern high in the q
ir.
my name is Corliss," stifly ex- G.
la1ned the stranger. 81 was bringing "
~ wife and sister here to board with n
ne Mrs. Barton, at Buttonball farm, h
nd we took carriage at Button depot "
drive across country. But one of the :;
orses fell lame and the driver refused =, =,
go any farther, so we started to walk y,
nd we must have lost our way, for II
You haven't lost itr' screamed Aunt -,
'tasia. This is Buttonball farm. and d. d.
m Mrs. Barton. It's all mistake. nv =,
~ o,,@ =, ,xo,, vi