Daily Republican., 1889-05-06

being said which she would like TO know:
so she edged toward that end Of the
room, making b lieve that she wanted to
get a book that was there.
At first the ladies did not notice her,
and she heard the visitor say
''It's really the most dreadful thing
that ever heardp
"Ilushlr said Aunt Ellen, cspying
Jane. Little pitchers have big ears.
Jane knew perfectly well what that
meant, for che had heard it often enouLh;
but size pref uded not TO hear, aud sang
10 heise.f II little, and climbcd on
cricket to loOl. at the books or this shell.
"What book do you want Jane" her
aunt asked sharply.
~ want waut-one with pictures
In it," etammercd Jane.
TAX this, theu," said her aunt, and
rave her one lull Of pictures.
Jane took the book, but instetd OF
| gong away with It, seated herself not FAR
| IRON the ladies', aud began turning over
/ the leaves, and look ug over the pictures,
as If she thought OF nothing else IN The
world.
Miss Mills got up angrlly.
Come up to ms ROOM" fhe fa'd 70
her friend. perhaps We may be able to
speak there without interruption"
The two ladies went OUT OF the parlor
and upstairs, leaving the little girl dt,-
appoint d. What should she do? She
bent over the book aud tried to think.
AS to losing the story OF the mos
dreadful thing ever heard, that was
quite out OF The question.
Presently an idea struck her. lhere
were the attic stairs. Nothing could lie
better. No sooner had The thought
l.. H.. 81. hFntp4I
her hook and hurried upstairs. She
went softly into her mothers chamber
and opened the door between that and
her aunt's room.
How that door did squeak Jane in
desperation made up her mind that ORG
Of the first things for her to do would he
TO oil those hateful hinges. Why hadn't
, she thought OF It heioTei She was ter
ribly If aid that her aunt would hear the
I noise and open the other door. If She
should, then she would know In 4 minute
what Jane was there for.
Anybody who has tried to oIen a
sdupakiGg dOor without any one hearing
1t, knows that the easier you arc the
more NONE the door makes. The best
way f. 10 gtta firm hold on the rob,
then open it as quick asa Hash. IL is
then too much astOnished To make the
least noise, or II makes but very little.
Jane pulled this one an inch or so ana
It eleaked wolully. She stopped, Their
pulled another inch, aud it maue a moist
ike mad piy. II Ell she was sure they
had heard and ran away and hid hcrsel
behind her mothers ted. After waiting
awhile, and no one appearing, she can't
out again. Probably they thought that
the wind WIS swinging the door. Sht
could hear their voices talking in tie
next DOM, as though they had not been
di turbed Now she took the door In
: tho right way, and gave II quick pull
I gcitiIg 1t far enough open 10 squccz'
. through. Then she STOOD In little entry
" III d or hind and door in trout oil
her, and the attic stairs at her right hand.
Hall way up these Stairs was the post
] she wanted to react. There was little
window that looked Into her Runts cham
Der, aud gave light 10 the stairway which
led up to u dark part OF the attic. Tlia
vii dow swung on a hinge, and in warm
weather was kept open for ventilation. 1t
was open now, Jane saw, and through IT
. she could bear their voices quite dis
Iinctly.
U Stepping softly, sic went up step alta
step: but OH the stairs squeaked as loudly
as the door had, and 1t would b ten
, times worse to be caught there. for there
. would he no escape.
,Iaic was in such fright that she
trem led all ovc-, and her lace burned al
though IA the flood in her body ha
rushed iptoit, and her ears rang as il
! there WAS d nner hell ringing in each.
But over The Raging she heard the fear
full creIk that one stair gave as she step
pei upon 1t.
"Dear ne" exclaimed Aunt Ellen,
"what squeaky door that is! wonder
who set it opcn Wait minute, dear
till ! shut It,"
Jane sat down on the stairs more than
halt way up, feeling as If sine would faint
away. She could go neither down hol
up. She sat there with her eyes shut ex'
Meeting every breath TO hear her name
called, and herself ordered down. Sh,
heard the door into her auut's room opel
\ heard the step In the entry, heard th'
other door banged, then again step ant
apain a bang, aud then her aunt's voice
in ie the room.
"NoW finish the s'oTy, dear
Jane could scarcely believe her goo
fortune Miss Mills had merely closcI
the squesking door and gone back, WITH
y. out once elancing up the dark stairs, TOT
much interested in what she was hearin!
l., to think of a listener.
" Jane waited moment to recover iron
her fright; then creeping softy towar'
the lille window she looked into tn
room. Her aunt and the visitor sat ncros
the room by the window, and were talk
ing in an ordinary tone OF voice; but
was easier TO hear the voices than tn
= words. Gree in while she could catcl
e little.
al shouldn't he at all surprised" sail
one.
Now thsJ was not much for Jane t.
:. hear. thou. Ia the two laui seemed T.
D. think it a great deal for them to say; 10
"a they looked at each other and nodded
rs and ~ essed their lips together as II The
e were thinking dreadful th'ngs. Thei
~ they began to speak again-this time IL
In whispers. q,
OF Jane was in agonies OF curiosity. IN
e would have given any money, hai 81
Sc possessed It, to be ablo to hear. sh
ne twisted herself this way and that, put he
I'd ear close to the opening, and even leane,
e. through little; size ached all over wit
Of the way she had to crouch; she worRe
al this way and that. By-snd-by she caugh
ty another bit of the conversation.
~ "Mrs. Smith says she watched, an
after awhile she saw Lin go in, 60
" Here the lady stopped and listened.