News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-08-29
THE MILLINER.

L E. CHITTENDEN, IN THE HOUSEWIFE.
Every morning at precisely six O clock,
MISS Annie Diamond opened the door
oi her milliner's shop, and delicately,
yet most thoroughly, swept the floor;
then, while the dust was settling, she
swept the sidewalk i'll front, and when
she came along iii front of her neighbor,
Mr.. W1lklns's, shoe shop, the rosy bach
elor proprietor, hinging his door wide
open, with cheerful masculine disre-
gard OF the sadly needed broom in his
own shop, would sing out, Good morn
ing, Miss Annie, and how do YOU find
yourself this morning." To which
greeting the buxom little milliner would
reply, with an innate sense of discom-
tort as she remembered that her front
halr was yet IN crlmplng pins, and gave
somewhat bristly appearance to her
bright face
Dear me- Mr.. Wilkins. how do Won
do sur and was apparently rs much
surprised as though these GREETINGS were
not exchanged every morning of the
year, excepting Sundays, when both
shops were demurely closed. while tho
owners, dressed in ther best, went TO
church
At this hour of the morning, the little
mlliiner's shop presented rather ghost
ly and wlnding-sheet effect, owing to
TIE fact that all bonnets, and what not,
were covered with white sheets, to pro-
tect them from the dust These the lit
tie mlllIner next gathered up with firm,
careful touch, and soon had things
temptingly arranged, and exquisiteIy
clean; after which she disappeared be-
hind curtain partition i'll the back of the
shop aud proceeded to prepare her
breakfast.
On this chill October morning. the
aroma from the fragrant coffee pot went
heavenward, only stopping on its way
long enough to tickle bachelor Wilkins
nose; as he chopped wood in his back
yayd he looked wistfully at the closed
door, ard heartily envied sleek, well fed
Tom, Miss Annic's pet Maltese cat. that
had smelled the coffee too, and was now
meowlng on the steps for admittance
As his mistress opened the door to let
hlm IN, Mr.. Wilkins called out, 80,
Miss Anniei''
What do you want, Mr. Wilkins"
answered Annie, with one eve on her
sizzling mutton-chop and coffee pot and
the other on her neighbor.
she did not tell Just what he wanted,
which was, TO go into the CHEEKY little
room with its strip of red carpet in front
OF the shining stove, and its old fash
Toned chintz-covered rocker, with the
innumerable womanly touches all about,
that presented only too vivid a contrast
to the room next door, sans red carpet,
sans pampered cat, sans everything but
bare necessities, and not too many of
these. All these things he kept in his
mind, while lie said: =
81 thought I'd see if you wouldn't let
me chop some wood for you. need to,
you see, to get up an appetite for my
boarding house breakfast, which amt
altogether so tempting as some," he
added, with a rueful g'ance into the
room with its appetizing odors.
Dear me, Mr.. Wilkins, how kind you
are. don't think ought to lot you,
but the fact is hired boy to do the
Job, and he hasn't been near, SO last
night / had TO chop some, and | was
really afraid l should do myself an in
jury, for had TO shut my eyes every
time the axe came down, which made it
little uncertain just where it would
come down, you know" said Miss An
ME, laughing.
Mr.. Wilkins laughed too, and vaulting
over the fence, said: ''It does beat all
how women folks never can swing an
axe or shoot off pistol with their eyes
openi What good it does to shet 'em
nobuddy knows, but they allus do it. So
you see, Miss Annie, it's absolutely
necessary to have man around for jes'
sech things"
There is no telling how much further
things might have gone if the cOilee-pot
hadn't boiled over just at this juncture,
and the mutton-chop spattered hot fat
OH the Maltese's back, which sent him
wildly splitting and growing around the
room. So Miss Annie had her hands
full for little while.
After her breakfast was eaten, the
dishes washed and put away i'll the cup
board, that hung by the chimney jamb, |
with red curtains inside the glass doors,
Miss Ann disappeared behind OH art |
fully contrived Sc: cen and made mp her |
bed, which had been airing ever since |
early dawn; then the crimping pins |
came out, and the pretty brown hair rip |
pied down either de Of the bright little |
face, which this morning for some rca
son was not as bright as usual. And, as
she tied a white apron around her |
plump wa st in place of the gingham |
one, she sighed heavily once or twice,
and shook her head somewhat dubious |
ly as sic stepped outs dc her screen, all |
ready now for the work of the day. Now |
when pretty spinster with an ardent
admirer next door sighs and looks desc.
late 1t means something, and in this case
this was what it meant
Years before handsome Jack Adds and
Annie Diamond had been lovers. Jack
was rowing spirit, who was never con
tented to stay very long in one spot, but
after his engagement to pretty Annie,
every one was delighted thinking now
he would settle down; but it only lasted
j tie while, and when the Pixies Peak
fever broke out Jack was among the first
to go to win fortune for his little blue
eye | sweetheart, he said, kissing away
her tears. And he had gone gaily away,
and had never returned, nor had any