The Irish standard., 1890-08-23
a zoo ERA NG.
mildred Is Edited BY the Echo Of
e. REID S4i Her Own Words.

i y b & - y
! much besplashed country buggy. drawn
| bv the rauntest, most i'll Favored OF AMI
mails. Mildred and Joe, standing side
by side in the dining-room window, had
been idly watching its laborious progress
up the street, and freely commenting
! upon it. :.
s'You could study anatomy from that
horse, Just as he stands, said Joe, ''or
walks, if you choose to call it that.
| 81 think it is meant for it, but it is
| not a perfect imitation. Do you sup
| pose this is pleasure excursion?
II don't see what else it could be;
not very pressing business should
say
III always thought" said Mildred.
with compassionate shake OF her head,
| ''that to be carried about in just that
style of conveyance would be violent
| death to every last grain OF pomp and
| vanity that any one had in their COM
position. But must say that my
imagination never stretched SO far as
that horse. 1t is degree beyond my
worst fears
| stretching is a very good word for
it's peculiar gait" said Joe, patronizing-
~; sand, by the way, it looks as If it
meant to stretch no further than our
front door JUST at present; though you
have to steady your eye pretty we'll to
tell the difference between when it's
moving and when it isn't"
| It soon became apparent that Joe was
right, and in the suspense OF the mo-
ment, all connected talk was allowed to
fall through. And first there climbed
cautiously down from the high-swung
vehicle, ''crab fashion," as Joe observed
in passing-an elderly woman with an
astonishing amount of short hair curled
over her forehead, great, owl-like spec
tacles, with ''pure gold" rims, Joe said.
fat, rosy cheeks, and cheerful counte-
nance A girl of fifteen or Whereabouts
followed her, and stood waiting at the
| gate while the other tied the horse to
the post.
''Who ON earth-' began Mildred, and
then stopped with gasp OF horror.
"Joe, my dear boy, they are those Perk-
ms, pensioners of uncle's, and theE
have come to spend the day, whole
long, exhausting, Improbable day.
| They will not leave this house till sun
down, mark my words. And oh, to
think of all l meant to do"
'You will have plenty to do as it is,
il occupation is all you want. Making
conversation by the wholesale, question
and answer, and every thing else, and
keeping at it for ten hours at a pull
does not leave you much leisure. Mean
time, will bid you good-morning; you
know really must go on that errand
for father" "...
s.What is the use of getting up early, !"
thought poor Mildred, as she listened
disconsolately to the front door, then
the parlor door open and shut, land
being as brisk and Industrious as you
know how about all of your every-das.
chores, in order to clear space to ac-
complish something in, and then have
your space all crowded up with Per-
| kinses."
''Mrs. Perkins and her daughter from
Little Rum" announced Joe from the
doorway. cap in hand. Mildred, you
! asked them to come to see you last sum-
| mer; heard you. And suppose they
thought you meant it
every likely" said Mildred, snap
pishly, 81 can't account for it in any
other way. But things being your own
fault does not make them any more
welcome"
| SWELL" suggested Joe, who was q
good-natured fellow and sorry for his
sisters Disappointment couldn't you
put them down under the head of pri-
vate charity, and consider them visit
| alton from the Lord? Would not that
fatten their welcome little? And by
and by I'll be back and make them
some delightful observations of my own
on the state of the weather and the
crops, to help along"
| Mildred received her guests with
what grace she could muster, and in q
very short time they had laid asid Q
their bonnets and wraps, and were es-
tablished for the day.
81 never once thought O droppin' in
on you like this, till was coverin' up
the kitchen fire last night" said Mrs.
Perkins, smiling genially over the top
of her spectacles and her flashing knit
ting needles. "Then all of sudden it
come to me that this was Sylvy's BIRTH
day, and it give me such 9 turn to think
had so nigh forgot, that l said must
think out some special nice treat for
her." And this time she smiled fondly
| over at her daughter, 'that hmpish, in
! animate object" as Mildred called her
| in her much-tried mind.
''You see,' Mrs Perkins went on,
while sylvy watched the people in the
| street with an air of utter disconnection
with the subject in hand, II couldn't
| ever have left 1t to her. to think any
thing at all about 1t. She's 50 took up
| with looking after other peoples wants
| and notions that she hasn't got any time
to remember her own. That's the sort
she is
SIS she, indeed?'' said Mildred. ..It's
very comfortable sort for the other
people,
''You are right said Mrs. Perkins,
| heartily. And SO I thought turn
! about was fair play, and though / had
a good bit Of work laid out for this
morning y 81 81. &.
$50 had IT, moaned Mildred inward
II, with a further pang Of regret over