The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-01-10

81 wish he'd offer me the use of
his library" sighed Clolilde.
''Ihey say The Oaks is perfect
, palace as far as furnishing goes"
murmured Janet.
Il think Til ask hlm to loan me
the lovely white pony decided
BERTHE.
But this rash resolution was
ruthlesSly crushed.
"The Oaks" had been shut up so
| long-ever since the Kearneys had
come 10 live in the gray green cot
tage near by lis owner had gone
abroad on the death Of his MOTHER
three years ago. leaving his hand
some house IN Che care of couple
OF servants. But now that the
news Of his return had spread, Gu
ri0sity was rife in The fashionable
suburb OF Riverview. And not
The least interested were Give
Sterling's near nelghbors.
A pleasant room this III which
the sisters sat; home-like room,
even if the carpet was threadbare,
the chairs venerable, the damask
curtains darned-perhaps all the
more home-like for these sugges
tions Of social service and expert
ence.
Janet went Oh with her task of
remodeling an old dress. Clotilde
went over to the window and look
ed wistfully through the driZzling
rain TO the led brick chlmneys,
which rose above the house which
held the coveted books. Margery,
obeying a sudden impulse, had
snalched up her ever ready sketch
book from the table and was
scratching vigorously away. An
ecslatic eigge from Bertie, who
was peeping over her shoulder,
called the attention of the others
to her work.
"What is t?" asked Janet.
Margery looked up with nod
and a smile.
"W ait a moment"
On her brisk pencil flew, The
dimples in her pretty cheeks deep
ening as her mischieyous smile
grew.
There |"
She held up he open book. The
others flOcked around her.
"Oh, Margery -
"He can't look like thatf'
"What a caricaiure p
Indeed, comical and grOlesque
was the drawing of The long, lank
figure, with The spidery eXtremi-
ties, the flying coattails, the tre-
mendous goggles.
ooh, just tnhe accentuated--
not quite caricature," she sad
laughingly, as she scrawled under
the picture the words: sour New !
Neighbour
Pm going to run and ask NAM
ma if | mayn't 90 out"
And off she rushed.
Soon. with her kitten in her arms |
and her little spaniel at her heels, |
she was out on the wet road. The |
afternoon sun. weary Of sulking, |
was coming out in splendid state.
In its radiance every drop on every |
clover leaf was a elittering jewel,
and the pools in The streets reflect
ed bits of the brilliant sky
On and on wandered Berthe, her
scarlet skirt blowing backward,
her yellow hair langling iossily as
The breeze caught and played with
ii. AS she passed "The Oaks" she
paused TO put her small, inquisive
face against the iron railing and
peer through.
What a grand, big house it was !!
And how smooth and green was
the large lawn, all lovely with beds
of bloom And how sweet the
flowers smelt after the rain-the
geraniums and carnations, and
sweetbrer and verbenas!
IL should so love to see the funny
man sister Margery saw" she said
to herself. And then, just as if
she had had a magical ring, her
wish was grati6ed. For out on the
main walk, not twelve feet away,
from a small side path came Mr..
Sterling.
He saw the little maiden outside
the railing-the bright eyed, GU
rious face. lie liked children. He
sauntered towards the gate.
Hello, little lassie what is your
name 2"
''Kearney, sir"
"Oh, you're one of The Kearney
sisters, are y0ug Which one ?"
"Im not the clever one" she
said.
He smiled.
"NoY
aNo. Clotilde is the clever one,7
well"
"And I'm not The good one.
Janet is the good one"
"Indeed =
"Yes," with a nod. "And pm
not the pretty one either, Narge
ry is the pretty one"
"And you p
"Oh, Pm the bad one. AT least
that is the way Uncle Dick says We
ought TO be dis-dis-distinguishedp
She was bresthless from her
struggle with the big word.
Then" he said, laughter light
ing up his quiet brown eyes-''then
Il was Margery | saw to-day ~
ayes. aud / Think Indignantly, 4