St. Landry democrat., 1890-08-02
CAUGHT BY A TARTAR.

''There |" said ChrystaI.
With sigh of satisfaction, she poised
the last tart airily on the apex of the
pastry pyramid and stepped back to view
the effect, And, indeed, the effect was as
artistic as appetizing. The oval dish of
polished Beleek, creamy with age, dotted
all over with prim little blue forget-me-
nots and primmer little pink rosebuds
would have delighted the heart of a china
connoisseur. And the tarts, round, crisp,
faky, goldenly brown, each enclosing
crimson lake of strawberry preserve, and
al towering up in regular and tempting
prodigality, quite rewarded the cook for
her labor.
s.If these" considered Chrystal, as she
carefully carried the delectable dsinties
into the buttery and laid the dish down on
: the shelf by the north window, elf these
do not suit even Clarence's city friends,
they are very hard to please. Very lard
to. please" she repeated, hyphenating her
sentence with a series of convinced little
mods.
She went back to the kitchen and looked
up at the clock. half past three, anc'
everything is done, except to set the table.
| think every thing is done. The ham is
sliced, the chicken jellied, the compete
made, the cream whipped, and the tarts
baked. Yes, may 20 and dress, and per
haps have time for bit of q read before
must set the table"
She tidied up the kitchen. closed the
buttery door, drew down the blinds and
went upstairs.
3 The home of the Bruntons was gray
old frame house standing on the outskirts
of Ashland. Crystals parents were in
the pleasant circumstances generally des-
ignated comfortable, and Clarence, her
twin brother, held confidential position
!, in city grain firm. Yesterday he had
learned two college friends of his were in
town. BE had called at their hotel, but
failed to find them in, so he had left note
stating he would call again, ON this par
ticular evening, and bring them out to
supper at his fathers house. The Brun-
tons happened to be without gin at the
time, but Clarence, with a young mans
thong htlessness, failed to consider that
fact. Perhaps he knew Chrystal would
prove more reliable than host of domes-
tics Her genius for housekeeping flor
perfect housekeeping does imply genius)
had been proven.
Fresh breezy and blowy was the after
noon. Delicious drifts of sunshine and
tantalizing shadows followed each other
la bewildering repetition. Within the
house there was no sound. The only in
mates were Chrystal and her mother. The
latter was writing letters in her own room.
"Onel two three fourl''
Chrystal counted the strokes as she
slipped into her pretty Marguerite gown
of rust red China silk.
"Now I'll just glance through those
new magazines before supper" she de-
cided, as she tied and patted the soft sash
of her dress, deity twisted the big bow
back, and then turned her head over her
shoulder to admire the result in the mir
ror. But alas for the vanity of human re-
solves At that moment the bell rang.
"Oh, dear Who can that be- 2" she ex.
claimed, with emphasis more provoked
than fattering.
Hastily she thrust silver pin through
the deep fall of creamy lisse at her throat,
tucked away couple of rebellious curls
under the braided coil of her brown hair,
and went out of her room and down stairs.
She opened the door to bold young
breeze, to chilly dazzle of sunshine and
to Miss Stokes. To Miss Stokes Of al
women Crystals heart sank. A spin
ster of an age decidedly beyond that known
as uncertain was Miss Stokes. Her period
ical visits were Invariably long, invariably
gossipy, invariably tiresome. The Brun
tons had known her for many years. She
was one Of those formidable and familia,
specters, "a friend of the family" and she
was, therefore, entitled to tolerance, if no
to exalted regard.
Half past fourl Fivel A quarter pas
tyei
"Will she never got" dejectedly mar.
veled poor Chrystal, sitting there smiling
inHi n
WEAKNESS, and striving to appear inter.
ested in the prosy talk of her visitor.
And meanwhile two young men, boil
very hungry, both verv tired, returning t.
town after day spent in duck shooting
outside the city limits, had taken shor
cut through the Bruntons orchard. The,
were obliged to pass quite close to tn
house, and one of them, tall, muscula
young fellow, with pleasant black eyes
white teeth and the sunniest of smiles
paused by q window which great oil
cherry tree shaded, window that wa
low and open.
ssLook Tom p he said.
Tom Hilton, Insignificant of stature, bu
fnically correct as to costume, turned hi
head In the direction indicated. He puck
cred his lip. His small blue eyes twinkled
"Great Scott Dick, can you resis
thamf"
Dick Bertrand, who had not removed hi
gaze from the Beleek dish and the straw
berry tarts, slowly shook his head
Like the father of my country" b
declared, 81 am the soul of veracity-
mop
'Voracity' you mean." corrected Hill
tom.
las You like. can't resist one and
won'tp'
With the expression Of which desperat
decision, he deliberately thrust his han
through the aperture. and lightly pickle
of the topmost tart.
Hilton looked on enyiously.
lis it good I"
f'Good7 Don't talk !"
He could not converse with ease himsel
30 full was his mouth with pastry ar
jam. He swallowed the sweet morsel aI
boldly extracted another.
Suppose some one were to come aronr
the house or open that door r venture
Tom, timidly.