The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-10-10
MIS- AlCINA KINGS PARLOR.

Mis- King laid down the towel
with which she was wiping her
dishes and stood listening intently.
Then she stole on tiptoe to the
wood house and peered in to see if
'Lias, the hired man, might be about.
Finding she was quite alone. she
recrossed the kitchen, passed through
the living room, and paused before
a closed door as a priestess mig hit be
fore a shrine. She opened the door
and looked into a large, uncarpeted,
unpapered, unfurni5hed room.
A smile stole over her thin, angu-
lar features that fairly transhgured
the plain face.
Looks dreary enough now, she
said, but take an paper them walls
"a sort of cream ground with pink
roses kinder trailin' along put some
lace curtains to the winderS, an a
Brussels-here she stopped and
looked dehantly around-yes, why
not? A Brussel'd d outlast three ply
twice over. 1t will pay in the end to
put down Brussels. Then a mr.
Bile top table right in the centre Of
the room with the dish of wax fruit
on it that Aunt Sally made. Then
the sofy an six chairs-how I'd ad-
mire to have green rep like the
Widder Beams and the hair wreath
hung over the sofy, an Wide Awake
an Fast Asleep right there, an
Uncle Alonzo's picture-Lorda-
massy Alcina King, what be ye
thinkin' on' Ye forgot the instru-
ment )" and Mis- King strightened
up, threw back her head, and ex
tending her rknotted, wrinkled hands,
began playing on an imaginary
musical instrument
Suddenly she stopped. The rapt
smile faded away, and in its place
crept that hopeless, repressed look
so often seen on the faces of women
of her class. She closed the door
gently and went back to washing the
dinner dishes.
The long summer afternoon wore
away, and Mis- King began prepara
tons for tie evening meal. She took
great pains with her biscuits, and
they came out from the oven as light
as thistle down.
She opened a can OF her best
preserves and brewed an unusually
good cup of tea.
Supper was ready to the minute
when the click OF the gate was heard,
and Mr.. Kings heavy step echoed
along the walk
He was a grave, solemn man, with
face not unlike that of an owl. He
was a man of affairs at Podunky
Corners, being the village post.
master and also one of the pillars OF
the Methodist Church.
He was an expert in exhorting and
a bright and shining light in class
meeting.
Fer out-an'-out exhortin'," his
admirers were won't to say, give me
Brother King every time. He's a
master hand at it. His warnin's tc
sinners are just blood curdlin', an
fer picturin' the worm that dieth moi
an the fire that is not quenched he
can't be beat.
To night Brother King was,
possible, more weighed down by the
sins of lost and corrupt humanity
than usual, but after biscuit or two
and a third saucer of his wlfe's ex.
cellent plum sass, he began to un,
bend.
Then it was that, woman like, she
resolved to seize her opportunity
and first coughing apologetically
she said briskly:
l was thinkin'. Mr. King, thi:
afternoon, that we might as vel
furnish up that empty parlor
Twouldn't cost more II hum
She stopped, awe stricken by The
look on the good mans face. He
| was we'll nigh petrihed at he
audaclty.
O Mis- King, Mis- King p hi
mourned, setting down his cup ano
regarding her sadly it grieves MI
it cuts me to the quick to see how
taken up ye be with the pomps an
vanities of this here sinful, dyin
world Parlors indeed why fer th'
price Of furnishin' up that air spar
room, ye might rescue pershin
heathen Think which you d rathe
have on the last day Mis- King,
parlor or a soul.
Thoroughly abashed, Mis- Kim
made no answer
Guilty and cowed, she did nc