The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-12-24


into the sitting room. He spied the
china closet door and opened it.
"Ugh," he said, as if in delight at
the pretty dishes. He waved his hand
at Lillian and pointed to the rosebud
china, making an imperative gesture,
as if to say: 1--WE want to eat off these"
Lillian, anxious to seem to want to
please these terrible visitors, nodded
and smiled CHASTITY smile. The very
fact that she must do something seemed
to relieve the spell of cold horror that
had settled on her.
She took fresh cloth from drawer.
and spread it deity on the table. AS
she Strengthened the corners daintily,
to see if they were quite even, the In
dian grumbled his approval.
She took out the dishes and set seven
places. She recalled, with a great
thump of her heart, what Jack had
said about scalping, but as yet there
had been no warlike demonstrations.
She began to be more at ease. But
what was that uneasy chief doing? He
was prying into everything. Lillian
distinctly saw him put her scissors into
his pocket. But she dared not protest
While thus distracted, she heard her
mother in the kitchen burst into mer-
ry laugh. She ran hastily out to see
what had come over her.
Mrs. Wyman was in the pantry. hold
ing a corner of her apron over her
mouth, as if to smother her amuse-
ment.
There sat the six Indians on the
floor, with hats drawn surlily over
their faces, and with blankets shrugged
about their shoulders.
Mother, what is it?' was Lilian's
whispered inquiry.
Mrs. Wyman pointed silently at the
ludicrous row of savages, and covered
her lips again with her apron.
Lillian could not help laughing, too.
New Years callers, after ALL" she
said, to herself
Mrs. Wyman had made the circle of
waiting braves move somewhat away
from the stove, so that she could cook
ham and warm potatoes Lillian re-
turned to her table-setting. She placed
a spoon-holder on the cloth, full of
bright teaspoons
The inquisitive chief gave genuine
whoop of delight at sight of them.
He sprang to her side and openly be-
gan putting them in his pocket.
This was too much. Lillian flew at
him and tried to snatch them away
from him. He scowled fercely, and
jabbered at her in excited gutturals.
At once she heard great scufaing OF
feet in the kitchen. The other Indians,
attracted by the sound, were coming to
his rescue
In they fled in formidable line. "He
shan't have Them" cried Lillian, strug-
CLING to prevent the last installment
going into his pocket. HE has my
thimble aud scissors alrea dy. Here
to the others, ''your chief is stealing.
But he can't have my spoons. YOU
catching hold of the ne Arrest one
Jack. Ben, Harry (for as soon as she
got one good look ut the faces of her
callers she knew them) Jack, Ren,
Harry, hola him. He's just a common
thief
A roar of laughter follow ed
Good for you, Lillian" cried Jack,
finging off his hat and blanket, and
leaping on the offenders shoulders to
pinion his arms. HE shan't have your
spoons, Lillian. But allow me to pre-
sent to you our cousin, Harold Wyman,
just arrived from Wyoming: We found
him at Uncle Abner's, come to spend
New Years with u.s."
Lillian, who had captured part of the
spoons, blushed and dropped them on
the floor.
''It's real mean of you to scare me
so," she stammered Mother, did you
know it was the boys?''
mot until jamie winked at me from
the floor, and then it was all so ridicu-
lousy clear could not help laughing
aloud. l saw you were we'll over your
first fright, so l thought I'd let the
boys carry out their fun
my, but I'm hot!" calculated Ben.
Isis has good grit, hasn't she, Harold?''
YES" cried Jack, land she kept her
promise about the rosebud china Let's
have dinner. All we lack now is the
coffee, Lilian.'
When the new cousin and Uncle Alb
ner's boys and the four teasing brothers
were seated about the table, Lillian
asked:
Where did you get your toggery,
Jack?'
''Oh, Uncle Abner's garnet is full of
oil sorts of Indian traps. This morn
ing when you were crying for callers
- especially Indians the thought
struck us it would be lots of fun to
give you your wish. We found Cousin
Harold at Uncle Abner's, and he helped
us out He's been on q ranch for years
We knew you wouldn't recognize him
The rest of us kept in the background. "
IT You hadn't been 50 scared, Lillian,