The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-07-25
WHAT A SIGHT WAS THERE !


withal, that every one made excuses
for her.
Mrs. Blallc's parlor was full of pleas
ant talk that bright summer afternoon.
Il saw Miss Perkins at her window, as
L came in" said Mrs. Swain.
81 don't doubt it, answered her
hostess "Poor SOUL 1t seems hard
not to ask her, too; but thought you
might not care to tell how your
dresses ccst. VOW much DIR. Kenne-
dy's fees amounted to last month,
and what the minister is going to
preach to us about next Sunday"
The ladies laughed, and the converse
ton turned on Miss Plummer's work
and adventures. She had been in Mex
leo and in the northwest, and had so
much to tell chat when the great hall
| clock struck five Mrs. Blake was quite
surprised, and she went out in a hurry
to begin her preparations for supper
The house was an old-fashioned one,
with the side door opening directly
into the kitchen, and the only means of
access to the cellar by d trap-door in
the kitchen floor, and the steepest pos
sible stairs
Mrs Blake started a cracking wood
fire, opened the outer door for GOODNESS,
and swung back the door of the trap,
which was of such generous proper
tions that the corner of the tea-ta BILE
was on the verge, and the doorway in
close proximity; but Mrs. Blake was
used to her house, and she made up
her biscuits and ran up and down the
| for modern cOnvcnienceS.
She was justly proud of her table
when it was ready The cloth had
been brought by her husband from
what the ncighbors called foreign
| parts, and the china had been her
mothers The cgg-shell cups and deli
cate plates were very pretty, and how
nice the thin slices of ham looked, and
the great dish of red and white cur
rants. The fruit-cake was as dark and
rich and indigestiblc as need be, and
the und-calle!-nobody but Mrs.
Blake knew the secret of that She
went back into the parlor for five min
utes while the biscuits got their last
touch of brown and the tea one more
simmer, leaving the trap-door open to
remind her that the cream and the but
ter were yet in the cool depths of the
cellar.
Meanwhile it had been long after
noon to Miss Betty. She could catch
the sound of voices from across the
way occasionally, and the desire to
know what they were so merry over
grew stronger every minute, till at last
brilliant idea came into her head.
There was that yeast that she, yes,
really needed: she would go now and
borrow it. She would go in at the side
door. and if Mrs Blake had company,
how should she know it when she was
not invited?
SO She put on her bonnet and mitts
tool. her green silk parasol, for the sur
WINS still high, and carrying cup fol
the yeast crossed the street valiantly
Mrs Randall had left the gate open, Sc
she entered without any click of an
nouncement, and, as it happened, al
the ladies were looking at some pic
lures and did not see Miss Betty at all
She glanced in at the open side door
but the kitchen was dark, and locking
in from the outside she could see moth
ing. She stepped on the door sill ant
struggled with her parasol, which de
\ clined to shut. Setting her cup down sh
= pushed harder, but still IL did not yield
To bring her muscles into better play sh
stepped back pace or two-and wen
down the open trap! In falling sh
clutched wildly at the nearest object
which happened to be the corner of tn
tablccloth. There was not much stay
ing power about the damasli, and
went down with herewith all it's loa(
Mrs Blake was just expressing polit
l. regrets about the absent husband
le when sudden and awful cras
n drowned her voice and drew them a
N to the kitchen. What a sight was ther,
IS my countlymcn! The table. which hu
ic bacn such Il thing of beauty few mil
,r utes before, now stood bare and des
of late; the cloth draped the cellar stair
n currants had rolled to the farthest co
as ncrs and bits of cake were still no
lg ping from stair to stair, and in the Gel
G, ter of the cellar floor was Miss Bett
" Perkins. with her parasol still sprea
so over her head. standing erect in a u
le of soft soap, unhurt, but considerab
r. crestfallen, and IL prey to such varit
emotions that her face was void of e.
re preston as blank wall.
in The amazed spectators looked at tn
I'd scene and at each other and then brol
IA into laugh in which even Mrs. Blal
IS Joined, although her supper and HI
&C cherished china lay in n common rui
C. and the air was full of the aroma
"! burning biscuits and boiling tea. Mi
a. Betty looked up and smiled feebly.
is "How-how do you do?'' she star
n. mered. II came to borrow cupful
ne compny. I'd no idee you had any yea
Mt or I'd have come to-morrer."