The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1891-07-23
WHAT A SIGHT WAS THERE!

simmer, leaving the trap-door open to
remind her that the cream and the but
ter were yet in the cool depths of tho
cellar.
Meanwhile il had been a 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 shelves.
really needed; she would go now AID
borrow it. She would 60 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.
took her green silk parasol. for the sun
was still high, and carrying a cup for
the yeast, CROSSED the street valiantlv.
Mrs. Randall had left the gate. open. so
she entered without any click of an
nouncement, and, as it happened, all
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 outsidesshe could see moth.
ing. She stepped on the door sill and
struggled with her parasol, which de-
clined to shut. Setting her cup down she
pushed harder, but still it did not yield.
TO bring her muscles into better play she
stepped back a pace or two-and went
down the open trap! In falling she
.clutched wildly at the nearest object,
which happened TO be t)<e corner of the
tablecloth. There was not much stay
ing power about the damask, and it
went down with herewith all it's loas
= Mrs. Blake was just expressing polite
regrets about the absent husbands
when sudden and - awful crash
drowned her voice and drew them all
to the kitchen. What sight was there,
my countrymen! = The table, which had
beensra a thing of beauty few min
utes before, now stood bare and desc
late; the cloth draped the cellar stairs,
currants had rolled to the farthest cor
ners and bits of cake were still hop
ping from stair to stair, and in the CEN
ter of the cellar floor was Miss Betty
Perkins, with her parasol still spread
over her head, standing erect in tub
of soft soap, unhurt, but considerably
crestfal]en, and a prey to- such varied
emotions that her face was void Of ex.
preston as blank wall. -;
The amazed spectators looked at this
scene and at each other and then broke
into hugh in which even Mrs. Blake
joined, although her supper end her
cherished china lay in a common ruin,
and the air was full of the aroma of
burning biscuits and boiling tea. Miss
Betty looked up and smiled feebly:
''HowTshow, do you, do?" she stam-
nered: y came to borrow q ,eupfhl Of
comp'ny.: I'd no idee you had any yeast
or Ia have come to-morrer.''
At this added touch of absurdity tho
laughter was SO prolonged that Miss
Betty looked up at*last, in some indig-
nation. Bnt whom did she see
among the laughers! The minister him
self, who, having knocked, unheeded.
had admitted himself and joined the
group ins the KITCHEN, and was now
with the rest This was the
proyerbial last straw; and Miss Per-
kins sank under II. One wild struggle
to free herself; from the; clinging. soap,
a consequent loss of equilibrium, and
she sat down in the tub and was COM
pletely extinguished by her green UNI
ljrella. E ssa.s
Now, Mrs Randafi,s'' : said Nh
Kennedy, as soonsss speech was POI
sihle, '.you and Mr., Randall, and Mira
Swain lust go into the narlor for a
little. while, and Anna and ], will help
clear up here; but Melissa, she add
ed, 'do ask, the town next time, and
not leave anybody to come borrowing
company. "-Annie l. Handy. in Dem.
orest's Magazine.
i - ~ 4.