The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-04-22
DoLLY's BOWL OF CRUEL.

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dreadfully when l was stirring in the
meal. 1t spluttered and dubbed up!
But as for the gruels being burnt, that's
only your notion. I'm sure didn't cook
it long"
mo" Uncle Joshua calmly rejoined.
"You didn't cook it long enough. 1t
tastes raw. But the milk was burnt,
and you've got lit too salty; l can't eat
it, 1t takes knack to make good cruel.
1t seems to me that a woman of your
age, Adelina-most thirty, arn't YEP
ought to know how to cook something
fit for a sick person to eat!'
An angry red burned on Adelina's
cheeks. She seized the bowl of con-
demned Cruel and flounced down into
tine dining room where the rest of the
family were assembled.
"rll never cook another thing for him
as long as l live!" she exclaimed. 81 do
wish ma, that when Uncle Joshua sent
word that he was coming to visit us, you
had written to him that we were sick, or
something, and that it wasn't conven-
lent"
'Don't be rash," said Mrs. Dart, sharp
nosed matron, with calculating, gray
eyes. Folks say he's rich"
81 don't believe it," retorted AIDE
lima.
"Nor do l." echoed her sister Blanche,
languid blonde. "If he is worth any
thing why does he dress so shabbily? 1
almost die of shame every time he goes
to church with us"
"And think of his home!n continued
Adelina That little red farm house,
with its rag carpets, feather beds and
windows that won't let down at the top
its awful!'
"Why, thought it was lovely place,
with its sloping moss-covered roof, and
big elms around it," said Dolly.
We have mentioned Dolly last because
it sc med to be the fashion in the Dart
household. Ever since she was tiny
lass and her father had foolishly welded
the widow Wood, and brought her and
her two grown-up daughters to his
home. Dolly had been very insignifi
cant person.
Papa Dart did not long survive his
folly, and after his death Dolly was
treated worse than ever. She did most
of the work and had least of the pleas
ure. Adelina and Blanche seemed to
have sort ,sf spite against her. Per-
haps it was owing to jealousy of her
beauty, for Dolly was very pretty.
Few of the fashionable set in the
town of Conover knew anything about
Dolly.
"She is such mere child yet, too
young to go into society,"" Mrs. Dart
would carelessly remark; lave Adelina
and Blanche to chaperone, and when
they are comfortably settled in life, why,
then it will be time for Dolly to come
out. 1t isn't likely that she cares much
about it any way, she's such home
bodyp'
Dolly was a home body, but like most
girls she had longing for pretty clothes
and gay festivities. And when she
heard about the Christmas ball that was
to be given down at Squire Delano's, the
nabob of the town, in honor of the re-
turn of his son and daughter-the form
er from German university, the latter
a wise young damsel from Vassar-when
she saw with her own eyes the cream
tinted invitation with her own name,
miss Dorothy Dart" written on it, she
wanted to go very much indeed, and
for wonder, summoned up courage
enough to manifest her desire.
"Why, Dolly, what con you be think
ing Of" exclaimed her stepmother.
you know cannot afford to get you a
new Dress
81 can wear my white mustn't" stout
ly persisted the young girl.
Your old muslin! That wouldn't do
at all? You'd be real dowdy!"
''She might have my blue silk fixed
over" suggested Blanche, who was not
bad-hearted if folks did not set her up
to it.
Adelina frowned "You said you
were going to have your blue silk color
ed and made into Vatican wrapper"
she remarked severely.
"Yes, did intend to-" Blanche re-
piled, subdued by the frown, and Mrs.
Dart ended the conversation by saying
decidedly:
"You see. Dolly, it is quite imposs-
BILE. What with Adelina's new wine-col-
ored saGin, and Blanche's silk, can't
spend a penny more"
Now it had so happened that Uncle
Joshua had never paid much attention to
Dolly. He had either thought she had
too much to 10 and that he would not
add to her cares, or he had preferred to
have her half-sisters wait on him. But
he took kindly notice of her now, when
after her little battle, she came upstairs
bringing him bowl of cruel, that she
had made with her own hands, for wise
little woman that she was, she knew the
best way to cure her own unhappiness
was to do kind act for somebody else.
"You made it, you say" tasting it.
"Thats first rate! Neither too thick
nor too thin. Milk isn't burnt and meal
isn't raw! Sailed all right too! Humph!
Guess you'll do if you are mere chit!
But what makes your eyes so red, child?
Been standing too long over hot stove
cooking for an old ogre like me? No,
I'll bet my white Cheshire pig that
you've been crying"
Dolly began little, half-hysterical de-
NAL, but the old gentleman was so kind
and sympathetic that before she hardly
knew it the whole story of her desire
and her disappointment came out.
Hump! humpl hump! Too bad,
child, was all that Uncle Joshua said,
while he slipped his cruel in great
spoonfuls. And when the bowl was
empty he said: 81 wish you'd write
note to Miss Amanda Barlow and ask
her to come over and have game of
cribbage with me-"
Now Miss Amanda Barlow was one of
the aristocratic spinsters of thestown, but
she and Uncle Joshua had been old
friends and school-mates, and odd and
old-fashioned as he was, she loved him
like brother. Accordingly she ans
wered the letter in person, and the crib
bage cards were forthcoming; but i'm
agine the game wasn't very spirited
one, for the old couple seemed to be
talking vesy earnestly about something
else, and before she went home, Miss