Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-05-06


tiger-skin rug, hugging their knees and
staring disconsolately in the blaze--these
were the persons present.
"Hasty pudding and milkl" said
Dolly Peak. "That isn't much of a
supper. For my part, think Arthur is
lucky to be detained in town tonight.
The bank managers can't, in ordinary
decency, offer him anything less than
sandwiches and coffee. l wish l was a
bank clerk"
"Do hold your tongue, DollyP' said
Margery. "Do you suppose it isn't as
hard for me to be poor as it is for youl
When am the oldest, too, and the one
that ought to be out in society," It's
enough to drive one frantic to be invited
to the ball at Skipton Court, and not be
able to go!"
Margery sprang to her feet and began
walking swiftly up and down the floor,
her black hair cleaning in the freight,
her thin hands clasped. Dolly eyed her,
half in sympathy, half in curiosity.
"Perhaps," said she, tentatively, "if
you had a dress fit to wear, and could
20, some one might fall in love with
you2"
Margery smiled a scornful smile.
"Stranger things have happened, said
she.
"Margery--" hesitated Dolly.
aWell?"
"Don't people hire dresses some.
timesl'
ayes, if they have the money and the
opportunity, and no particular sense of
dignity. Do you think would wear a
hired dress?"
Once more Dolly Rugged her knees.
"Margery," said she, sit sometimes
seems to me as if the world were out of
joint Our world, l mean. Here we
are, as poor as Jobs turkey or a church
mouse, or any other of those proverbially
poor things. What business have we to
live in big house like this, with only
old liebecca to take care of usl What
business have we holding our hands
while our brother is working hard as a
clerk, 10 maintain usl"
"Because Arthur wants us to live like
ladies, IN the house where our parents
aud grandparents lived before usl said
Margery, curtly. 'Because we cant do
anything else"
"Dont ladies ever work, MargeryN
"Dolly, don't ask such foolish ques-
tions. OF coarse they do-sometimes.
Just then old Rebecca came in, bring
ing u lighted lamp. She drew the faded
moreen curtains, put fresh log of wood
on the dire, aud limpei out again.
She was very old, but she had waited
on these girls mother before them, and
still liked TO keep up the scmblance Of
attendance.
They're ladies, said Rebecca, proud.
ly, ''every inch othem. Look at their
white hands. Look at the way they
carry themselves.
Half an hour afterwatd. Margery
reused herself from fit Of abstraction,
90 hnd that she was alone.
"Why, where has Dolly gone" she
asked herself
And Ia the same moment the door
flew opea, sudden gust Of perfume
freighled the ale, and Dolly came ia,
with candle hed high above Lef head
like Lady Macbeth, roll ot old drapery
under ner arm, aad basket uf delicious
white aud yellow uareissua la her hand.
"Whefc have beeni' she repeated.
"Why, evefyNhefel Up garfel, down
iato the old green house, into the land
Of the possible aud impossible ! smell
these flowers. MaFseIyW
Aul she held the narclsanses close t.
haTaey's straight little dfeek nose.
"Nhele did you get tbem. Dolly, a.
this lime u yesria cried MaTgsry,
81 planted them ia The greenhouse
beaches, last fall. was determined q
have somelhiag "a brighten va up shen
the March shlflsiads sot Ia, rs lrae
thai lhe sashsi sra al hfnken, bat !
lAokea ela blankets ap, and male Il
aealheI tight. aa1 the sunshine paHfz -
Ike gold, and the 9ld liaHisaa fase Is
IL blossom, aai taafa are nis ~ blue
egsa paaslss. aai "a lhaae asses snilua
slafs Well, be- the slofs se