The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-04-09

!
But Oracle. my dear, she had adaugh-
| ter
We'll, and she's got daughter still,
| though the daughter happens TO be in In
/ ola at this moment. She must be
queer lot, any way, and know that I am
not going"
Nobody. asked you, SIR she saidl''
came from the depths of the basket-chair
! oh, girls. girls, we must talk seri-
ously," moaned Mrs. Lindley, cropping
about for her glasses. where's the let
| ter? must read it again.
| The letter was at that moment at the
extreme end of the long deal table. in the
| hands Of Grace, who was vigorously
| copying music; from there it passed into
| those of Maud, who was Woodworking
! with an energy which was refreshing to
behold; and, finally, having first been
round by Maria, who was busy with
sewing machine, and Chrissie, who was
| pottlng flowers, it returned to Mrs Lind
| ley's Keeping, sprinkled with a mixture
| OF chips OF wood and garden mold. and
bearing upon its surface stains of ma
| chine oil and OF ink that was good deal
fresher than that used by Mrs. Duffield.
hat Is this? l had not noticed this
| before-something in confidence That
comes from you girls always opening my
| letters"
What earthly harm can that do, mum
| my, considering that you would never be
so wicked as to have secrets from US?
And this is only to say that there are
chances for pretty girls in the Ruckton
nelghborhood. Surely that is a perfectly
| harmless commonplace. Aren't there
chances for pretty girls everywhere"
There is more in that than meets the
! eye,' said Minna, the only idle one OF the
| group. 1T isn't commonplace at all
| it's hint"
"a hint OF WHAT"
'Oh, the pace at which some intellectS
| travel. Why, a hint that no one with a
! sqaint or hump need apply. Surely
it's as clear as daylight that Aunt Alice
| is hankering after the beauty of the fam
ily."
There was pause of astonishment-
this view Of the case was absolutely new.
| Since Mlnna'S hair was somewhat sandy
| and her complexion generously treckled,
she could lay no claim to being the beauty,
| but she had always been considered the
| intellect OF the family. A suggestion of
hers could never fail to attract attention.
The consequence OF this last one was that
| Aunt AIlce's letter was once more eX-
tracted from Mrs. Lindley's family re-
sisting hands, and performed a second
journey round by the sewing machine
and the wood carving, for it was necessary
to see what the words looked like with
this new light shed upon them.
They looked like what they were-viz.
an almost unduly broad hint.
| ReinalnS only to award the palm of
| beauty" decided Minna. Il waive my
claims. TO be clever and beautiful would
not be fair upon the rest of you"
Girls, girls,' broke in Mrs I4indley
there are all sorts OF things 10 be consid-
ered.''
Nothing but the tints of our complex
ions and the color Of our hairi'' cried
| Chrissie. silencing her with a stormy en-
brace. This is case where all the vir-
! fTTn in tnn 'atn 4
weigh a pair of blue eyes, and where
moral excellence is as though it were
not"
LAS for that put in Maria, 81 do
think it's downright shame that mere
| prettiness should do it all. AS if plain
people didn't enjoy lark as much as
pretty ones. And what larllS she'll have!
An indefinite visit is almost the same as
being adopted. | suppose Aunt Alice
| viii even pay for her trocksr' And Maria
turned the wheel of her sewing machine
with an almost savage energy. Maria's
occasional TITS OF rebellion against the
! plalnneSS Of her own looks were the near
esl approach to i'll temper known within
the circle Of this somewhat harum-sca-
rum, but none the less happy, family.
This is all beside the point" broke in
Minna. "We are frittering away our
time, girls. Are you aware that the mail
goes on the 10th? The great decision pos
ltively must be taken tonight"
surprising we draw lots?" suggested
Chrissie.
And if the lot falls on me or on Maria
can you picture to yourself Aunt Aliee'S
despair at the moment OF unshipment?
can't. No, 10. This is q problem which
our own brains must work out. It isn't
as hopeless Us it looks at nrst sight. To
| begin WITH there aren't nearly so many
| to choose from as you suppose. Maria
and l waive our claims-don't we, Maria?
| Fanny and Dot have got none, since it
isn't her nursery that Aunt Alice wants
TO replenish. Remains four candidates
| Grace, ChrisSie, Carrie and Maud. l sup
pose there is no blinking the fact that
! each of them has certain claims to being
considered a well-tavored young woman.
| How in the name of charity are we TO
| prevent their 1ighting?'' And Minnas
good-natured freckled lace beamed across
the room with sisterly pride.
Don't smother Us III bushes, please"
said Chrissie, with perfect unblushing-
ness. Its all a matter of taste, after all.
Suppose we take votes?"
Splendid agreed Maud. ST presume
it's not correct 10 vote lor ones self, so
give my vote to Grace. She looked de-
licious in her new tennis flannel the other
day.
Grace looked up somewhat guilty.
from the music she was copying.
II am afraid | should be awfully
/
think | would rather stay at home"
And miss all those larks of your own
free will!" replied Maria, aghast. IVY hat
can this meanH
ut simply means that Maud was not
the only person who found that Grace
looked delicious in that white flannel"
explained Mlnna, with q twinkle in her
merry gray eyes. And it means that
there may be more tennis and more OPP
portunities of airing that frock'
"Oh, l see-John Brunton," muttered
Maria TO herself, as she sent her wheel
spinning on its way.
That reduces the number of the candi-
oates TO three" went onAIinna.
Il am afraid it reduces it to two"
sighed Maud. II have been struggling
against the terrible secret all day, but
there is no doubt now that one of my bad
gumboils is on the road. / could never
sail on the 10th. There's at least week
of bread poultices in prospect"
(which brings Us down to a duel be-
tween Chrissie and Carrie. Splendid
Surely We'll be able to make up our
minds now. Well have to look al them
critically, side by side. Where's Carrie?
Here she comes in the very nick OF time.
Put down your tray, Carrie, and stand
up beside Chrissie-there, near the win
dow Oh, yes, we'll taste your cakes
presently-they really don't look quite so
badly burnt as last time. Now, mummy
dear, put on your glasses and tell us
which of these two young women Will do
most honor TO the family.''
Beyond periodical uttering of ''Girls,
girls!o in a deprecatory tone of voice,
Mrs. Lindley had been completely out of
the latter part of the convers alton. She
never could grapple with her daughters
en- naSse, which does not mean, however
that she was capable of doing so when
encountering them singly. They were
altogether too much for her, both physi-
n..,ll