The Lamar register., 1892-12-31
TWO PAINTED DOORS.

Mr.. Miner boarded at Simpson ter.
race. There was no terrace, but the
squire thought tine name sounded
sonorous and pleasant. so he had
christened his five cottages Simpson
terrace"
He boarded with Mrs. Chipley and
her two daughters, Maud and Marian,
who felt it great distinction to be OF
any service. however slight, to the
pastor.
Maud gathered fresh flowers for the
study table every day; Marian sat up
late nights to iron and mend table
linen so that the good man might
have a clean napkin every day, and
darn his stockings so that you could
not tell mended places from the whole,
and the little widow herself exhausted
every culinary resource to humor his
dyspepsia and to contrive dainty
dishes out of the least possible found
alton.
"And now that Mr.. Miner is safely
gone for the day." said Mrs. Chipley,
well clean the sitting room and
whitewash the walls. Run to Dixy's,
Maud, for lump OF unslacked lime,
and-oh, by the way, bring some corn
meal. dear. Well have hasty pud-
ding for dinner, and eat at the kitchen
table. Hasty pudding and milk
will do for us women"
'Of course it will do. mamma" SAID
Maud.
81 Just like pudding and milkl" cried
Marian, jumping gleefully up and
| down, land although Mr.. Milner is
such dear good man, yet it is a sort
OF relief to have him gone once in
awhile, so that we can clean house
and eat hasty pudding and milk"
"Oh, Maud" she whispered to her
aesthetic sister, as Mrs. Chipley went
out to hang the big kettle over the
fire. ''Pve such an idea in my head
II you'll only get a little grass green
paint ready mixed, when you are at
Dixey's and medium sizei brushl"
Green paint, Marianl What tor2"
Hush! don't let mamma hear,
I'm so tired OF hearing this called the
house with the blus door"
Maud obeyed. Although the elder
in point of years she had long been
accustomed to be domineersd over
by pretty, positive Marian.
"But 1t is the strangest thing,
Marian" she said, as, fifteen or twenty
minutes later, she handed over a
mysterious tin can and an oblong
paper parcel to her sister: Joe Dean
is now painting his door blue"
TASTES differ" said Marian, shrue-
ging her shoulders, now invested in a
preternaturally shabby old calico
gown, suitable only TO the EXTREMIST
exigencies OF house cleaning time.
The Deans are expecting city com
pany TO luncheon" said Maud "They
sent to borrow the butterfly china
plates this morning."
at must be nice to have city COM
pany," sighed Marian.
"Ohl but to think OF the work otit"
said Maud, lifting bo-h her hands.
Mrs. Chipley came in at that mo-
ment, also clad in what Marian called
her ''scrubbing re2imentals," and
wearing an old olive silk handkerchief
tied around her still bright and glossy
hair, and the three set themselves de
terminedly to work
Rev. Milo Miner, on reaching the
railway station. received telegram
Nhil LIS AEltUut trOl- hllngenDury, N
could not possibly meet him that
day.
"Very good" said Mr.. Milner; am
just step back home and get a mouth
tul OF luncheon, and then I'll 20 to
look over those religious manuscripts
with Dr. Hodges
Mr.. Miner tucked the umbrella I'm
der his arm, tipped his black, wide
trimmed hat over his eyes, and set off
on swift, swinging stride back to
Simpson terrace. The blue door stood
wide open. So lie walked in without
the least ceremony.
Fresh paint" ne said to himself,
lifting his thin nostrils. "If there is
anything. on the face of the earth |
detest it is fresh paint. And I've got
it all over the skirts OF my best coat,
too! Where is Mrs. Chipley? What
has become OF the girls2 Nobody ever
seems to be in the way when they're
wanted
But, fortunately, here's luncheon
ready spread. | wonder now how it
happened? How could they know |
was coming back? Cold roast grouse,
with currant Jelly, chicken salad, pick
led oysters; really. now, this is some
thing quite beyond our bill of fare"
THE pastor sat down and ate with
an excellent appetite. He made "A bi.
hole in the chicken salad mound; he
picked the bones OF crisp, brown
goose with a genuine satisfaction; he
l., i u L.. L