Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-06-30
DEAR jim.

"1es. mamma"
Mrs. Rex was in her basement
kitchen preparing pies. Antoinette
was IN the room above. She was
writing letter. She had addressed
the envelope first, and now looked at
it lovingly. 1t SAID: Mr.. James
Darst, Petoskey, Mich.
"Come and help me, daughter"
"Yes'm."
Antoinette reluctantly concealed
her stationery, and went slowly to the
room below. She was thinking:
"Dear Jim; and then confusion Of
pleasant sentences suggested them
selves. She hardly knew what to say
FIRST.
"Hurry, daughter" said her
mother, briskly. ''The pies are about
ready, aud the oven is cooling. Put
in some coal, dear"
One pie-pan stood neatly spread
with the lower crust. Another was
being quickley whirled on Mrs. Rex's
left hand while she skillfully cut off
the superfuous edges.
Antoinette took the small shovel
which was used for coal, went to the
opposite side of the basement, return
ed, and the next minute she had
emptied pile Of anthracite in the
dough covered pie.pan.
"For PHYS sake!" cried Mrs. Rex,
with startling scream, "what are
you doing?"
Antoinette came to her senses in
time to retain few pieces of coal on
the shovel. She looked so surprised
and so repentant that her mothers
scolding turned to laughter. The
joke made a good story. 1t was not
too late to keep up the heat of the
oven, and there was more ple-crust.
A few days latter Mrs. Rex was
setting the table for dinner.
daughter" she asked, "did you put
away the spoonholder?"
II uOn kHOW, luduluid'
TRY to think, dear"
Antoinette had her writing material
on her lap, and did not wish to be
interrupted. She said: well,
mamma, if I did putt away, ! put it
in the usual place"
"No, that's just it. l can't find it
in the usual place"
Antoinette had just written "Dear
JIM" She was absorbed in thought.
She made no reply.
Half an hour later Mrs. Rex, who
had been in her daughters bedroom,
returned holding aloft the spoon
holder.
"Where do you think I found it?'
she asked.
Antoinette looked up absent-mind-
edly.
"On your dressing easel"
II thought 1t was perfumery
bottle" laughed the girl, shame
facedly.
"What a girl! what a girl"
murmured her mother.
One morning Mrs. Rex was very
busy ironing, and as she looked out
the window she saw the milkman
drive up to the porch. "Antoinette,
please get the milk, she said.
Antoinette had been looking at
dear Jim's photograph. She quickly
slipped it between the leaves of
Tennyson's poems and cheerfuliy |
went for the milk bowl. She felt in
that expansive mood which is peculiar
to happy lover AS some poet has
said, she felt that she could embrace
the whole world. She looked very
sweet as she stepped o1t on the porch,
the summer breeze tossing her yellow
hair. AThe mllkman was old and
gaunt. He looked sad, and, as
Anoinette thought, he looked as If no
one loved him. She felt generous
inclination to show him friendliress.
He filled the bowl.
ga pleasant morning, Mr.. Cu-ds,"
sh said.
Yes, miss"
"How are the crops|
They're fair, miss"
"Lots of grass for the cows?"
"Middln,." said the old man,
extending his hand.
Antoinette thought: "Poor old |
man he appreciates my frendliness.
He wishes to shake hands, She
clasped his, and, to express her kind
ness she even gave it little squeeze.
care your family well?" she asked,
as he did not drive on.
"Well as common, miss"
He again put out his hand.
Al t,inette was surprised. HE
wants to shake hands again" she
thought, and she gratifed him.
"You have nice old horse, Mr..
Curds,' she said. If he wished to
stand and talk she would humor him. |
eyes, miss, you're very good to ask
about the crops, an my folks, an my
horse, buff you'd-just as soon
"Antoinette, called Mrs Rex
from the window, she wantsa tlcket~
The next day Mr.. Rex asked his
daughter if she would like to visit
her cousin in a neighboring town.
Her mother said, Eyes, it will do her