The Opelousas courier., 1893-04-22
A TW0-DOLLAR BILL.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES

W&##MMMZI enough, isn't it?'
Wss-D shortly retorted
~ Selma, her younger
sister. "Five dollars was all the eggs
and poultry fetched, and Tvs got to have
three for the new waist to my red
paramatta gound. Mis- Hawley'l make
it for a peck o'dried peaches and a stone
crock o. June butter"
EYES," exultantiy cracked Josy, the
smallest and ~sauciest of all, "youIl buy
it, an Hammer Hawley'll make it, and
between you both you'll make a try for
Matthew Billings and the old Billings
homestead But I guess you'll find it
no gol"
"~Josephine, hold your tongue" said
Miss Hawkins, severely, 'tand wash them
fishes! Somebody's cracked the blue
vegetable platter! Mind you're careful
noW!"
Josey giggled, winked at grave Hetty,
and clinked the dishes together with
ominous vehemenee.
II wish l was growed up" grumbled
she.
"Sh.sh-sh!" said Selma, tartIy.
"Mat Killings amt SO very young"
went on Josey, NOR he amt so very
handsome, but he's got a nice farm, and
money at interest, and there's more'n
one girl in New Gardamom would Jump
at the chance of him! I say, Selma,
can me an Hetty come an live with you
when you move into the Billings farm
house3"
Selma gave her audacious young sister
"a glance which might have blighted a
hill of growing corn, and stalked in a
stately manner from the room.
Hetty still stood gazing at the crum-
pied bill.
Josey firted the dishwater from her
wet, red fingers and promoted aaross
the room to peep over Hetty's shoulder.
"Mean thing!" said she. SIS that all
she's allowed you for your dress9 And
out of your W earnings, tool"
"There's some real cheap cashmeres at
Pcpham's," said Hetty, meekly, sat
fifty cents a yard. Eight yards will do
very well. had sort O. laid out for a
Heneryetta, but l guess the cashmere'n
have to do"
"It's a shame!" cried Josey-.syes, a
shamel Selma takes the best of every
thing and the most of everything, and
you always 60 to the wall. She talks as if
you were a hundred years old, and, after
all, you're only three years older'n she is.
Ill tell you what, Hetty," with a sudden
hug of the slim calico.clad form, Eif
you'll wait till I'm sixteen-and that's
only a year-I'll marry old Mat Billings
myself, and make the incest kind of a
home for you. gm tired Of seeing you
put upon like this--yes, I amF'
Hetty strove not to smile.
stJosey," said she, slittle girls
oughtn't to talk about getting married.
'Tain't proper"
Josey went back to her work with a
pout.
"Old girls hadn't ought to, neither, "
said she, under her breath. "Poor
Hettyl it must be awful to be an old
.maidl Oh, Hetty, I say can't I go to
New Cardamom with you9 want a slate
pencil and a yard of pink ribbon and
four bone buttons"
mo, child, " dejectedly uttered Hetty,
as she went out to the mud -splashed old
buggy. ''Selina is going with me to-
day.
"selina, SELMA always Selinai" NUT
tered Josey, returning in a disconnected
fashion to her work, and banging the
door so loud that the gray cat on the
hearth started from her dreams.
The three Hawkins sisters lived alone
On the old farm. Hetty kept house.
Selma taught district school, and Josey
swept the kitchen, drove the turkeys
home, and read crunpled novels in the
garnet window, and year by year the
house grew older, the farm stonier and
more rocky, and the two spinsters gaunter
a more melancholy-looking.
Selma, however, still hoistsd the
signal OF youth in the shape of cherry
velvet bows upon her hat; but Hetty had
long since relapsed into sober black.
- don't suppose the good Lord meant
rs, any of us, ever to give quite up, .
said Hetty to herself, "but sometimes
it does seem as if there wasn't muca left
to look for'ard to but being sold out for
taxes, and arter that, Rheumatism and
the poorhousel"
Ia front of Popham's ed-brlck store
there was a goodly array OF plaid
shawis, Tapping in the wind, piles Of all
wool goods, and tempting ribbons aud
laces in the window.
Miss Selma got out and went. in.
You'd better hold the horse till I
come back, Hetty,a said she, = and then
you q take your turnlf
Hetty sat still and looked around. TO
f,er the village street was equal to the
Champs Eiysees in Paris or Broadway in
New York at its full tide of gaiety.
She held the knock-kneed old horse
tight lest he should shy at the Huttering
shaWls she Winked TO keep the occa.