The Press., 1893-03-23
Number. 51.

"Hev you got them chick'ns fed?'
 "Yes." She shook the last grains of wheat from her apron. Her face was flushed, and tears were very close to her eyes now.
 As she turned toward the house, there was a chatter of unevenly galloping horses on the wintder ground, and up to the gate dashed Maria Quackenbush and Dick Un- derwood, laughing noisily, and with a great deal of color in their faces, as if they had been riding recklessly.
 "Whoa!" cried Maria, with spirit. "Whoa, I tell you! Hello, Mandy! How do you do, Mis- Bentley! Guess my hair s down my back, ain't it My! I must be sight! But when you git this horse warmed up you can't go slow on him!"
 "Won't you git down m come in ?" asked Mrs. Bentley, with cold and unmis- takable disapproval. "How do you do, MT. Underwood? My! how you have changed! Mandy"
 Mandy came to the gate, blushing and looking rather shy and awkward. The young man jumped off his horse, and shook hands with her through the gate.
 "Tve only changed in looks," he said, with shining eyes. "No, we can't come in tonight. We promised Mrs. Quack- enbush we'd be back early to supper"
 "We're go'n' ter hev some music m singh" said Maria, loftily. "I've got a new org'n fer Christmas, Mandy"
 Yes, heard" said Mandy, faintly.
 "Got twenty-four stops m two knee swells-a loud n soft. ITS got high back, 'n' places fer lamps m vases. Can't you come over ter-night?"
 "No, guess not," said the girl. The color had left her face, and she was look ing pale.
 "No," said Mrs. Bentley, with a hard look in her eyes, "she'n hev ter do all the work ter night. Pm a-go'n' ter town"
 "Why, maw" exclaimed Mandy, in amazement. "'R' you, honest? What you go'n' fur?"
 "Im go'n' ter git some things fer din- ner ter-morrow. Pm all out"
 She began drumming with coarse red fingers on the gate. There was look of sudden resolution-almost stubbornness -on her face; and cold glitter, like steel, in her eyes-especially when she looked at Maria.
 "I wish you c'u'd come," said that young lady, airily, to Mandy, fiicking her horses ears with her whip; "I've got lots ter tell you"- -simpering -'s'n' just piles ter show you. I've got new dress that'll make your mouth water?',
 sHuuh!" sniffed Mrs. Bentley, tossing her head contemptuously.
 "'Ts brown m gold camels hair-offul flne--'n' it cost dollar n quarter a yard"
 ''Hez your paw sold his hawgs yet ?'' asked Mrs. Bentley, with sudden and startling significance. But evidently noth- ing could shake Maria's self-satisfaction to-day. She returned with placidity Mrs. Bentley's intense gaze.
 "I do' mo-" she replied, lightly. "'N' pve got pair O gloves ter match, Man. dy. Guess you better come, after all. We'll, we'll -hev ter be go'n', MT. Under wood"--she gave him @ decidedly and boldly coquettish glance, whereat poor Mandy turned paler and Mrs. Bentley's face resumed 0 fairly purplish tinge- "'r we'll be late. Good-by! Hope you'll hev good time ter-morrow."
 Good night" said the young man, with a lingering look through the gate at the pretty pale face and wide, hurt eyes.
 II wish you a very happy Christmas!"
 "Good night" said Mandy, with a poor smile that was hardly a smile at all.
 "Now, you go right n the house m dc up all the work, Mandy" said Mrs. Bentley, taking up the slop pail and walk ing with quick, resolute strides. Every step seemed to say Eve made up my mind! Pve made up my mind?" "You tell Peter ter hitch Dock m Charley ter the spring wag'n, while Pm dress'n'. IN you hurry up, too, so's can git off before your paw gifts back! I won't git home tonight; I'll put up at Mis- Huntly's. Hurry up,''
 Too occupied with her own reflections to give more than passing thought to her mothers sudden resolution, and eager to get her pale face away from those so- fictitious eyes, Mandy gladly obeyed. Twenty minutes later Mrs. Bentley came from the house, dressed for town and crossed the lane to the barn.
 "Tll show them Quackenbush's if they can walk over my grill" she was saying Her lips were shut firmly together, ant there was an ominous look in her eyes F" 'Mandy's paw'n never git stirred up tel the pitch of gittin' an organ; and what's the sense of my keeping that hundred dollars ter bury myself with? Guess IT git buried decent somehow. And then ( enticing Dick Underwood down there or the strength of new organ and new dress." Her tone was bitter now. "I'l show 'em!'
 She climbed'uintos the wagon over tho front wheel and took up the reins witt decision.
 sGit up," she said, in tone not to bt trifled with. As she passed the kitchen she looked in, but Mandy was not 1T sight. The ominous look deepened or the mothers face. ."I'll show 'em," sht muttered again. The wind whistlet around the corner, and brought with il the first furry of snow. a The ground was white when Mrs. Bent ley drove with flourish of triumph intt the barnyard. Mandy run out bare-head ed. She was still pale, and her eyes look ed as if she had not slept.
 ''Oh, maw!'' she cried, "what you go there?"
 'Stop hollerin', ;" said her mother, grim