Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1893-03-30
A O-DCLL:AR BILL.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

Only two dollarsl' said Hetty Hawk
iDs, looking douhtfnlly at the ragged
and crumpled piece Of currency in her
hand. .. ..... t... ...
Well, that's enough. isn't it" shortly
retorted selma. her younger sister.
Five dollars was all the eggs and
poultry fetched. and Eve got to have
three tor the new waist tn nv red par
amatta gounl. Miss 4awley II make it
for peck o dried peaches and u stone
crock O. June butter
Yes exnltantlv cracked Jo:e,, the
smallest ard sanciest of all, you'll buy
it, and Hammer HAwley II MAKE it. and
between yon both you'll make try for
Matthew Billings and the old Billings
homestead But guess you'll find-it
no 90"
'Josephine, hold yonr tongue, said
Miss Hawkins, severely, 'and wash
them dishes Somebody's cracked the
blue vegetable platter! Mind you're
careful now !
Josey giggIed, vinked at grave Hetty
aud clInked the dishes together with
on,nous vehemencr.
Il wish | was growed up. grumbled
she.
'Sh sh all 7 said Selma, tart|v.
Mat Billings amt 50 very young
went on JoSry. nor he ain t 20 very
handsome, but hes GOT nice farm, and
money at interest. and there . more n
one girl in NV Cardamon wonl1 Jump
at tie chance Of him say, SELMA,
can me an Iltty come an live with.
You when yon move into the Billings
farmhouse |?
Selma gave her audacions Young SIS
ter Il glance which might have blightcd
u hill Of growing com, and stalked ia
a stately manner from the loom.
Hety still stood gazing a. the crum
ulel bill.
Jospy tllrted the dishwa,er from her
Wet, red fingers ana promoted across
the room to peep over llettvs shoulder.
Mean thing 7 SAID She lis tha' all
she nj owed you for your dress? AND
out Of your own earnings too!
There some real cheap ca>hmercs at
Popham s. sad H-tty, meeklv at fifty
cents ward. E, ,Lt wards will do very
we'll had sort O laid out for Hen
eryet'a, bu, l guess the cashmere II
4ave to do.
It's a shame! cried Josey-' yes Il
shame! Selma takes the best Of every
thing and the most of everything and
VOW always 90 to the wall She talks
as If you were "A hundred years olde1'n
she is. II. tell you what, Hetty.' with
sudden hug of the slim calico clad
form, if you II wait till I'm sixteen
and that S only a year-l II marry old
Mai Billings myself and make the incest
kind of home for YOU. I'm tired of
seelng You put upon like this-yes, l
am
Hettv strove not to smile.
'Jos-y, said she, little girls ouehtr
to talk about getting married Tant
proper.
Jcsey went back to her work with d
pout.
Old girls hadn't ought to neither
said she. under her breath. Poor Het-
tv, it must be awful to he an old maid !
Oh, Hettv, say can't 30 to New
Can damon with you? ! want a slate
pencil and yard of pink ribbon and
four bone buttons
No, child. dejectedly uttered Hetty,
as she went out to the mud splashed old
buggy. Selma is going with me to-
day.
Selma, Selina-always S lina !! NUT
tered Josey, returning in a discontent'
ed fashion to her work, and banging
the door so loud that the gray cat on
the hearth started from her dreams. D
The three Hawkins sisters lived alone
on the cd farm. Hetty kept house,
Selma aught district school, and Josey
swept the kitchen, drove the turkeys
home, and read crumpled noveis in The
garret window, aud year by year the
house grew older, the farm stonler and
more rocky, and the two spinsters
gannter and more melancholy looking
Selma however, still hoisteu the Sig
nal of youth in the shape of cherry
velvet bows upon her hat bnt Hetty
had long since relApsed into sober
black.
i cont suppose the gooi Lord ever
meant us, any Of US, ever to give quite
up SAID Hetty to herself, 'unt some
times it does seem as if there WASH t
much left to look for ard to but being