The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-10

but a narrow, murmuring stream, wind
| Ing among pleasant trees, and gurgling
| over large stones that seemed as bridges,
by stepping from one to another. The veg
| etablo garden Of the Parsonage overhung
! s.; but there was a fence and a high
bank 10 scramble down. A rude shed had
been constructed. scarcely larger than q
| closet. TO hold the washing utensils used
By Nora, who made fireplace for the oc-
casion, Of some stones piled tgether, and
swung her kettle on a crooked tree that
made tho most charming gypsy arrange
ment you can conceive Of
1t was this that had captiyated Miss
Amanda's fancy. don't believe she
would have given one thought TO such
disagreeable task, had 1t been conducted
under the kitchen rafters. But TO make II
/ gipsy fire, and sit under the tree while
/ the clothes were simmering in the kettle.
and to rinse them in the running brook.
| And then. they should relieve Nora OF %
| much trouble, and that would be right,
because their mother had said the only
| reason she hesitated 10 accept their hunts
I invitation was lest they should give her
| too much TO do in looking after them
| while she was so delicate.
And, now" said Laura as they sur
veyed their ground, 1--WE must have the
| tubs and the kettle. and make our fire.
| Here are some pieces Of wood that were
| left last Monday; but what shall we DO
for some Goals? Nora won't give us any.
that's certain She'd say we would Set
the house on fire. and run 10 Aunt spen-
Ger with one of her stories. Oh tee,
there's Sarah Brown at the door, and you
go over the brook and ask for the Goals,
! and ! will get the things oct while you
are gone"
But" demonstrated Ellen, "the brook
is so high / shouldn't dare to cross It
without anything in my hands, and red
hot Goals. Amanda. What If j should spill
them
why. they couldn't set fire TO my
thing if they fell in the brook. could they?
Come now, don't be unkind, and we
haven't any time TO loose;i is 10 o'clock
now"
SO Ellen, persuaded, but not convinced
OF the feasibility of the project departed
for Sarah Browns I'm fear and trembling
while her sister proceeded TO inspect
Nora's treasures Of tubs and buckets.
As Ellen had on a pair OF new bronze
boots. she thought it advisable TO take
off her shoes and stockings and wade
over the brook, though she did not decide
on this until she had once or twice dipped
her foot in the stream. She reached the
found Sarah Brown, a rough, coarse girl
Of thirteen, sweeping down" the kitchen
preparatory to getting dinner over She
was the cook. chambermaid and waiter
of her fathers household, and already
quite a woman in size and strength.
The little Spencers had a brookside ac-
quaintance with her. which their aunt
did not exactly approve. However, Il was
an emergency, and Ellen walked boldly
into the kitchen.
La, luy." said Miss Sarah leaning on
her hemlock broom. and surveying her
younger visitor from head TO foot, you
don't say you waded through the brook,
now How's Miss Spencer this morn
ing. Guess your goln' to have company,
amt yOuI / see Nory miXin some cup
cake when l went round to borrer some
turn pixies. Set down. won't yeT
Thank you" answered Ellen, in a
voice making a strange contrast 10 Miss
Browns nasal tones But she declined
the chair, and stated the object OF her
visit as briefly as possible. Her young
hostess was evidently amused at the pro-
ceedings across the brook, and asked Ell
len where they'd learnt the business"
As for the Goals. she could have a basket
full but what had she brought TO take
them inf There was but one shovel in
the house and as Sarah was baking, too
II was wanted Immediately to clear the
oven. At length the expedient OF broad
chip Of green wood suggested itself, and
away she hurried TO the wood-block 20 Sc
lect one The bark side downwards, 1t
was speedily heaped with live Goals. and
Ellen, shuddering inwardly with fear
grasped it with all apparent courage.
Are you sure it won't get on fireT
she asked OF Sarah. who said, mo, IN
deed. not afore it got dry" and escorted
her city-bred visitor TO the margin OF
the brook.
1t was unusually swollen, this Friday
morning. and the stepping-stones were
quite wet with the tiny cascades that
broke over them. Ellen took two or three
steps quite boldly, but she could not keep
her eyes on the stones and the Goals at
the same time; and just in the middle Of
stream she saw the wood already smok-
ing. The great heat scorched her I'M
protected hand-the brook gurgled and
foamed at her feet-her head grew dizzy,
and the stone she had just stepped on
rolled slightly in its sandy bed. She tried
TO preserve her balance and succeeded;
but down came the Goals into the water,
one resting for a moment on her bare
foot, causing her TO scream with pain and
terror Then after all this, her foot still
smarting, her head yet dizzy--to find
Amanda cody preparing TO light the fire
with some matches she had discovered
with the kettles-it was certainly too
hard the more so, that her sister could
not be made to see how she had suffered
from nervous fear, besides the actual
hurt.
Elen's enthusiasm had received an ef-
fectual damper but Amanda's was as dar-
ing as ever. She toiled and toiled at the
fire. that would blow out with every
fresh pun OF wind; and finally, when
struggling, smoky flame appeared, sum
moned Ellen 10 assist her
I'm handing out the tubs and
buckets. The kettle was hardest 10
manage but 1t was finally drawn down 10
the brook and hlled-but, alas! then, they
were unable to move II a single inch! so
the water was all thrown out, and the
kettle. after much Juggling and strainins.
hung on the crooked branch. To be nlled
more slowly with the huge tin-dipper.
The tubs were distributed-a large and
small one to each. for they had conciuo-
ed they should splash" each other IL
they worked in the same BY lis Tune
their faces were red and heated.
hAf x.tAt I'LL ~t~ I.nFA