The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-07-14

supreme process OF sugarlng on WAS
just then in full blast. But in the
two minutes during which she put on
her Embroidered hood and fleece
lined mittens upstairs, she had slyly
slipped the diamond ring on the first
| finger of her left hand.
81 shall be wearing it," she said 10
herself, "and no one be any the wiser.
The Striker girls welcomed her joy
ously.
'Tt's SO nice to have you," said
Alice. "Jessamine declared you would
not go, but"
"Why shouldn't go?" said Esther.
Don't go up every year when they
are sugsring Off"
Jesssmine Striker began to giggle.
"Yes," said she, "but our Leonidas
has never beer there until this season,
and Mr.. jefferson has never been SO
particular in his attentions to you be-
| fore"
Esther crimsoned TO the roots OF
her hair.
What ridiculous nonsense 10 said
she.
"Oh, is it. though ?" retorted Jessa-
mine. "When all the world knows
that Jack Jefferson is - Jealous As
Othello."
Esther walked on, with silent dig
nifty. In her secret heart she was be-
ginning to regret that she had put her
self out to accompany these silly girls.
Don't mind Jess, dear, said good.
humored Alice Striker. slipping her
hand through Esther's arm. "She
will giggle at everything-it's her ma
ture. Isn't this q charming morning?
/ heard blue bird in the swamp down
by the river, and there's lot of yell
low jonquils in bloom in Anne Rebec-
cas- window-box. The snow is thsw-
ing in the sunshine, but the walking
is good yet, and Leon says the maple
trees have never given better yield.
Up at the sugar camp, all was life
and animation. Blue threads of
smoke wound upward to the sky from
the chimneys of the two Or three board
shanties, thatched with strips of bark
and trusses of straw, where the
"hsnds" kept house in gypsy fash
ion. The great kettles where the
sirup was boiling down to the requisite
solidity were watched by select de-
putations, lest the fires should slacken
or the saccharine masses scorch, while
others were attending to the i'm
promptu stone chimney in the open
air, while the CARCASS of wild turkey
Was whirling around and around in
front of the blaze, impelled by a most
ingenious rotary spit, and . nest of
potatoes was baking in the hot ashes
below. The girls were ioyfully well
coined. Uncle Peter chuckled aloud
at the sight of the crullers made after
his mothers time honored recipe. The
two young Strikers extended q hospi-
table invitation to their meal, even
now in process of preparation.
"Leon shot the turkey yesterday by
Lone Lake" said Tom. "And it's a
| prime one, you bet. Rather nicer
than the salt Goldfish we had reckoned
on"
But Esther declined to say.
"I'll just take look at the sugar
kettles" said she, land then hurry
back to mother. We're going to have
the parsons folks to tea, and there's
deal to do"
Leonidas Striker escorted her TO
the largest kettle of all, ordinarily
called "Big Ben" and gave her the
monster stick to sti.' the bubbling
waves of sweetness.
There" said he, "you can say
you've helped to sugar of this year.
Isn't il splendid yield? And maple
sugars going to be high this season
Oh, you'd better stay, Esther, there's
lot of young folks coming up this
afternoon, and Darky Jones is to be
here with his fiddle !"
"Oh, l couldn't. possibly !" said
Esther. In truth aud in fact she had
not been quite at her ease since Jessa-
mines unlucky sllusion to Othello in
conjunction with Mr.. Jefferson and
she did not breathe freely again until
she had reached home, where her
mother was just clearing away the
| dinner dishes.
"Hss any one been here2" said
she.
who should be hereP" counter
questioned Mrs. Elmford. 81 don't
expect Elder Morris's folks until four
/ o'clock.
I As Esther took of her things in the
little chamber upstairs, where the
shingled roof sloped down to the
caves, she glanced down at the en-
gagement finger. Terror of terrors,
the sparkling little ring was gone
1t was past four o'clock. Mrs.
Morris was droning away in the sit
ting-room about the last missionary
box which had been sent out 10 the
Hougars India Reservation; Miss
Adelgiths Morris Was sdmiring her
bostesss most recent crazy patchwork
the two little Morrises were playing
checkers, and the good elder himself
was laying down tones OF theological
law to Farmer Elmford while Esther.
With tesr-swollen eyes, was mixing a
. a. - al