Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-09-13
A VACATION MORNING.

A VACATION MORNING.
Aunt Hetty and tho College Girl
Just Home from School.
Out under the rosc-arbor In tho
pleasant front yard Of the parsonage,
Betty Dexter, the minister's only
daughter, and her roommate ut col.
lege, pretty Rose Houston, In their
fresh summer gowns IRE chatting mcr-
rily with Mamma Dexter while they rc.
lieved great dish Of Strawberries of
their stems.
Betty, college senior now, was
scarcely a beauty, though her hand.
some, smiling brown eyes made one
forget any little irreRularity OF fea-
ture. And though everyone In college,
at least in the upper classes, knew that
she was only minister's daughter,
and though any girl with hall an eye
could trace the transmigration prog.
ress In her hats and dress, and knew
that she could never give q really
handsome spread, yet no girl within
the college gates was so popular US
Betty Dexter. No girl had so many
invitations for vacation, so many en-.
gagements to walk, drive, row md
go into the city; but nearly all OF her
vacations were spentat home with tho
ever-busy mother and tho delicate
father, who made many sclf-denials
in order to meet the slender college
bills. With her this summer, by spe-
cial request Of the mother, had come
her roommate, little Rose Houston,
tho orphan hcircss from New Orleans,
who loved Betty better than she loved
anyone else in tho wide world,
ours is a tiny dct OF o home" said
BETTY, land mother and | do most Of
the work together; but you will have
royal welcome, dear" And Rose,
being q genuine, though very desul-
tory sort Of girl, by reason Of her long
years Of orphanage md years of tray.
cling about with q mad and her guar
dian, had been more than glad to
come,
On the little table In the rose arbor,
besides Mrs. Dexter's working basket,
was q volume Of "The Vision OF Sir
Launfal," which the ladies had been
reading In turn,
"There Is such musical swing to
those last verses" said Rose, "that one
Is forced to remember them:
"Who gives himself with his aims feeds
three
Himself, his hungerlng neghboring md me. ""
"But really" said Betty, "it Il only
the purest selhshness to be kind and
generous to oth.srs, for the reward Is
so sweet"
Anu mere comes over the hill q re-
ward for two busy young housckeep.
ers, suspect said Mrs, Dexter, as
the sound OF a tally-horn from the
coach Of O neighboring mountain re-
sort was heard rolling in peculiar ca.
dence among the echoes. ut is
charming day for coaching party"
A nearer sound, however, attracted
their attention before the coach could
reach the gate--a sound Of the queru-
lous, high, cracked voice OF an old
woman In gown and bonnet that may
have been bravely fashionable fifty
years ago.
$50 glad to find you at home, Betty,
and your ma, too. Walked all the way
from Chatham Mills on purpose to see
ye and hear oil about the college.
hain't seen ye in long time, md I
have been longing for u sight Of your
sweet face"
They gave her cordial greeting, this
old Aunt lIctty from Blakc's Corners,
and Betty kissed, with genuine affcc-
tion, the withered face, once outward
ly beautiful and now shining with In
ward goodness, which action Rose no.
ticed with bit Of Jealousy; for Rose
expected her friends to be very loyal
to her, and loyalty, from her stand.
point, meant caring much for her and
little for others. 1t was part Of her
and perhaps no one could
blame her. Indeed, onereason why sho
had SO gladly accepted the invitation
to the parsonage had been that she
wished TO have Rose all to herself. At
college some one was always seeking
her; but here She thought 1t would be
otherwise. Yesterday, however, there
had been o Sunday-school class to en-
tertain, and here was the old lady.
The coaching party would take them
both away, no doubt, and certainly at
Mrs. Dexter's age, she, and not tho
would be the proper one to
Aunt lIetty So Rose settled
Lhc affair In her own mind.
1t was a gay company on the great
coach, with little grig Of q buglcr
md twenty young people on top, while
Ihe chaperons were snugly bestowed
inside. II you doubt whether so many
,ould find space on n mountain tally
10, just present the problem and tho
,oach to party Of that size, on fine
morning. and they will speed
ly prove the truth Of my statement.
Two smiling young men, in summer
lanncls, and checks rcddened by
.he brisk drive, were on the ground
before the coach had time to stop, and
were making their salutations to the
aides and their request to Mrs. Dex-
en- They Rern -Rolng tQ Eagle Cli6