The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-06-15
THE THRESHER GUESTS.

I'LL dOLS
1t was almost nine O'Clock on a breezy
October morning when Miss Sophronia Use
opened the neat little gate in front of
Albert Standings new house. There was
broad walk leading up to a porch where
few great purple clemats blossoms upon
trellissed vine showed that the deceitful
October sun was coaXing out flowers which
did not belong to his time.
Miss Sophronia heard the slow creak OF a
rocking-chai as she crossed the porch, and
saw through the screen door pretty young
woman sitting with book in her lap,
reading.
Her blue calico wrapper was unbuttoned
az the throat, her feet were untidily
dressed and her pretty fair hair was gath
cred into a frowsy knot. She rose in some
confusion when she saw Miss Sophronia,
tossed her book aside and pushed toward
her guest another rocker.
While the visitor removed her prim old
maid bonnet and her cape, she noted the
untidpess of the room, where the break
fast dishes were piled in an unsightly heap
on the table and flies held high carnival.
~ came up to help you, Cissy," she
said. 81 noticed as | passed Gorham 5
that the men were pitching from the last
Have you got your dinner under way 2"
The young woman colored and her eyes,
which were not blue, but yellowish gray,
grew dull.
They are not coming here-or at least
they are going to board at Father Stan
ning's."
'Then it is true.
'What, pray ~
The old maid rocked TRANQUILITY and
produced her knitting.
go, | heard some of the girls at the
society saying you would not dare attempt
to get dinner for the threshers; that your
finncky town ways might fool Albert, but
you were too smart to try them on with
the thIeshers. You know | do not pry
into your affairs from motive of idle cur
iosity, Cissy, and want you to tell me
why you are acting in this way
'Well, Albert thinks | can't cook. -
This was said with an elaborate affectation
of carelessness, but it did not deceive Miss
Sophronia.
"And yet have often heard him boast
nf
especially"
so, yes-at first. But now we are all
wrong. | hate that sort of men that goes
about with the steam thresher | shudder
to think OF Jim Finn, for instance coming
into my house | know they will spit
over everything and eat like wild beasts.
And when | said so Albert got mad and
said he would take them to his mothers
where they would get something fit to
eat.''
'Quite naturally murmured Miss
Use.
''Aunt Sophy You were mothers
friend, and | owe a lot to you, but | am
not going to bear that Quite naturally
indeed | think he was honid"
''Cissy, didn't you know Albert was a
farmer when you married him 2"
'You know did,
"Ihen suppose what I have heard is
true: that you have no practical good sense
at all that you supposed farming to be all
sunset, moonrise, starshine, dewy apple
blossoms, etc"
You know | am not such a fool but |
do not see the necessity of our being
brought in contact with-Jim Finn"
"And those men who do not know how
to feed themselves, according to your
notion, are the very men, if I'm not mis-
taken, who hauled and cut every stick of
wood you burned the winter your father
died. | am ashamed OF you, Cecilia
Staining ~
No answer save the slow creak of the
young wfe's rocker.
''You have been used to them all your
fife. 1t was tn t year with that idle, do
nothing set at your aunt's which has filled
your silly head with false ideas. You are
unkind to Albert's mother, and the next
thing you know you will be unkind to
Albert"
~ am afraid | am that now-some-
times"
well, sin confessed is half repented
Of Go comb your hair, and come and
help me. am going to save your credit
by getting dinner for those men," She