The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-12-26
SAIRY'S w
BY Mildred Beardslee.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. x, I. :, = =

6xAAA6xX8xk&AAAA NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
The great, red disk Of lie Septem-
Der sun was setting slowly from
sight behind the mountains which
hemmed in the small village Of Mont
clair.
The day had been hot, but with the
early twilight blue haze stretched
from hill to hill, cool canopy across
the lazy little town, enveloping in It's
misty softness an old red farm house,
whose architecture bore evidence OF,
generations ago. ..
Is A struggling ray penetrated the
+ woodbine, clambering and trailing
about the kitchen window, with It's
autumn tinted frolige, bringing out In
vivid clearness the figures Of two Wo-
men, evidently sisters, from their.
strong resemblance
The elder was tearing bits of col
ored cloth into strips, which she rolled
into balls.
The last finished, she threw it into
the basket with a jerk, casting ON her
sister look which betokened brew
ing storm. The other, all unconscious,
COuulcu over iIllII ONCA, AAOA1 S|A NANN
pewter sugar bowl, bits Of coin, most
ly pennies, touching them with child
ish tenderness, and often stopping to
polish a bit of silver with her sleeve.
Her hair was of the yellow white
ness an auburn tint always leaves,
and would have given the impression
! Of an aged woman had it not been
for the fair smoothness Of skin and
| the absence of wrinkles aout the eyes
| and mouth.
The lips wore a sensitive droop at
| the corners, and there was lack OF
| strength about the chin.
| the absence Of wrinkle S about the
| bent form which the elder did not
possess, although their gowns were
| Of the same piece of calico and their
alpaca aprons of the same pattern:
Still, there was a difference which
| the elder recognized and scorned as
an indication Of weakness.
'Shes just like mother!' said she
with jerk of her square shoulders.
"For the Lords sake, Lyddy, how
many more times be you goin' to
count that bit of money over? You
act as if you expected it to grown
"Wish't it would" said Lyddy, alb
sently.
"seems as if we would never. get
| enough for that melodion.'
| The elder arose and walked quickly
| toward the cupboard; the lines Of her
| determined mouth set firmly as If to
repress something disagreeable.
Taking down a pan of eggs from
an upper shelf, she packed them, one
by one, in a basket Of dry bran.
| This done, she carried it into the
kitchen where Lyddy stood, bonnet
cd for the walk to the great hotel half
a mile above them on the mountains,
which they supplied with eggs during
the season. 81
:'You needn't fret, Sairy, if don't
cit back before eight; it's hard climb
in over them rocks, and [ amt as
nimble as 1 wus," said Lyddy in an
apologetic tone.
''You needn't hurry said the other.
She stood in the door and watched
her sister down the path, her purple
skirt almost the hue Of the wild as
ters she brushed against as she
Walked until the mist enveloped her
and she looked like a spector in the
| distance.
"Jest like her mother!" said Sairy
again as she entered the house. al
lus was Eighty: figeting after sunthin'
or other; it's been a melodeOn ever
since mother died, and hers went to
pay the funeral expenses" .--
She sank into a chair and sat idly
think for a time.
"Poor LvGdy, she amt like me- |
can git along without folderois. but
she allus seems to crave 'em so.'
A gay group sat on the head ver-
anda enjoying the fresh breeze which
swept down from the snoW-tipped
mountain.
The season was 1T an end, and many
were thinking with regret of the long
day Of pleasure so coOn to be eX-
changed for the restraints Of the city.
This last week bid fair to be one of
excitement. for they had decided to
join in the annual coaching parade,
and were already making plans.
Mrs. Gilman's English trap and the
Coleman blackboard were to carry as
many Of the younger set as possible,
but there still remained an overflow
for these a collection was in progress
to defray the expenses of the public
tally-ho.
Mr.. Coleman passed about the hat
into which the silver fell with the I'm.
questioning generosity a pleasure ex.
cursion always elicits. The general
tossed a gold piece toward the hat
missing his aim, and it fell with q
musical clink on the stone floor, then
rolled out of sight. There was an I'M
mediate rush and scramble; every one
looked and hunted, but no bit of gold
Then the music struck up and they
turned, one and all, to the big dining
room, which had been cleared fol
dancing. ..5.
1--WE will leave that until morning.
said the general; lit cannot be far off. ,
There is nothing like a string orcheG
- ira to render the delightful German
values, and nothing like ,rarifie(
mountain air to add wonderful
sweetness and strength to the tones.
On a rock, in the deepest shadow
sat a woman swaying to and fro il
rhythmic time to the music rt.
Once she spoke: cts most as gooI
as a melodionv IT,.
After a while she arose to 20, step
ping carefully in the dark; a step o,
two brought her into the light, anc
there, directly in her path, lay bit Of
! something bright