Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-06-15

smooth hair, a rufiled apron, and un-
rutlled demeaner she was neatly shod
and the yellow lights in her eyes had
given place TO clear, cool grayness.
you straighten up that disgraceful
dining room while | prepare the vege-
tables then we'll tackle the poultry.
But how shall we let Albert know p
Cissy smiled demurely.
"He would never take them up
there without coming home first"
"0h, grunted MissSophronia, then
he's not altogether vile"
He's lovely, aunt Sophy," said
Cissy dimpling.
81 want you to have the credit Of
this dinner, Cissy," said Miss Soph-
ronia, peeling potatoes as she talked.
"You are like my own child to me
and want you to be happy and stay
happy. The door to it is duty. /
missed it myself, and so missed nv
grandchildren, unless | can be grand
mother to yours, Cissy. | don't so
much miss my man, nor my children,
but guess. it'll be pretty hard on
Miss Sophronia Ilse il she misses her
grand children
The house was soon iidied, hot a
long task, for tidiness was its normal
condition, vegetables made ready,
fowls put to roast, and ham cut in
profusion which looked to the young
wife like waste.
Eleven had struck before the engine
had snorted and puifed its way into
the rick yard at Albert Stanning's,
but ahead of it road the young master
of the farm, sleepishly conscious that
he had been cruelty unjust, and sure
that he would have to acknowledge
the same, before Cissy's eyes would
look kindly at him again.
Delicious odors created him as he
neared the house. No one was in the
kitchen. but there was sound of
someone moving about in the dining
room adjoining. Rows upon rows Of
delicious looking pies were ranged up
on the pantry shelves, pumpkin, cher
ry and apple. Near them was pan
of fragrant brown pudding, faxed by
a foaming pitcher of lemon sauce 10
drown it in by and by.
Dazed, the young man, who seemed
in no way an unusual young man ex-
cept that he appeared to have more
length of leg than he could conven.
iently use, passed into the dining room
where long table was laid, rs ex-
quisite in every appointment as if the
president of our great republic had
been an expected guest. His wife
was fitting about adding some finish
ing touches to the table, and Miss So
phronia was seated near window
with her knitting work in her hand,
and book upon her knee, knitting
and reading as was her habit. Albert
clutched his wife as she passed him.
80 you didn't get mad at what | said
this morning? I've felt like hanging
myself to sour-apple tree ever since"
'Yes, was. Mad all through.
And don't you ever say such things
to me again. You and TO quarrel
after all :"
Then she gave him kiss, basted
the browning fowls. turned the sput-
tering ham and thanked God she was
alive, and that albert was alive to love
her.
At ~, before the last stroke had |
died away, the new dinner bell hung
upon the top Of white oak pole by the
well sounded forth its welcome sum-
mons; for to he behind hand with |
dinner in the Pretty Bob neighbor-
hood was all as bad rs to provide but
one kind of pie.
Somehow as the men trooped in they
did not seem quite so repulsive as a
like crowd had been at harvest time. |
They were boisterous, bandying course
Jokes, making fun, Cissy knew Of what
were pleased to call her ''pernickerty"
ways, and her "moonshine meals" but
she merely smiled. She even hung up
the fifth clean towel without sign of
disgust, and by the time they were
seated ut the table she owned to her
self that even Jim Finn might be
worse, for had she not seen him iondle |
her pet kitten, while waiting his turn
at the washbowl?
She poured the fourth cup of coffee
for poor, trembling, Urinary neighbor
Jones.-who ate his pie with his knife.
held within two inches OF the point,
and drew his great, hairy hand across
his face in lieu Of a pocket handkcr-
chief, without once looking across at
Albert She asked Tim Lewis, who
was more than suspected of making
midnight visits to his neighbors' hem
roosts, how his lame boy was, and told
him not to forget to take Il pocketful
of sweet apples home 10 him. The