Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-06-15
The ThreSher Guests.
BY FLORENCE M'cALLEN.

AIO nk VbAAVk 0NOOtOs
BY FLORENCE M'CALLEN.
Ii was but 3 o'clock Oh breezy
October morning when Miss Sophronia
llse opened the neat little gate in front
of Albert Stanning's new house. There
was broad walk leading up to porch
where few great purple clematis bios
SONS upon trellised 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 rocking-chair as she crossed the
porch, and saw through the screen door
u pretty young woman sitting with a
book in her lap, reading. Her blue
calico wrapper was unbuttoned at the
throat, her feet were untidily dressed,
and her pretty, fair hair was gathered
into irowsy knot. She rose in some
confusion when she saw Miss Sophron.
in, tossed her book aside and pushed
toward her guest another rocker.
While the visitor removed her prim
old maids bonnet and her cape, she
noted the untidines. of the room,
where the breakfast dishes were piled
in an unsightly heap on the table, and
flies held high carnival
81 came up to help you, Cissy,' she
said. 81 noticed as | passed Gorham's
that the men were pitching from the
last stack. They will be here before
noon. Have you got your dinner
under way ?" 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
Stanning's."
"Then it is true
What, pray ~
The old maid rocked TRANQUILITY and
produced her knitting.
80, | heard some of the girls at the
society saying that you would not dare
attempt to get dinner for the threshers;
that your finnicky town ways might
fool Albert, but YOU were too smart to
try them on with the threshers. You
know do not pry into your affairs
from a motive of curiosity, Cissy, and
| want you to tell me why you are
acting i'll this way"
well, Albert thinks can't cook"
This was said with an elaborate aiIec-
tation of carelessness, but it did not
deceive Miss Sophronia.
"And yet | have often heard him
boast OF your good housekeeping
your cooking especially"
90, yes,-at first. But now we are
all wrong. hate that sort of men
that goes about with the steam thresh.
er! 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 50 Albert got mad and said he
would take them to his mothers,
where they would get something fit to
eat
Quite naturally murmure,l Miss
Ilse.
"Aunt Sophy. You were mothers
friend, and owe lot to YOU, but
am not going to bear that {! Quite
naturally indeed. | think he was
horrid."
"Cissy, did you know Albert was
farmer when you married him -
You know did"
Then suppose what have heard
is true ; that you have no practical
good sense at all that you supposed
farming to be all sunset, moonrise,
dewly 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 these men who do not know
how to feed themselves according to
your notion, and the very men, if |
am not mistaken, who hauled and cut
every stick of wood you burned that
winter your father died. | am ashamed
Of you, Cecilia Staining"
No answer save the slow creak of
the young wife's rocker.
"Iou have been used to them all
your life 1t was that year with that
idle, de nothing set at your aunt's
which has filled your silly head with
false ideas. You are unl;ind to Alberl's
and the next thing you know
YOU will he unkind to Albert"
"rm afraid am that now,-some.
times"
"Well, sin confessed is half re-
pcnted OF. Go comb your hair, and
come and help me. | am going to
save your credit by getting dinner for
those men, She began to gather up
the dishes while Cissy ran to her room
to improve her toilet, calling out
to Miss Sophronia from
time to time.
There's snow pudding cooling in
the cellar"
"Snow tiddlesticksl Iou want about