The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-07-27
THE THRESHER GUESTS
EY FLORENCE M'ClLLES.

by FLORENCE M'CAILES.
It was almost nine o'clock on n
breezy October morning When Miss
Soph ronia Use opened tho neat little
gate in front Of Albert STANDINGS new
house. There was n broad walk lead
ing up to n porch where a few great
purple clc1natis blossoms upon a trel-
Used vine showed that the dcccitful
October sun was coaXing out flowers
which did not belong to his time.
Miss Sophronia heard the slow crcalS
Of rocl>inf-chair as she crossed the
perch, and saw through the screen
door n pretty young woman sitting
with book in her lap, reading. Her
blue calico wrapper was unbuttoned a t
the throat, her feet were untidily
dressed and her pretty, fair hair was
gathered into Il frONsy 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 maids bonnet and her cape, she
noted the untitincss Of the room,
where the breakfast dishes were piled
in Il unsightly heap on the table, and
flies held high carnival.
II came up to help you. Cissy." she
said. II noticed as l passed Gorha,n's
that the men were pitching from the
last stack. They will be here before
noon. Have you got your dinner un-
der wuy?' The young woman colored
and her eyes. which were not blue, but
a yellowish gray, grew dull.
They are not coming here-or at
least they are going to board at Father
Stanning's."
''Thcn it is true"
"What, pray?''
The old maid rocked TRANQUILITY and
produced her knitting.
~. ! heard some Of the girls at the
society saying that you would not
dare attempt to get dinner for the
thrcshers; that your fnnicky town
ways might fool Albert, but you were
too smart to try them on with the
,hrcshcrs. You know l do not pry into
your affairs from a motive of idle Gu
riosity, Cissy, and want you to tell me
why you are acting in this .vay.''
"Weli, Albert thinks 1 can't cook"
This said with an ella boratc affec-
tation of carclcssncss, but it did not
deceive Miss Sophronia.
And yet l have often heard him
boa st of your good llouscLeeping-your
cooking cspecially."
80, ycs-at first. But now are
all wrong. l hate that sort of men
that go about with the steam thrcsh-
cr! / shuddCr to think of Jim Finn,
for instance, coming into my house.
know that they Will spit over every
thing and eat like wild beasts. And
when / SAID Albert got mad and
cr's, where they would get something
fit to cat"
"luite natural Ivy" mur1nured Use.
"Aunt Sophy! You were mothers
friend and owe lot to you. but am
not going to bear that! quite nat
urully' indeed! think he was horrid. ~
"Cis>y, did you know Albert was n
fan when YOU married him?'
''Ynu know l did,
"Thcn l suppose what have heard
is true; that you have no practical
good sense at all: that You supposed
farming to be all sunset, moonrise,
starShinc, tlcIvy apple blossoms. etc.
..No1 know l am not such a fool: but
I 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, arc the very men, if am
not mistaken, who hauled and cut
winter your father died. am ashamed
of You, Cecilia Stanning!''
No answer save tho slow crealS of the
young wifc's rocker.
'Iou have been used to thcm all
your life. 1t was that year with that
which has filled your silly head with
false ideas. You arc unl>ind to Albert S
mother, and the next thing you know
you'll be Unl>ind to Albert"
I'm afraid l am that now-sonle-
tinlcS.''
We'll, a sin confessed is half re,
rented of. Go comb Your hair, and
come and help me. l am going to save
yo,1r 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 direc-
tons to Miss Sophronia from time to
time.
''There's a snow pudding cooling in
the cellar"
''Snow fidC!lesticrS! You want about
a dozen pies meat enough for 4 regi-
ment, n peck of potatoes and every
thing else in proportion. Hurry. child
Cissy came forth presently with
smooth hair, q rufl,cd apron and I'M
rutIied deu.canor: she was neatly shod
and the yellow lights in her eyes had