New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-16


Aunt Lowry was hurryng into the Kitchen
with hot fat-iron in her hand. This iron she
had taken from a kerosene stove that stood
lighted on a table in the unfinished part
where we did most OF our housework in the sum-
mer 1t saved labor and gave us an opportunity
TO stay in the back of the house. and keep the
front rooms more than usually shut up ana
darkened
NV mother heard Aunt Lowlzys words and
went with houry hands and an anxious race 10
the porch, where she gazed at the blue biacK
mass Of cloud which was heaping itself up ana
on whose bosom the lightning was dart'ng IN
dazzling crinkles. followed after moment oS
q rolling sound of thunder.
It was so hot that, as father said jest 10
stand still and think made Teller sweat" The
leaves on the naples in our yard did not move
but the popars showed the white under-side
Of their foliage even without any wlho' anu
that was sign Of rain.
had read a little poem about the poplar
leaves and felt like quoting 1t. but held my
tongue.
The treetoads were making their bubbling
noise. there was one on the side of our chopping
block under the brakes he was near enough for
me to see his little gray shape as stood behind
mother on the porch.
"I shouldn't wonder It we did ketch some OF
IT, anyway" said mother in her subdued voice.
though mostly. you know. Lowry, they foller
the river But We do need rain amazingly. I'm
glad the house amt all het up. can't bear 10
have the house het UP when there's tempest
Mother hurried back to the buttery. She was
kneading dough for the second rising for bread
and we intended TO have 'riz biscuit Tor
supper We held that riz biscuit were in every
way better than the same thing made with
baking powder.
She called to me through the open door of the
pantry.
isis, wish you'd go out n look n see II
your fathers in sight. l shouldn't wonder
grain If he got caught. It's jest like him to get
caught He'll stay down to the store talkin
bout his colt till all is blue n green
l sauntered down the long yard TO the ROAD.
The grass was already ankle high in this yard
and the dandelions had gone to seed and blown
away: but some Of their tall stems were stand
ing. I pulled one Of these stems. split 1t down
the length Of 1t and put 1t In my mouth to make
a curl Of Do you know the bitter taste or the
cool stem? Does the taste recall days Of hot
sky and long, long hours when you felt as II
life were made for you to drink OF. as USED
to think the gods drank nectar on Olympus?
II wasn't a great while since I had learned
that there had been gods. and where they hVed
when as we say, they were at home. Being new
acouaintances | thought much OF them. and l
would refer TO them occasionally, arousing the
great interest and admiration of mother and
Aunt Lowry. For had had advantages"
That's the phrase which was used In speak
Ing Of any girl who had been sent away to
school.
The neighbors wondered why Lemuel Arm
strong had taken 1t into his head TO give ms
daughter advantages"
whats your notion Lem. anyway?' they
asked him.
He used to look at them and wink and answer
that he believed "in training colts n why
shouldn't he have his gal trained? And II they
didn't know up 10 Mount Holyoke how to file
down and polish up a gal he guessed they didn't
know anywhere. He said he called his Billy
halter broke. n now he guessed experience would
have to make her run in harness. Experience d
make the very Old Harry in harness. single
or double"
Then he would burst into one Of his laughs
that sounded so wholehearted and honest.
am Billy Father began calling me that as
early as / can remember, and mother and Aunt
Lowry fell into the habit, though they occa-
eionally tried to say "Mny."
/ suppose 1t is rather dreadful thing for
girl over twenty years old to think Of herself
always as Billy.
Our minister ard his wife invariably say
"Wilhelmina." and suppose it is that which
makes me feel so respectable when l am with
them. But somehow l don't exactly enjoy feel
ing respectable. It's something like wearing a
pair Of tight corsets. You feel great deal bet
ter when you have taken them Off And there's
the Venus &c Medic.-our physiology teacher
used to tell US about the Venus and that she
was a beautiful example Of the uncorseted fe-
male FORM But the physiology teacher was the
t.ghtest-aced woman in the whole seminary-it
wasn't college then. SO we didn't swallow
much that she said unless we felt good enough
to de-which wasn't often.
We didn't mean to be SO good that we should
have to die young.
Father came up when I graduated I felt
Kind OF queer when he talked with some Of my
chums. and called me Billy" ] was Will
helmina I'D there Only my dearest friend. who
meant to go to Germany, and was giving good
deal of time to German. she would insist upon
saving Wilhelm always and sign my letters
to her invariably wilhelm"
Though wished father could use little gram
mar when he talked. and that he didn't wink Sc
often I was bound not to show that wlsheo
It, l took him everywhere; and had cnahce
TO introduce him TO the principal he snooh
hands with her. and swung her hand rouno sc
hard that she grew red In the race yds kne u
on smiling: l just loved her for that, and ioi
being SO sweet and unsurpassed when pa SAID;
Now don't you think my Billy Is as promisn
q little fy's you ever snapped a whip. at!
but we don't snap whips mere, Mr. AIm n
strong" she replied with one OF her pest ntt u
laughs. as II father was an Ex-Governor VINO
had Just made joke.
Then father winked. and burst into an enor-
NOUS laugh which made everybody In the room
turn and look our way.
But I held my head up. though my face was
on fire; and took pas arm and walked MIN
out as soon as could.
When ! had him by myself thought for
moment I would ask II he would as great
favor TO me- stop doing that perfectly awful
wink. But when / examined his face 1t all
came over me II had never done before that
his was precisely the kind Of a face that had
got to wink. It wouldn't do any good to try to
prevent him. for the wink was In his SOUL So