The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1896-10-03
one," she thought, weak little hope
stirring in her heart.

had tinted it with their own soft
colors, and a climbing rose redeemed
it from ugliness.
A thin, sallow woman was shaking o
cloth at the door. She looked worn
and haggard. Her mouth was drawn
down at the corners and there was a
settled gloom in her dark eyes. She
wore scanty gown of blue gingham.
"You've bin loiterin' again." she
said in complaining tone, SAN Dode,
he hesn't come back nuther. He's q
dretful stirrin' boy. Likes not he's
bin swimmin' agin. Last Sat'dy he
hedn't dry stitch on him. Pears as
of betwixt you two hev my sheer OF
trouble. It's like bein' ground 'twixt
the upper an neither mill-stuns.
Lemme see the work 70
Malind opened the buodle and laid
out on the table six dozen pairs OF
coarse wooden socks, the seams OF
| which were to be sewed together.
"It's good way to the fact'ry, an
awful hot" she said, taking Oft her
sunbonnet.
''Got the money all right?"
Malind took q few coins from her
pocket.
"Say, ma," she said eagerly, "can't
l sew 'em most rs good as you kin
now?"
"E'enamost as good" her mother
| answered, "ef you wasn't such o fib.
| bertygibbet that can't set still"
81 will set still. I'll do half of 'em.
I'll work every minute kin-if-if
-" she stammered.
"Ef what? Git it outl" criel her
mother impatiently.
'sIf you'll git me new frock fer
the Sunday-school picnic" Malind
blurted ont, every nerve in her body
tingling with excitement.
"Fer the lam sake, Malind," cried
her mother shrilly. 81 do admire TO
hear you talkin' about new frocks when
we can't hardly git enough to eat
leastways pears as eff Dode never
would git filled up"
81 mean sunthin' cheap" faltered
Malind. 81 wouldn't care what-ef
twas fresh-an' made fer mean
kinder fitted"
81 wisht I could manage it," said
Mrs. Biinn with sigh. 'I'd like ter
rig you up good as the best-but it's
no use talkin' bout it. That there
picnic comes in about week. How
under the canopy could you do all
that work in such short space O.
time? I wuz calcalatin' on gittin'
you new suit fer Christmas. There,
now, jest whirl in an set the table. /
hear Dode whistlin':. Thank good
ness we've got plenty of cold mush an
milk"
But Malind was not in thanksgiv-
ing mood just then. The cold mush
choked her. Her heart was hot with
rebellion against fate, though she
could not have cal'el it by that name.
Why had some girls everything, while
she had nothing? j)ode's appetite
annoyed her. How he did swallow
everythingi The mound of white
mush melted away like snow before
the sun!
Dode was two years younger, rosy
checked, sturdy boy, who ruled the
house. Malind often thought it must
be fine to be boy. He did not have
to learn to sew and help with the grey
WOODEN socks.
"You look after Dode and take keer
of the lamp" said her mother when
she sent them to bed. "Child over
Peapack way burnt to death with one
Of them kerosene lamps Dustin. TIE
great genies never thought of wrap
PIN her in o blanket. Some folks is
so ignorant they don't know that
wooden things smothers fire."
Many pair of bright eyes grew
brighter the morning of the picnic
when they saw tho luminous blue sky
and the dew dappled meadows glitter
ing in the sunshine. The birds were
singing EOS if they, too, had a pic
mic, and the wind in the white pines
sang Joy songs of its own. Malind
saw the children trooping by in their
holiday garments. The little girls
futtered about like gay plumaged
birds. She held up the great skirt OF
her old blue flannel with strange
choking in her throat. 1t was just as
wide as when her mother had worn it,
but the frayed edges had been cut off
and clumsy hem shortened it. The
basque was still too large for her. Her
thin figure was lost in it.
cob, Malind, hurry up" cried
Dode from below. ''You are the polk
inest girl. The wagons awaitin' for
us.
Malind hurriedly tried on her dish
shaped black straw hat, adorned with
one old feather and crushed rose,
and she almost forgot her discomfort
in the Joy of long ride through
green woods.
Everybody is just as hateful as
they can be-" said Phronie, as they
dismounted at the picnic grounds,
ssa-settin' on my skirts just for spite,
and rumplin' it like anYthin'."
Malind joined in all the games,
while Phronie kept apart and tried to
smooth out her wrinkled skirts. In
the s'hymns of lofty cheer" Malind's
voice rang out above the rest. "Say,
SIS" whispered Dode, his eyes dane
ing with mischief, 81 found this bully
firecracker in the street this morning.
It's a giant. Wouldn't 1t make fun 1t