Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1896-05-09

'I'll risk it, Nancy nao cueerlIv
replied.
And SO she married Mr.. Blidgefeld,
and went to the farm house to live.
The six young BIZ lgefields had been
told that q stepmother was q fearful
thing; but to their surprise they
found Mrs. BIidgefeld, Number Two,
a revelation of delight.
''She showed me how to boil
molasses-candy with hickoEy-npts
chopped up in it," said sinsop,
weNd child of eleven, who was popu-
larly supposed to be ignorant even of
the notion of a humming- top
"She give me apple-sass on my
bread, . whispered Marion, the next.
"We're to have pie every day."
chuckled Moses who liked good things
to eat and drink.
''And I'm to lay up the berry
money for blue muslin frock all Of
my own, added Adelina, who never
had worn anything but her mothers
faded old calico gowns scantiy cut
over.
"l'm to have q ran-fire new tool
chest If ] raise the red heifer calf, :"
exulted George, the tallest boy
And Leroy, the eldest. who had
been scolded. snubbed and kept down
all his life, felt, with thrill of hap
plness, that his new stepmother Sc
crctly sympathized with his efforts to
rise in the world.
''Now she's here" thought Leroy,
Il feel us if | could do most any
thing
Mr.. Biideeiicll had scarcely been
married week when he came home
on a raw, rainy night, with the pack
cts of groceries under his arms, and
dissatisfied frown between his brows.
''Two candies," he said, peeping
gloomilv under the ball fringed win
dow curtain. "And chicken for sup
pcr--and apple-sass, and cheesei And
every one settin' round, 2nd nobody
doin' no work. This won't do. Nancy
must learn better than this.
He opened the door and walked
grimly in.
Dead silence fell upon the children
at the wet-blanketing apparition OF
Gather" But Nancy looked cheer
fully up.
YOU'RE late, arcn's you, Benja-
MIN said she.
"What's hthis?" said Mr.. Blidge
field, ignoring her query, as he glare(
around.
Its supper said Nancy. "Si
! down, my dear, and help Yourself
'tChlcken!" croaked the farmer ant
spring chicken ut that, when they'r,
a-tctchin 90 cents pair at the hotel
Sweet cake, sass, and the best knives
Moses, put them fowls back in th
cupboard There's plenty O cole
pork left from yesterday. | calculate
Ad'llny, blow out one o them candles
The way we burn candles is redick
lous-and store candies. TOO! Why,w
never thought . usin' anything bu
dip candles whom
Moses, let the chickens alone,
said Mrs. Blidgetield, in softly delib
crate accents. "Adelina, don't med
dle with the candles.
"W hat. roarcd Mr.. Blidceteld
banging the package Of sugar dow
on the table, and rafting the candle
beside them like small spark OF Al
tilery.
81 thought perhaps you had fo
gotten that | was housekeeper here,
+ said Nancy.
The children turned as many color
as the rainbow; Moses, who was COZ
stitutionally nervous, got behind h
Stepmother; Slmeoa edged a littl
, nearer to the poker Marion swallowe
ner last morsel Of cake with sue
precipitation as nearly to choke hel
self; Adeliua began to sob an, suiv
under her breath.
Mrs. Blidgerield.' said tie ira
farmer. E" Will you be SO good as
explain yourself? ;"
"Oh certainly said the late Nj
Nancy Bloom. ".As long as l a
, mistress here intend to consult II
own lnclinatlons | shall undertal
! TO give YOU good food, and to kes
yourself and your children confor
ably clothed, but l shall choose Il