The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-08-30

iNt aNuNllh- OF Mss Nililh.
The minister's wife rose slowly. saying,
90 wish you could, Miss Baxter. It's so
pleasant round hcre-but lf you think
not"
$40. 7 can't. Mrs Marsh. ana IFS no
use pretending I wish ] could. for don't.
] don't want city young ones Jet loose
on mo- and trdpsing over my place. They
wouldn't Ike it. either. any more than
should. for I've never been used 10 chill
dren. and shouldn't know what on carih
10 say to thcml But ! shall be glad %
give you some money. 20 be used IN car
inc for the children"
THANK you. DON'T this time i"s not money
we n'ol must Doe going now How
beautiful your flowers are looking"
Miss Cyriia Baxter insisted rrcn get
ting the garden scissors and cutting or
q great bunch ~ roses for the minister's
wife. Then She hade her good-by. went
back into the house. sat down in the
chair She had occupied and looked caro-
fully around the room.
There's "a spcck Of dust upon the man
tclpcce this side or the Chinese idol
suppose of course she saw that. I didn't
SEQ her looking that way. but II isn't safe
thinking she didn't. / must put on my
reading glasses when I dust. And II there
aint n hairpln under the sofa,-right be-
fore her face and eyes, And Oh. for the
land az mercy's sake I forgot my night
CAP airing on the corner Of the what-not!
put ~ there ont Of tho way Of the flies
ana dust. after I'd clear-starched st. She
had 10 SEQ that, unless She sat with her
eyes shut"
Miss Cyrilla grosned. The spick and
Fpan glory Of the little parlor was tarn-
fshod bv the discovery Of the snowy night
can with its starchei strings sufny pend
emit from tho old-fashionod what-not. The
sncck OF dust alongside the Chinese IDOL
and even the hairpin on tho floor, were
small matters compared with 81.
Miss Cvrlla groaned again. "Wcn. 70
won't mend things sitting here grooming
over 'em. but / wish that nightcap was
in Joppa"
She crossed over and took II down with
small consideration for its Immaculate
smoothucss. IN Miss Cyrlia Baxter had
ono earthly pride above another it was
I'm her housekeeping ana the spotless.
spociiess condition OF her rooms and the
rigid rulc that everything should be in
its place and nothing ont OF IT, She lost
hllf the pleasure ~ receiving calls
through this nervous scrutiny that al
WAYS followed them. To-day. however
her thoughts soon travelled back 10 the
object OF the minister's wfe's call.
"riumph' Ne with frosh-air young ones
hanging round and httoring up Ia ra-
Their give fifty dollars 20 the heathen or
ray their board az Sam Hawklns's or
somewhere cisei'
But as no way was open for the heather
or the frosh-air children 20 use Miss
Cvrnia's fifty dollars. 10 stood fair
chance Of remaining az interest IN the
hank. Tho parlor blinds were an care
fully closed and one or two newspapers
were spread out on tho carpet and sofa
where chance ray Of sunlight might
peep in through the cracks between the
closed STATS Then Miss Cprilla vent out
into The Kitchen 20 see about kindl!ng the
ffc for tea.
ehc was uneasy. and her forehead had
two little vertical lines on II between her
mild h'nc cycs. To ten the truth. MISS
Cvna was thinking Of those city waits
I'm nocd OF frsch air The minister's WIG
had told their story well and 10 left more
impression on Miss Cyriila's heart imam
she cared 90 acknowledge.
She built the FIRE and forgot 10 light ~.
ana when she sat down 10 her lonely sup
Toy and poured her te7. II was stone
cold But sho drank e. though with q
WY face
Ten DAVIS or 50 after the minister's
vffe's caW. Miss Cvr.lia built her hre
orain for tea and lighted -. too. She was
fast nlnr TIE uttls copper tea-ke''le -
fhe pump near ne shcd. when me stage
numbered uD 70 the door.
"To~ the land % mcrcy's sskeF Misa
Cerfia exclaimed "t hope faint Amanda
siade come unexpected I've co. >veF'
orc % fho snare.room sheets whitening
on the grass"
The efaee-driver o'amhcrei DOWN from
DIS ~errh and swung omen the door OF tho
coach. fo nas man whom Miss Cyrina
vac NOT seen before and SIZE recalled
hearing that pcn Watterson the regular
starc-drivcr was sick with fever. and
had hired some ono 20 drive IN his place
"Gucss the familvs ont" the driver
said "Halloi ANYBODY 20 homer On
there vow 30 ms'am' reckon you
vaer'. expecting an oyrress hund'e2'
$50 wasn't" Miss CyriIa sai1 rather
sharply "lf vouve got any bundle for
no v1u've made n mistake that's all
"Wcu. here she comesi A neat little
package FOR Mrs J. b. Baxter. and that's
your name 7 believe"
While De was saving this ne was help
Ing ort "a slender bit ~ n Girl IN shabby
clothes. Tie swung her Nightly down be
fi1e fhe asfonishcG Miss Cyrilla
"Shc needs feed that's what she needs.
a. much as fresh air. She cont weigh
Nothing al AL. and not moren half Of