The Opelousas courier., 1896-10-03
settled gloom in her dark eyes.

hedn't a dry stitch on him. Pears a
eff betwixt you two I hev my sheer o
trouble. It's like bein' ground 'twix
the upper an neither mill-stuna
Lemme see the work."
Malind opened the bundle and lait
out on the table six dozen pairs o
coarse wooden socks, the seams o
which we're to be sewed together.
"It's a good way to the fact'ry, an
awful hot" she said. taking off he
s%unbonnet.
SCOT the money all right?"
Malind took a few coins from bel
pocket.
"Say, ma" she said eagerly, "can't
l sew 'em most as good as you XII
| now?"
"E'enamost as good" her mother
answered, "ef you wasn't such a fib'
bertygibbet that can't set still"
~ will set still. I'll do half of EN-.
I'll work every minute l kin-if-ii
-" she stammered.
"Ef what? Git it out!' cried her
mother impatiently.
"If you'll git me a new frock fer
the Sunday-school p%icnic,' Malind
blurted ont, every nerve in her body
tingling with excitement.
"Fer the Ian 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 visit I could manage it," said
Mrs. Biinn with a 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 a week. How
under the canopy could you do all
that work in such a short space O.
time? I wuz calcalatin' on gittin'
you a new suit fer Christmas. There,
now, jest whirI in an set the table. I
hear Dode a whistlin'. Thank good
ness we've got plenty of cold mush an
milk"
But Malind was not in q thanksgiv-
ing mood just then. The cold mush
choked her. Her heart was hot with
rebellion against fate, though she
could not have called it by that name.
Why had some girls everything, while
she had nothing? Dode's appetite
annoyed her. How he did swallow
everything! The mound OF white
mush melted away like snow before
the sum-
Dode was two years younger, a rosy
checked, sturdy boy, who ruled the
house. Malind often thought it must
be fine to be a boy. He did not have
learn to sew and help with the grey
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
pm her in a blanket. Some folks is
so ignorant they don't know that
WOODEN things smothers fire."
Many a pair of bright eyes grew
brighter the morning of the picnic
when they saw the luminous blue sky
md the dew dappled meadows glitter
.ng in the sunshine. The birds were
singing sas if they, too, had a pic
nc, and the wind in the white pines
sang JOY songs Of its own. Malind
Jaw the children trooping by in their
garments. The little girls
uttered about like gay plumaged
She held up the great skirt Of
Ter old blue flannel with q strange
in her throat. 1t was just as
vide as when her mother had worn it,
'ut the frayed edges had been cut off
md a clumsy hem shortened it. The
basque was still too large for her. Her
hin figure was lost in it.
sob, Malind, hurry up" cried
)ode from below. "You are the pok- |
nest girl. The wagons awaitin' for
ls."
Malind hurriedly tried on her dish
black straw hat, adorned with
me old feather and g crushed rose,
nd she almost forgot her discomfort
n tho Joy of a long ride through
.reen woods.
Everybody is just as hateful as
hey can be-" said Pbronie, as they
ismounted at the picnic grounds,
;a-settin' on my skirts just for spite,
nd rumplin' it like anythin'."
Nalind joined in all the games,
lille Phronie kept apart and tried to
nooth out her wrinkled skirts. In
he "hymns of lofty cheer" Malind's
cice rang out above the rest. "Say,
whispered Dode, his eyes dane
1g with mischief, II found this bully
reeracker in the street this morning.
Us a giant. Wouldn't 1t make fun if
set it off?-an' 1 got a match, too"
''Throw it over there an give
hronie a scare" suggested Malind.
Stuck-up thlng!" |,
Phronle was still standing apart
ON the rest smoothing her RULED
She~did not notice Dode's :
oproacb, but suaJer,ly there was an :
and a tdiiifed scream.
hronie Meeker's light lgjrts we're in
blaze; the wind fame. the fire.
or a second everyone seetaed para
'zed as Phronie ran aboateaShr liking
18th terror. Malind gazea It her with t
lated eyes. Her heart Stood still. {
Wooden things smother fire." Che {
ords rang in her ears as if someone {
spoken. Her heart began to beat :
:ain hard and fast. Her face grew i