The Opelousas courier., 1896-10-03

side views, and made
the landscape look as if she were gaz
ing at it through a telescope.
The girl who had hailed her darted
behind a clump of bushes.
"Come round here" she said. "Ma
would give me fits if she knew I'd
opened It'll It's a frock she's bin max
in fer Lita Marsh, stuck up thing
Ma says she looks as if she 'spected
the earth would git up an prance when
she steps on it. Guess she'll hev a
s'prise party when she sees me tricked
out in a frock jest like bern! The
patron come from PARISH
Phronie Meeker's English was not
as correct as her clothes. Her mother
was the dressmaker Of Canaan, and
Phronie's costumes were the envy and
admiration of the other girls. Malind
especially admired the Tapping leg
horn hat with its soft white feathers
dropping over Phronie's mop of yellow
hair. That pink and white face with
eyes about as expressive as blue beads,
seemed the highest type of beauty to
her.
Malind was sallow and this, with
dark, eager, questioning eyes. Her
shabby gown of faded purple like her
sunbonnet. sagged loosely down from
her sharp shoulderblades as If hung
on pegs. The skirt touched the top
Of her coarse shoes, and the sleeves
nearly hid her little brown hands.
Phronie sat down on a stump and
began to open the bundle putting the
pins in her mouth till it looked like a
"rosebud set in little rueful thorns."
81 don't dast shake it out" she
said, "but you kin see what it's like.
Amt it just splendiferous?"
Malind looked at the dainty gown of
white china silk with a foam of lace
rufles sprinkled with pearls. Her
eyes kindled.
"Oh, OH" she cried, 81 don't be-
queens have anything more
Amt them pale punk bows
just like fowers?"
"They're a sight prettier," said
Phronie, who was very artificial in her
tastes, can just think I'm goln' to
hev n like it, only not silk-silk
muslin! I'm goin' to wear it to the
Sunday-school picnic. What you 60
in to wear?"
Malind flushed a little. "Oh,I don't
che faltered.
"You do like me, an git a new
said Phronie. II jest up an
told ma I wouldn't go a step without
Say, do you know what Inde
Bingham says you look like in your
old blue fannin'? A pen wiper? Ha!
ha! You know one of them things
q head and fannin' skirts?"
Phronie seemed to find the idea so
amsftsing that she giggled for 9
minute, while Malind felt the blood
rush hotly through her veins.
"Well, I got 10 hurry" said
Phronie, shaking out her skirts. '.I'm
soin' to buy the ribbon for my frock,
soon as ] take this home to that nifty
Want to come with me and
see me buy it?"
"No, I DON'T" said Malind, turning
away without another word. She,
200, carried a bundle. whose contents
The was not anxious to disclose.
The June afternoon seemed sudden
to have grown hot and close. Even
he river seemed summing away in a
warm haze and thesnphite dust of the
Dad stified her. Ther fellow belted
'ees droned lazily over the flowers as
t glad their days work was over.
the butterflies swayed lazily
the clover and told one another 1t
lad been a trying day.
Malind saw nothing as she plodded
long. Wrath burned like a fire in
ler heart. Phronie's hooking words
ounded in her ears. A vision of her
t the picnic in that lovely white
rock foated before her, while she saw
erself in the ill-itting blue flannel,
aade from one of her mothers gowns.
he never remembered having had a
ew frock.
wonder how it would feel to hev
ne" she thought, a weak little hope
in her heart.
She stopped at last before q rickcty
tile gate tied with d bit of old rope.
opened it and stepped into q mar.
w path bordered with ragged box. [
he thorny branch of q struggling rose
ash caught at her skirt as she passed. {
he house was q small. Imprinted, box |
ke structure, but the sun and storm |
I'd tinted it with their own soft !
,lors, and . climbing rose redeemed
from ugliness. 1
A thin, sellow woman was shaking a :
9th at the door. She looked worn j
ID haggard. Her mouth vas drawn
,Fn at the corners and there was a .