The Opelousas courier., 1897-10-16
: OUR BURGLAR ALARM,


My sister Kate and I were very
nearly OF an age, but we were not
alike in any way except that we were
both tall and both had freckles! These
troubled us, and many were the expert
ments we tried to remove from our
faces the Objectionable effects of the
open-air life we led. d.
Father was a farmer, and we lived
nine miles from the country town.
Mother was a systematic and careful
housekeeper, and SO engrossed in her
kitchen and dairy duties that she sell
dom made calls on her neighbors and
never went to town unless she was
obliged to.
She was, therefore, a little annoyed
when father said at breakfast, one
morning, that she must accompany
him to What day. Nevertheless,
she got ready, after a little demur, and
took her seat in the dogcart an hour
later with an air Of resignation that
made us all smile.
We had the beds to make, the break
fast dishes to wash, and the whole
house to put in order, so we were as
busy as bees until - o'clock, and had
no time to think of being lonely.
But we found the afternoon go
slowly, anal was beginning to feel
that it would be pleasant to see moth.
'er's face again, when a newspaper that
[ had placed behind the clock on the
kitchen mantel caught my eye. This
turned my thought into a different
channel. ~"~-
"Kate," I said, ''suppose we make
some Of the complexion compound we
read about, the other day? We shall
never get a better opportunity. Mother
may not be away again for weeks.
Here it is:
"Ladies who are troubled with
freckles will be glad to learn that a
few applications Of a mixture of
glycerine, ~cascarilla powder, tar,
lemon JUICE and olive oil will efectually
remove them and leave the skin soft,
smooth and tinted like an Infants"
"Hm willing to try it." said Kate.
"But we haven't the Ingredients"
eyes, we have" I answered for,
unknown to her, Ihad one day during
the previous week, when father had
me to town, obtained them from
druggist and grocer.
We were soon at the kitchen stove,
diligently mixing and stirring the de-
coction, and it was a sorry looking
mess when we at last took it from the
stove. We had, however, faith in its
efficacy, and with great satisfaction
poured it into a large bottle, which
hid behind the wardrobe in our
room to await use at bedtime.
While we were getting supper we
we're startled by a terrific peal of
thunder, the forerunner Of one of the
most violent storms that ever ragged in
district. For two hours the rain,
poured in sheets, flooding the yard
rom the house to the stable, and turn
ng the little brook by the barn into a
river.
The clock struck 8. "Don't you
hink we had better go to bed % said
Kate, folding up her apron. IT do
lot think there is any use in our sit
ing up"
With much laughter we got our big
'ottle OF complexion varnish," as
Kate called it. Taking piece of rag,
We gave to u faces a thick coating,
which resembled nothing else I had
yer seen before or have g since.
I'm too tired to sit up," said Kate.
Why can't we make cloth masks !?
Where's that old pique cloth you were
up yesterday"
The masks e soon made. They
simply long pieces of white cloth
eaching from the tops of our FORE.
eads to the collars of our night
resses, with small holes for the ewes
nd nostrils. We attached strings to
hem and tied them on.
We both soon fell asleep. It must
ave been near midnight when 1 was
wakened by a noise in the dining
Dom which was directly below the one
e occupied. It sounded as If some
was moving about stealthily-or
omething, rather, for I decided at
nee that 1t wa the dog.
kate" said, 1--WE must have shut
ID Tige up in the diningroom. Very
kelly he hid inthe cupboard when the
iorm came IN and fell asleep there.
Ie must go down and let him out.
We did not stop to put on our shoes
light a candle, but stole down just
we were and entered the sitting
'om, which communicated with the
ningroom by a folding door.
What was our surprise and horror
see the back of one NAL in the cup
ard directly opposite us, and another
lsily engaged by the light of a Ian j
III in preparing to take the silver /,
d linen from the dining table, in !.
hat seemed to be stout canvas bag. |
Ihe sound made BY the opening Of i
door caused the man at the table J