Audubon Republican., 1897-09-23

II thought perhaps we might have ice
cream and strawberries. I noticed the
berries are ripening nicely, only this
morning" answered Mr.. Pettibone, un-
heedful of his wife's sarcasm.
"They might do very well for des-
sert," said Mrs. Pettibone, thoughtful
ly, "but these would scarcely make q
dinner for five or six hungry people.
mo, Mr.. Pettibone," she continued,
"youAave gotten me into this dilemma,
and now you will have to get me out Of
It. In the first place, you had better
hitch the horse to the buggy and start
out at once to hunt some help, and, re-
member" she added, impressively, sit
must be obtained if there is any this
side the Chinese empire. The baby does
not require Hetty's attention at pres
en.. and while you are gone, she and I
will do all that we can. There is no time
to lose, 1 assure YOU"
| With these words Mrs. Pettibone
arose and buckled on. her armor, so to
speak.
A tour of investigation revealed the
fact that there was in the pantry a
stack cake, which might do, in case
there was no time to prepare better,
willie the cream, which had been set
aside for churning, was still sweet, and
could be utilized.
So far things wore rather O cheerful
outlook, and as time sped on, all that
Mrs. Pettibone's active hands could ef-
feet, and a good deal that her active
brain suggested, was happily accom-
plished, until the preliminaries had as
sumed such shape that, with an expe-
rienced hand to complete what had been
so well begun, an excellent dinner
might shortly be forthcoming.
When an hour had slipped rapidly by,
however, and another was on the wane,
Mrs. Pettibone grew restless and un-
easy at the protracted stay of her hus-
band, and consumed good deal of her
valuable time in running to the corner
of the house to see if help was near at
hand.
When two hours had passed, Mrs.
Pettibone's restlessness increased with
each succeeding five minutes, as if the
minute hand on the clock was the needle
that registered her feelings, and she
found 1t difficult task to bestow the
proper attention on the making of her
transparent pies.
AS train time approached, and yet no
sign of her absent lord, she had reached
almost fever of excitement, and while
the pies were being removed from the
oven and placed upon shelf to cool, the
whistle blew, and the train came speed
ing through the springfield country,
pausing for brief space at the station,
only half mile from the pretty cottage
cf the Pettibones, and just out of view
behind green hillock.
When the pastry had been hastily
placed on the shelf, Mrs. Pettibone ran
out to take another look, and this time
was rewarded by seeing her guests duly
appear over the hill, and stroll 1eisurely
along the pleasant country lane.
A sigh escaped her at the sight, for
she had family hoped that some kind
interposition Of Providence, short of a
railway accident, would delay the visit
ors until more propitious time.
"What will they think at finding no
one at the station to welcome them
And what can have detained Mr.. Petit
bone so long?" thought his wife, as she
turned her steps toward the house.
Before she reached it, there was an
alarming clatter in the kitchen and a
little shrek that Hetty evidently voiced.
Fastening on, scene met the eyes
of the mistress that was calculated to
make, considering the attendant cir
cumstances, stouter heart than hers
grow faint.
The stovepipe had abruptly severed
all connection between chimney and
stove, and had descended to the COM
mon level of the floor, and, not content
to play this prank alone, had coerced
the shelf of pastry into joining in the
spree, whereupon the vicinity of the
stove presented chaotic mingling of
disjointed pipe and transparent pies,
with liberal sprinkling of SCOT over
verything-even Hetty's Mortified
countenance, as she stood near by, root
ed to the spot in absolute dismay.
Mrs. Pettibone took in the unhappy
situation ct glance, and then sank
down on the nearest seat, also sooty,
and burst into tears.
In the midst of her weeping the
guests arrived, their laughter and mer-
riment jarring unpleasantly upon the
overtaxed nerves of the miserable host
ess, who hastily dried her tears and
bade Hetty show the company into the
parlor, where she would join them pres
emily.
Hetty presented herself at the door,
after first rubbing her hands over her
face once or twice, with the pleasing re-
suit of distributing the spot little
more evenly over her light-brown coun-
! tenance.
{! "Is your mistress well?" asked
Blanche Desmond, as she paused in the
hall, while the others entered the par
lor, for she felt confident that some
thing was amiss, by the tone of things
in general, coupled with the sooty dec
orations on Hetty's face.
"She amt feelin' very well right