The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1897-08-13
Taking Without Asking.
BY HORATIA cARLIN.
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InH, how Bette did want to 60 to
~ that picnicl
She could not If she had tried long
time find words appropriate enough to
express how very much she wanted to
go. And don't Believe | can, either.
So there's nothing for 1t but to let 1t
go at the words Bette did find.
She told her mother she wanted to
go to that picnic "just awfully, awfully,
awfully!" But If can't talk as glibly
as would like, this much l do know,
anyway, that awfully means great
deal with little girls, full as much as
earnestly desire" or "devoutly trust"
means with grown folks.
But when a girl says awfully three
times in row-well, it is beyond me,
then, to tell how much she does mean.
1t is too confusing, like trying to count
the stars on clear night.
This picnic which Bette SO ardently
desired to attend was to be under the
grove Of oaks in Judge Potter's big
| field.
Three long tables of rough boards
had already been nailed together for
the occasion, and they were to be
spread with everything good to eat that
the women folks of the town knew
how to make. And especially there was
10 be plenty of cake, from the richest
plum down to one-egg-in-the-batch
cookes-for they always have cake at
picnics, whatever else they don't have.
i There was band of music from
the city, and Mamie Brown told
Bette there was going to be a
real fountain that would shoot
water up ever so high In the air;
and she wasn't sure, but she had heard
that Judge Potter was going to send
from his fine residence in the city his
four big stone frogs, to sit under the
fountain right among the falling
drops.
"Oh, dearl" Bette exclaimed, catch
ing her breath. What If can't go!"
The idea of not going was appalling.
And the more Bette wanted to go, the
more she was afraid that she couldn't
70. To tell the truth, she had pretty
good grounds for her fears.
In the first place, the only dress she
had aft to be seen" was thick green
and white and black wooden plaid, and
the waist was lined with heavy drilling
besides.
It was a warm dress, you see-one
that would have been appropriate to
wear to picnic in January, if ever they
do have picnics in that month. But,
unluckily, it was not January now. 1t
was August, the hottest month in the
year. And Bette could not wear that
warm dress Of hers without feeling
lpretty uncomfortable in 1t, and making
Everybody else feel uncomfortable just
from seeing her wear 1t.
To be sure, she did have two other
cooler dresses that she wore around at
home-a yellow calico and pink one.
But the yellow in the one had basely
deserted In great patches here and
there all over the dress, leaving queer
looking white spots; and as for the
pink one, 1t was neither one thing moi
another-not exactly pink, not exact
ly white; but, as Bette herself de-
scribed it, lust faded to DEATH"
Certainly, neither of these dresses
would do any more than the plaid one.
Bette had thoughtfully considered
them all.
But aside from the what to wear ques-
ton, it happened that Bettie's mother
was more than usually busy about
this time.
She expected to have to 60 to Mrs
Montandon's to clean house the very
day of the picnic. And If she did GO
she wanted Bette to stay at home and
take care of her little sister Cora, do uI
the heusework, milk the COW at night
and carry around the milk to their two
or three customers, and have supper
ready when she got home.
Bette had often done all this before
Tor she was used to working as well as
her mother. She hoped to work fol
wnges some time.
She had secretly resolved to coax hel
mother into buying her new calico
dress for the picnic. If she should fine
out In time that Mrs. Montandon die
not want her mother on the picnic day
Then, II her mother would Just GU
and fit the dress. she would sew UP tn,
seams herself in very short time. Blu
Mrs. Cochran positively could not at
ford to lose this chance of earning /
days wages. and so, when Mrs. Montan
don sent around word that she would
+. need her the day of the picnic, Mrs
! I cochran agreed to go.
"Of course there's no use In tallirs
about buying dress now" thought dis