The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-04-23

81 am the head of this family and the
head of the family is the one to wear the
new bonnet!"
Her speech was trifie ambiguous.
but her meaning was clear; Miss Mi
randa seldom mentioned her numer-
Gus years-when she did she meant to
take advantage of every one of them.
Its no use," said Cammilla, to her.
self IF she intends to have new bon
net she willard we must diet for it.
sha'n't tell Luke about it yet" she
4 added.
And she knew of what she spoke, for
. genteel poverty was the family fate,
and Miss Miranda was housewife who
made one egg do duty for three, and
who had difficulty in finding either
the butcher or his assistant at leisure
to wait upon her when she happened
10 do her own marketing. She was
morsel of woman with will Of steel
and mild blue eyes which made people
who did not know her fancy that she
was easily imposed on-until they tried
1t. The wiry hair was always decorous-
ly curled. her own sister knew not how,
but sundry twisted bits of paper,
found in sweeping, caused her to draw
her own conclusions.
1t was the second Sunday in Lent be-
lore the ostensible head of the family
knew what was before him. He was
seated at the breakfast table, and,
glancing at the dish before him, he
said, in coaXing tone:
Don't you think, Randy, that liver
and bacon sort of pail on the appetite
after you have eaten them for eleven
consecutive mornings?"
Luke Harrison" cried his elder sis
ter, you have no appetite, and, now
that l notice it, you look sallow, too.
Go right upstairs to bed and pile on
plenty covers while mix you a good
hot dose of Grandma Todd's tea. Luck
lily | have all the ingredients at hand"
Luke hesitated. looked into her eye
and-helped himself for the second
time to liver and bacon.
What is it this time, Cammilla?" he
whispered, after Miss Miranda had gone
to dress for church. SIS it home mis-
sions or plush album for the parlor?"
Worse. An Easter bonnet" she re-
turned, dolefully. Then, turning on
her ally, she added: Its because of
En- Gassoway's Dragging, too. And why
En- Gassoway comes here so often is for
you to know!" which was especially
unfair since Luke, timid bachelor, took
TO the hayloft at sound of the buxom
WIDOWS voice. Miss CammAla's heat
was excusable, however; she dearly
loved the pleasures Of the table, her IA
Vorite reading being the richest recipes
IN The cook book, and her culinary path
was now rough one.
How lucky a grocer's wife is" she
soiiloquized, not being, perhaps, con-
.ersant with certain proverb concern
ing the feet of shoemakers' wives. ITO
think of being able to try all the re-
c'pes in the cook bookl" She stopped,
crimson. for Job Carter, widower,
owned flourishing grocery.
Goodness, Cammilla," cried her sis
Ter, entering suddenly, "what makes
your face SO red? Truly. you eat too
much. l must look closely to your diet,
AFTER this. l think shall have pink
roses In my bonnet-lace, too, maybe"
she added, with irrelevance which was
only apparent. CHANGING out of the
window a. she spoke, she saw Job Car
yer on his way TO church. She was
spartan, but she was human. Job had
called ostensibly on Luke once or twice
lAteiy. She went hastily out, with
looking to see how much of yester-
uySs roast remained for dinner.
Next day she pored over Q fashion
look. Not that I care for them as
EN- does" she said. "'Tisn't right TO
,pend . lot Of money for clothes-un-
less 1t IL money earned BIZ self-denial.