Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-02-10

enjoy her dinner. She had always
prided herself on her hanging Of skirt,
but that day her right hand had forgot
ten it's cunning,
Don't worry, Doris, said Mrs. Giles
pie, putting another slice Of boiled NUT
ton on the dressmaker's plate. Lay it
by till tomorrow, and begin Sarah
james school gingham."
'Wel, If you don't care" said Doris,
with a look OF relief, at would be a
great lift off my mind" and shs ate
three pieces of mutton lie her sati5fdc-
tiou.
"Did you know that Eben Doolttle
was sick? ?" said Mrs. Gillespie after din
ner, as she piled her basting-needle.
Doris looked up from the sewing ma
chine so quickly that keen observer
might have said she was startled, but
Mrs. Gillespie's glasses covered unsus-
pecting eyes,
"Tbey say he's threatened with
fever. No wonder, Living alone, and
doing his own cooking and farming
both, when any man in his senses would
nave hired housekeeper long ago, or
got married, which would have been
better still They say he's worrying
about some payments he can't meet
next month, and, take it altogether, l
shouldn't wonder if he was pretty bad
off Would you have this bingham
waist shrred at the top, or laid in plaits
all the way down, Doris?"
The little dresmaker's heart was
Humping so that she thought her COM
panon must hear IT, But the placid
face opposite was absorbed in the plat
Rngs and shirrings,
''It's all shirrings," thought poor
Doris, "all puckered up close and tight,
'And somebody's got to cut the gather
ing threads before things will come out
straight" (She and Eben Doolittle
had once been much more than friends,
sbut Fate had undertaken to do some
~shirring," and there was nobody at
hand to "cut the gathering threads.D
Doris answered Mrs, Gillespie as best
she could, and started the machine
again.
When night came she rolled up her
scissors, thimble and tape measure and
put on her things, despite Mrs. Giles
pies invitation TO stay all night. Doris
wanted to be alone where she could
think hard, and the society of Sarah
Jane, who would have been her bedfel-
+ Aow. was not conducive to contempla-
axioD-
On her way home, she passed low
brown house standing back from the
ROAD house dark and silent, but
which quickened her pulse by lis mere
outlines.
Il wonder if the poor soul is there ali
alone" thought Doris, "Any other
nelghbor could run in and see after him
3an friendly way, but that's all out Of
tfhe question for mel"
When she reached home, she reused
Sher fire out of its all-day sluggishness,
Sand sat down before It without lighting
lamp. She could think better in the
dark.
II wonder when those payments
must be made" she said to herself. "It's
the 18th of February now"
Suddenly a twofold idea buzzed
Through Doris Hilburn's brain like . |
Fourth of July pin wheel" and her |
plalntive little face grew hot and ROSY
2n the dim. fire-lighted room.
"lf | only dared!" she said half
|preathlessly-theu with catherine
holdness, why not? No one will ever
Hnd itout,and Ebenw will not dream of INV
|aoing such "a thing. 1t may tide him over
70 be will pick up and get we'll 1t NAV
be only the drop in the bucket, rit NAV
ne the full gallon, but I'll risk it. which
aver It is"
spleasant.dreams turned her humble
pillow into "a cushion of down. and
N'raped her bare walls with the cloth Of
'tolh which too often. alas! must turn
IA hodden-gray with the first touch of
,sbmn,
Put Doris cloth Of gold kept the glim-
afr Of its threads through all the next
Ayss AZ noon shetsot through her din