The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-09-17

Her mother smiled and said she had a
great mind to do it: and Marguerite
begged and SO did Roland and finally
mother said Marguerite might try it for
a week.
Marguerite threw her geography into her
work basket and tucked them both into
the farthest corner of her closet. mo
more of you for a week. said She: "go
out of my sight. But oh, Roland! while
you are studying and ciphering and hav-
ing q horrid time getting ready for the
opening of school, l shall be lying on the
sofa doing nothing, really and truly moth
mg!"
When Marguerite awoke next morning
a sense of something happy was on her
mind, and as soon as she recollected She
Struggled down in her pillow again, muir
muring Dolce far niente' means not to
get up to breakfast till you feel like it
and that is long while yet. 1t is so deli
cious not to have to get up" So she lay
for a full hour beyond her usual time of
rising. Consequently when she went down
stairs, the breakfast was cleared away, so
she made her way to the kitchen.
why what am / to eat, Kate? asked
Marguerite.
Here's the breakfast kept hot for you,
miss. Your mother said you might take
it on the kitchen table,
"Oh yes, that'll be nice!'' said Mar
guerite. But it had been cooked so long
tldt tne cOTHcdkeS ndQ grown dry ana the
toast hard; and Marguerite made a resolve
in her own mind that she would hereafter
be punctual at her meals, stale breakfast
not being one of THE nientes 1t was dolce
to do.
Then she went up stairs and sure enough
there was Roland puckering his brow over
'cross multiplication
look at me- said Marguerite, sinking
ing Into large rocking chair with the
Arabian Knights in her hand. II am 60
ing to sit her and read this just to aggra-
vate YOU"
"Aggravate away" said Roland, sturdi-
ly, Il am not afraid"
And Marguerite sat the whole morning
and read. When dinner was announced
she was not as hungry as usual; and after
dinner she read about an hour, and then
she got up with a prolonged yawn. II be-
lieye | am tired after all, just doing moth
ing" she said to herself; and then aloud
to Roland, Don't you want to play some
thing?"
Roland was in the mood, so they had a
merry romp and came in tired and had
supper, and read stories in the evening.
The next day Marguerite did not feel
like reading, and she thought she would go
and gather some daisies ITO be sure, I
shall not have Roland to go with me-" she
said but l cannot help that If he will per-
sist in liking to work and study he must
take what comes" and she trudged off with
basket and garden-knife.
She had never been in the woods alone
before and she did not know the way out
When she had filled her basket she started
; for home, but the long grass wound itself
around her feet, the briars pricked her;
and she began to think nientes was very
hard work. All of sudden she slipped
. into a ditch, which gave her such polt
that her basket flew away and she tumbled
forward on her face. She managed in some
way to get out of the ditch but not out OF
the mud; that shuck to her face, her
hands, her dress, and would not depart for
all her rubbing.
well" unused Marguerite, 81 shall GER
tainly be an object when ] get home, but
it's got to come so ! may as well go first
as last"
She picked up her basket left the gar
dcn-knife to its fate and picked her way
out of the woods She got home without
being observed by anyone; but Roland saw
her whiskiilg up stairs and called from his
doorway.
ooh Marguerite, aren't YOU mess,
though. Where have you been?"
"In the ditch; hold your tongue! an
swered Marguerite, slamm:ng the door be-