Daily inter mountain., 1900-12-24


I guess he didn't; men amt apt to-
said I.
But he had noticed it, and he thought
She told a falsehood for he looked out of
the window, and saw I didn't ave the
book. l had read it before, and didn't
want it, and besides don't like covering
up fib with such flimsy sort veil:
it has always seemed to me forse than
telling one right OUT.
Well, Mr.. Albert Eddy went home
pretty soon, but he didn't come again.
1t turned out that somebody had been
telling him how Flora kept her things
wrong side out, and l guess that had
more to do with his staying away than
her telling f:b. He said some things
finally. or folks said he did, that came
right back to Flora, as to how ridiculous
he thought it was. Then 1 begun to
think it was all over sure. for it always
has seemed to me that when man be-
gins to make fun of woman that is
the end of his affection. I was sorry,
because I mad always thought a good deal
of Flora, and l hated to think that she
had nothing Before her but solitary old
age. But all the time l felt puzzled
used to sit in meeting and watch Albert
Eddy, and I saw his eyes turn in spite
of himself to Flora sitting down there,
looking as handsme as a picture. if she
wasn't as young as some, and l thought
to myself that if I don't know what I
knew, I should think he was very far
from getting over his liking for her.
But there was no doubt Whatever that
he had given her up; he told me so him
self afterward. He had come to think
that she was eccaptric aud >you11p't
make good helpmeet And a minister
has to think o. that more than other
men.
1t came to the day tefore Christmas.
and he hadn't called on her for six
months, but that afternoon l was in
rFlora's house, and l saw him coming
down the road. He thought he ought
to CALL and had made up his mind to
make a short formal call, but it didn't
come out the way he had planned
When I saw him coming I turned to
Flora, and l said Flora, l guess Mr.
Eddy is coming"
She turned pale, then beautiful color
came into her cheeks. "Well," said she,
''let him come"
I jumped up and began to turn the mats
over as usual, and she jumped up, too,
but she just grabbed my arm to stop me
instead Of going to work herself. Don't"
sad she, Il don't want them turned
over"
why don't you, Flora?" said I.
because l DON'T said she. II don't
want them turned over
Nor the pictures, either?" said I.
mo" said she, "nof the tides nor any
thing
f All the time she was talking she was
pulling off her dress-skirt. Then she got
into it again wrong side out, and put
on her apron again wrong side out.
l stared al her. MY land, Flora," said
l. ARE you gone crazy?'
No said she, II have not. but there
shant be any more talk about decep-
ton, and if he thinks I'm odd, he shall
get the full brunt of it, Then the door
bell rang. and Flora went to the door.
with her head hig, switcing along that
wron-side-out skirt, and that apron.
When she came in, she did look ridcu-
lous. All the seams of her skirt showed
the overcasting, and there was the drab
cambrc facing.
| saw the minister looking at it With
the strangest look l ever saw on mans
face. He looked as if he wanted to burst
right out laughing. and yet he looked
to think of him or her. There We're all
the pictures with their board sides out,
and the table cloth showing the long
stitches, it was one that Flora had
worked herself. and all the tides wrong.
Flora talked along just as easy as If
everything was all right.
1t seemed to me that l never saw Flora
look SO handsome, her cheeks were
blazing andher eyes like black stars.
Presently she says: "Oh, Mr.. Eddy, you
have never seen my house! ! have heard
yau are interested in old houses, and old
furniture, and this is over a hundred
years old, and have some of the fine
old pieces of furniture. Wouldn't You
like to see them?"
OF course he couldn't do any less than
say he would, and we all rose up to go.
| knew if Flora was going to show him
the house, she would want me to stay.
Well Flora took him into the kitchen,
and there was everything wrong side
| out, and bottom side up, down to the
broom. Flora called attention to that.
Il always take pains to set my broom
with handle end down. said she, "other-
! wise it wears out dreadfully."
She took him into the butteTy, and
there were all the upside down dishes.
| She had baked some pies that morning
and they We're upside down in their
| plates. IF the bottom crust gets the air
| they keep longer" said Flora. | stared
| at her, for l had never heard of such
| thing, but l didn't say word. | began
| to think that she hafa<oeen expecting
! thta he might call, aNi getting every
| thing ready, that it was all cut and dried
| and | Guess it was.
| She took him all over the house; in the
/ chambers, all the bed spreads We're on
| wrong side out, and even the looking
! glasses hungfaces to the wall II can't
| have the sun shining on the glass" said
| Flora, "it sooils it,"
! The minister followed after her, and
! that queer look on his face seemed to
| deeDen and deepen.
L had got around to the spare chamber