The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1900-05-10

IA u
iof : laugh came like q smothered
musical chime trucking through her
fingers.
'Why, Kitty cried her mother, ii
establishment, what ever is the mat
ter with you?'' 55.55.
The girl could no longer restrain her
mirth.
You'll have to pour out the tea,
mother!'' she exclaimed, as she fed
from the room.
"For the lands sake!' cried the as
tonished mother, rising to take her
frivolous daughters place, what ais
the child? don't see what there is to
laugh at"
Hiram scowled down the table, and
was evidently also of the opinion that
there was no occasion for mirth The
professor was equally in the dark.
Il am afraid, Mrs. BARTLETT said
Yates, that am the innocent cause
of Miss Kitty's mirth. You see, madam,
it's pathetic thing to say, but really
l have had nd home life. Although I
attend church regularly, of course" he
added, with jaunty mendacity, IT must
confess that I haven't heard grace at
meals for years and years, and-well, I
wasn't just prepared for it. have no
doubt made an exhibition of myself
which your daughter was quick to see"
1T wasn't very polite" said Mrs
Bartlett, with some asperity.
| II know that,'' pleaded Yates, with
contrition, but assure you it was I'M
intentional on my part :
BLESS the MANI cried his hostess.
II don't mean you. mean Kitty. But
that girl never could keep her face
straight. She always favored me more
than her father"
This statement was not difficult to
believe, for Hiram, at that moment,
looked as if he had never smiled in his
life. He sat silent throughout the
meal, but Mrs. Bartlett talked quite
enough for two.
well, for my part,'' she said,''I don't
know what farming S coming to. Henry
Howard and Margaret drove past here
this afternoon as proud as Punch in
their new-covered buggy. Things is
| very different from what they was
when l was a girl. Then farmers
daughter had to work. Now Mar
garet's took her diploma at the ladies'
college, and Arthur he's begun at the
university, and Henry's sporting round
in a new buggy. They have piano
there, with the organ moved out into
| the back room.''
1.-The whole Howard lots stuck-up
set," muttered the farmer.
But Mrs. Bartlett wouldn't have that.
Any detraction that was necessary
she felt competent to supply without
help from the nominal head of the
| house..
''No, don't go so far as to say that.
Neither would you, Hiram, if you
hadn't lost your lawsuit about the
line fence: and served you right, too,
for it wouldn't have been begun if
had been at home at the time. Not
but what Margaret's a good house
keeper, for she wouldn't be her moth
er's daughter if she wasn't that, but
it does seem to me queer way to
bring up farmers children, and only
hope they can keep it up. There were
no pianos nor French and German in
my young days"
You ought to hear her play! NY
lands!" cried young Bartlett, who spoke
for the first time. His admiration for
her accomplishment evidently went
beyond his powers of expression
! Bartlett himself did not relish the
turn the conversation had taken, and
he looked somewhat uneasily at the
two young strangers. The professors
countenancewas open and frank, and he
was listening with respectful interest
to Mrs. Bartlett's talk. Yates bent
| over his plate with flushed face. and
confined himself strictly to the business
in hand.
81 am glad,' said the professor, in
nocently, to Yates, that you made the
young lady's acquaintance. I must ask
you for an introduction
For once in his life Yates had moth
ing to say, but he looked at his friend
with an expression that was not kind
! ly The latter, in answer to Mrs Bart
lett's inquiries, told how they had
passed Miss Howard on the road, and
how Yates, with his usual kindness of
heart, had offered the young woman