The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1900-07-19

drew on her cloak and went away to
find her father.
After breakfast, next morning, Stella
Bird was walking down the street in a
very unhappy frame of mind, when
Ethel passed, driving her fathers
horse. Mamie White was with her and
neither of the girls saw Stella, who
went on with bitter, sighted feelings
in her heart. She wished she had not
said she wouldn't be in the Pageant
that night, for, to her dismay, her
mother had not sympathized at all
about the quarrel with Ethel, and had
quite insisted that Mrs. Hackett should
not be disappointed in that way.
As Stella was walking slowly bach
from town, a half hour later, she saw
little Neddie Baker running toward
her asfast as his feet could go.
"a tur'ble accident, Stella!" he cried
his eyes wide with horror, runaway
an s%mash-up, down here at the rail
road crossing! Train ran into the car.
rage an threw 'em out!"
"Who?" criedStella.
"Oh, both of 'em-but she's hurt
worse! Oh, it's awful" he almost
sobbed. can she was the prettiest one
of 'em all, last night"
Stella's knees began to shake.
us it very bad?" she asked, but Ned
was rusing on.
"'Fraid So" he called back. "Bloo6
all over her face. Can't stop now-Tm
on an errand for the DOCTOR"
Stella gave one Mortified glance ur
the street at the crowd gathering in
front of Mr.. Douglas cottage. Then
she turned. with a great sob, and ran al.
most as fast as Neddie had gone, down
the walk that Led to Mrs. Hackett's
house.
"Oh, Mrs. Hackett!" she cried, brust.
ing into the sunny room where that
lady sat comfortably reading hen
morning paper. "Oh, Mrs. Hackett!'
and down she went on her knees
with her head in Mrs. Hackett's lap
"Why, Stella, child!" began Mrs
Hackett, kindly, but her quiet man.
ner changed, as Stella tried to tel
her what had happened. "Come
dear, come!" she cried. ut may not be
as serious as Neddie thought. Vel
go over and see."
She rose, gently lifting Stella's tear
stained face, but Stella only dropped
her head into the empty chair ant
went on weeping.
81 can't go!" she sobbed. sob, Mrs
Hackett, you don't know-I've been e
wicked to her!"
At that instant came another rusf
of steps, another bursting open o.
the door and another breathless CIR
with frightened face.
"Oh, Mrs. Hackett!" began Ethel
and there she stopped short, and stood
like a statue at sight of Stella, kneel
ing there.
But there was not much of thu
statue about Stella. At first SOUND
of that voice she sprang to her feet
ethel Douglas, you're a~live!" she
screamed.
"Oh, Stella, I thought it was yor
in that accident! Ned, Baker sale
sol"
And then they rushed into eacI
others arms and laughed and cried
and promised everything, and stool
back everything" all at once, while
Mrs. Hackett stood and wondered
what it was all about.
Before she had wondered many min
utes, though, Ned Bakers oldest
brother dropped in, long enough tt
tell them that it was little Lottie
Page, one of the fairy Raindrops il
the Pageant, who was injured. "Bu1
it isn't serious" he added. "Mr. Doug,
las says she's scratched up badly, but
not in danger. You ought to have
seen Ned, poor little fellow! He
thought she vas killed. and you know
his devotion to little Lottie Page il
a regular neighborhood joke"
That evening everyone, except Ned
Baker, thought the Pageant ever
more beautiful than the night before
After it was all over, Ethel and
Stella sat on a trunk together in the
dressing-room. Each had an immense
bouquet labeled: "For the Prettiesd
Girl in the Pageant" and each was
counting the roses in the bunch she
held.
"seventy-fve," said Ethel, finally.
snow what would eastern people
think of that?"
"Seventy-fve," finished Stella at
the same instant. That's what we
get by living in the land of sun
shine" Then she added, honestly:
II wish, Ethel, that yours had been
more or nicer, because you are the
prettiest girl in the Pageant, any
way!!"
sob, Stella I'm not! You're the
prettiest, and the dearest, and the
"sTisn't sol" pipes a small voice, so
close behind them that it made them
start. Either of you isn't! It's
Lottie Page!"
I~rrepressible Neddie Baker had
slipped away from his mother and
found his way behind the
"Poor, little Lottie!" said Stella,
softly. "she was SO disappointed not
to be here, tonight"
Then, at the same instant, she and
Ethel had the same idea, and a mo.
ment later, Ned Baker marched
proudly off with a huge bouquet un-
der each of his chubby arms.
He had agreed to take them to tho,
prettiest girl in the Pageant.