Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-11

n HE Bankers lived in little house
 surrounded by big garden, about midway between the high school build ing and the church; and the little Barkers always took decided interest in whatever happened to be going on in either establishment If a concert was given in the schoolhouse, the little Barkers gave one as nearly like it as possible in their barn. If there was . wedding at the church, the little Barkers promptly duplicated it upon the side porch of their house. Little Katherine's baby doll had done duty at so many christenings that even it's own mother couldn't remember the names it had accumulated
 Nothing ever "stumped" the little Barkers. No imitation was ever too difficult. Their Salvation Army was, Ia their own opinion at least, trif1e better than the real one that nightly pzraded the streets; and as for their ctrcus-but mere words could not ade- quately describe that circus. It IS enough to say that no one who saw it ever forgot it. |.
 
 pastimes in the course of years Alice developed into a most proper young woman, and no one would have suspect ed that dandifed Harold's principal ambition had once been to shine as chimney-sweep. Katherine abandoned the doll of many names, and grey into a stately and rather solemn young person of IS, and it fell to Tom and Grace to keep the neighborhood in cheerful frame of mind. They did their duty nobly, however, and managed to have proper and easily shocked Alice upon pins and needles most of the time.
 Mrs. Highcrest, the wife of the bank CT, who lived opposite the Bankers in a big, beautiful house, furnished them with many valuable ideas; and her most gorgeous entertainments were faithfully copied, down to the minutest details But as Grace and Tom grew older, they, too, began to grow dis satisfied with mere immitations, and to long for real weddings and funerals, and real receptions, with something more substantial in the way of re- treatments than imaginary ice cream.
 When Mrs. Highcrest entertained 8 distinguished novelist for a whole week, giving dinners, and finally Q huge reception to him-in spite of his protests, for he was modest lion the little Barkers were green with envy. Mrs. Barker attended one of the dinners; Alice and Harold were in- vited to the reception, but the only invitation vouchsafed by Mrs. High crest to the little Bankers was an urgent one to remain upon their own side of the street while these festiv- ities were in progress
 But Tom and Grace had reasons for wishing to meet the novelist. Grace, all unconscious that such speech might be uncompimentary, was long ing to tell the writer that she thought the cover of his book was extremely pretty, but that she didn't care great deal for the story; while Tom, who intended to be a novelist himself, in order to have dinners given for him, wanted to find out how the thing was done.
 Consequently, when Mir. Barker dis covered in the celebrity one of his own almost forgotten college mates, and invited the great man to prolong his stay for the purpose of paying him a visit and talking over old times, there was joy in the little Barker.' hearts. Mrs Barker, however, was not quite so jubilant. She knew the resources of the little Bankers. Alice, for the same reason, did considerable quaking in her shoes; and Harold took it upon himself to read his young brother and sister a series of lectures upon eti- quette in general, with a few inn promptu remarks upon the treatment of celebrities in particular.
 For the first three days alIwent well; then Grace had an inspiration. An in- spiration in Grace's hands was about as safe as giant powder in match fac tory, and upon the appearance of the first symptom of anything like an in spiration, Grace was usually ban ished to bed, before the microbe should have time to develop into full-1edged idea. Grace had learnedto be cautious about revealing her thoughts, and her mother, being occupied with the prob lem of feeding the lion, failed to notice the preliminary signs.