Middletown transcript., 1901-07-27

trim, girlish figure.
A snatch of a ridiculous operetta she
had heard Clyde St. Clyde tell about kept
ringing in her ears, and her lovely red
Iips involuntarily broke into the nonsical
refrain:
'The boy guessed right
The very first time
He guessed right away
1t was not cricket"
Then she stopped point blank, with a
little feminine scream finishing the rhyme
instead of what the boy guessed.
For figure suddenly stepped out from
behind the corn crib, and came directly
toward her, with low, exquisitely sweet
ripple of laughter on its lips, followed by
a reassuring word or so, in an equally
enchanting voice, that had in it, however,
none Of the mirth Of the brief laugh-a
voice that was cold, and scornful, and
defantly desperate.
'Don't be frightened, Maggie! It's no.
body but l..
ooh, it's you, is it, Blanche Berry? l
thought it surely was tramp"
Maggie's voice indicated the relief she
felt, and she walked briskly on toward
the wagon house, the girl going beside
her, and speaking again in the same sweet
scornful tone.
"Well, you weren't very far from btiGg
right, Maggie Melville, ii you thought 1
was tramp. That's what it's come to. 1"
''Oh, Blanche, don't say that" Maggie
returned quickly, as she rapidly piled
her apron full of the choice pine splits.
"And why not?" Blanche retorted, in
a fierce sort of way, as she stood there
looking at the homely full and plenty all
round her, at fair, pretty Maggie, in her
comfortable, seasonabie dresS-''and why
not, when it's God'sown truth? They've
turned me out at home, because | won't
take fathers beating, and kickirgs, and
cuttings, and Mrs. Stoneycrest wouldn't
keep me for her kitchen girl because l
was not strong enough to wash and iron
for fourteen in the family, and do the
dairy work besides. .i!.d !. al lorrd
old Judge ST. Clyde's wife discharged me
from the nursery because"-and not
rage came into her voice-"kecause, she
says, | am too pretty, and can sing the
children to sleep better than nurse maid
has any business to do"
She flung out her words in bitter scorn,
and Maggie looked eagerly at the bright,
dark face, that certainly, was far too
pretty.
"What shall you do, Blanche? Haven't
you any place to stay? And you must be
hungry, and tired, and cold, and"
eyes, that's it exactly-hungry and
homeless, tired and cold, and-reckless.
Maggie Melville, do you know there's a
devil in my heart tonight? People shun
me, and lie about me, and turn their
backs upon me, and all because have
had trouble to contend with OF which you
Christians never dreamed, and because l
resorted to means to drown my trouble
that they would do and then deny 1t
that old St. Clyde and Stoneyerest them
selves do on the sly"
Maggie gave little cry Of dismay.
ooh, Blanchel then it is true that-you
really, really do"
She hesitated as if mortified to say the
words.
But Blanche flashed it all out, in her
scornful, defiant way:
eyes, it's true-I do drink whenever l
feel the despair getting hold of me; and
so would you, if you felt as do"
A voice from the suddenly opened kit
chen door came shrilly to them;
Maggie! Maggie! are you going to
keep me waiting all night? Come right
away with the wood!''
II must hurry back" Maggie SAID, has
tily catching up her loaded apron enas,
"But wait here a minute, Blanche. Pll
ask mother to let you have some supper
at any rate. Be sure to wait, Blanche.
And off she darted to the big, comfort
able farmhouse, where the lights from
within streamed cheerily through the
speckless, ruffied dimity curtains and
through which this strange, proud, out
cast girl could see Mrs Melville's portly
motherly figure, as she bustled to and fro
IN her house wifely preparations 1or the
late supper.
She could see the well spread tea table,
with its plates of smoking biscuit ana
home made butter, and large, appetlz-
ing dish 0: fried ham and eggs; the pitch
ers of milk, the quivering globe OF ruby
jelly, the glass dishes with savory horse
radish and home made piccalily "a
homely, plentiful, delicious meal, that
made her eyes brighten, then darken
again in the old, scornful way, that had
become second nature to her, and a dis
dainful look, that was half cold smile,
came to her curved, naughty mouth.
The idea of Mrs. Melville giving a
meal to one of old Dave Berry's folks'
and especially to such depraved wretch
as ] am generally accounted to bel
And that very minute the house door
opened again, and Maggie came slowly
toward her, every step, every notion
prophetic of her i'll news.
4 am so sorry-oh, Blanche, indeed
| am SO sorry-but mother says
''Yes, I knowl She says just what y
true, that am not worth even the crasts
of her respectable tablet
The girls tones were pitiful to hear,
and they stirred all the womanly sympa-
thy in Maggie's tender heart.
'Oh, you are worth thousand tunes
more jhan sen think you are, Blanchei