Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-05-29
Barbara'S Guest.
BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES.


with the great clusters of tiger lilies
all in blossom in the garden, the cher
ries beginning to turn crimson on the
trees, and the roses finging their sub
tie fragrance on the air, as if they fan
cied themselves blooming in some Per-
sian vale. The thermometer stood at
so in the shade Squire Dulcimer's
haymakers were dotting the sides OF
the distant upland, and all the win
dows of the little cottage were wide
open, to admit whatever stray whiffs
of cool wind might be roaming athwart
the blue air. And little Barbara had
ripped her muslin dress apart, and was
sitting, Turk-fashion. on the floor, con-
sidering how best she might combine
the breadths into something more
modern. when Lisette. her sister, came
flying tumultuously up stairs, like the
wild little spr.te that she was.
Barbara was small and dark, with
blue-black braids of hair, solemn eyes,
crimson dot of mouth, and the
prettiest of round. dimDled chins. Lis
cite was tell and slender-a sort of
human lily, violet-eyed and transpar-
ent-skinned, with shining yellow curls,
gathered into net, with a sweet, bird
like voice, not unlike that of linnet.
And these two girls, with their little
brother Benny were all that the old
doctor had.
He had married late in life, this odd,
eccentric disciple of Galen, and lost his
wife when Benny was baby; and ever
since the young things had grown up
by themselves, like the wild roses on
the edge of the woods.
"Do" repeated Lisette. 1--WE must go
down and set the table; that's what we
must do"
But there's nothing in the house for
1inner.' cried Barbara, tragically
slasping her hands, as she rose out of
The whirlpool of pink muslin on the
door. "Oh dear; oh, dear! Why don't
people stay at home when they aren't
wanted? Who is it, Lsette, anyhow"
~-'- '~~'' 1-''~'v" o0sWpred
Lisette. Some travelling book agent
/ suppose, or some shabby-genteel
medical man, from nobody knows
where, who thinks he is entitled to
come here just because papa is an M.
d. only caught sight of the back of
his coat, but it had a dreadfully seedy
look"
Il do think papa is too bad" sighed
Barbara. Il was going to have the
whole day for dressmaking so as to
look decent at church next Sunday,
for Mr.. Dulcimer and his sister are
coming back, and one doesn't want to
look like native Patagonian. / was
going to give papa bread and cheese
and a glass of homemade root beer.
Papa don't care what he eats. But he's
so particular about his guests. And |
sent the last half dozen OF eggs
to the store to exchange for
three spools of sewing silk and
a paper of needles. and told Benny
to carry the pot of chicken soup
to poor old Mrs. Gumbo, who is sick
and poor and all alone in the world"
Charity begins at home" dolorous-
ly quoted Lisette. Couldn't we catch
fowl?"
"As well try to catch a wild zebra
of the Wilderness" said Barbara. "One
would think they were every one of
'em trained racers by the way they
rum"
"a meat pie?" suggested Lisette.
There's no meat to make it Of"
said Barbara, brusquely.
There's the remains of day before
yesterdays steak" said Lisette 1--WE
might mince it up fine"
ooh, Lisette-dear Lisette!" cried
Barbara. I'm so sorry, but | gave the
steak to a tramp yesterday, between
| two slices of bread and butter. He
looked so hungry, and he said he had
| had nothing but raw turnips to eat for
two days. And when | was looking
for white roses this morning | saw
the two slices, with only one mouthful
bitten o1t of each. flung into the
bushes. And, oh, Lisette, there was a
black bottle beside them. And I'm
afraid he wasn't nice, honest tramp"
Then that settles the meat pie busi-
ness, said poor Lisette Couldn't
we make the white pigeons into fricas-
see?"
my white doves into a fricassee q"
almost shrieked Barbara "Oh you
cruel, cruel heartless, marble-souled
thing. Why don't you talk of making
me into = fricassee and be done with
it?"
Barbara, don't speak so loud!" said
Lisette, energetically. "Well send to
Widow Milletts and borrow for din
ner!"
"What?" said Barbara, fairly as
! founded by the magnitude and origi-
nality of her young sisters idea.
Send Benny" said Lisette. "Tell
her we'll return it next week. Write
note, and say that papa has invited
gentleman to dinner, and that we
haven't a mouthful fit to cat in the
house. Mrs. Millett is an excellent
cook; she always has something nice
and Won will see that this will holm uc