The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-16

SSNANO VI tO0 tlAO NASdSNCtS CTliIl6S record
ed in the weekly paper into thrilling mel
odramas
There might be something In that no.
ton of yours Miss Esther assented; then
as she became conscious OF the fact that
they were talking again during forbidden
hours, We'll, never" she cried contrlte-
ly IF 1t wasn't me that began this time"
That there might be no waste either of
time for work or OF time for amusement,
IT was the Misses Peppards' custom to
busy themselves about the house and gar
den until dinner time, exchanging no
words except those necessary in plan
ming their work. In the afternoon they
sat down to the delights of needleWork
and systematic gossip.
Throughout this whole forenoon, hours
longer to the impatient ladies than an
ordinary morning, they schemed to keep
as far apart as possible within their mar
row boundaries. Miss Esther sat in the
kitchen and pared apples for sauce, while
Miss Eunice scrubbed the piazza and the
plank walk to the front gate; Miss El-
nice went up stairs to make the beds,
while her sister moulded the bread; that
the coast might be clear for Miss Eunice
to get the dinner, Miss Esther went into
the wood-shed and piled into a smooth
tier against the wall a load of firewood
that had been dumped at the shed door.
But in spite of all precautions there
were occasional meetings and such OPP
portunities were not thrown away.
THE leaves have fallen so early this fali
that can see right through the big maple
into the Deacon's back yard. II Mis- Nor
ton. or Mis- Rogers, as 1 suppose we shall
have to call her now, takes 1t into her
head to open up all those chests and bu-
reau drawers full of poor Caroline Rog-
ers' things we shall know It, She'll be
sure to air them on the clothes line. II
| was to marry a widower l shouldn't
want TO touch his first wife's clothes.
should you?'
al don't know what I should do I'm
der such circumstances. Miss Esther
called back but 1t wouldn't be like Mis-
Norton to let those things go to waste.
She'll be wearing Chroline's black silk
inside six months, see IL she isn'tl'
ut does seem as IL the Deacon ought
to have given that dress to Caroline's
sister She's the one to wear 1t IL any
one does!"
Miss Eunice leaned on her mop handle
and raised her voice to make herself
heard through the window, but when she
saw her sister put down her pan of apples
to come nearer she flushed guilty, and
began to scrub vigorously the clean
boards OF the piazza floor.
Half an hour later Miss Esther opened
the door at the foot of the stairs and call
ed UP to her sister:
shall make the bread into two big
loaves or three little ones?"
gray head and one end of fat, white
pillow appeared over the railing above and
a surprised voice replied: why, it's more
than a year since we gave UP making the
big loaves. What made you think of ask
ing such a question, when we both like
the little ones best? Do you suppose she
will learn the deacon to like salt rising
bread? Her bread looks beautiful, and It
tastes good when you've got cold IN the
head so you can't smell"
THE deacon most generally has cold
so l guess he'll get along with the bread,
but / was wondering IL his niece, Mary
Graham, will spend a month with him
every winter, now that he has had the last
Of those slack-twisted housekeepers"
There won't be any special call for her
coming. She's always said Il was to do
the Deacons sewing and mending ana
to straghten out the house for him once
a year. But I guess she found 1t pretty
comfortable quarters compared to her one
little room down to the Mills. l expect
she won't be any 100 well pleased with
the change. Let me know when you get
that bread In the oven SO 1 can come
down."
At this gentle reminder the door be-
low slammed sharply and the conversation
was again suspended.
Dinner was a very informal affair, hast
lily served and hastily eaten. The Pep
pard ladies had no appetite for cold boiled
beef and apple pie. The fifteen minutes
at table were a sharp trial, but for the
first time that day since the grocer's boy
had left the house they were face to face
| and speechless. Perhaps they felt that
self-respec. could be restored only by
supreme effort OF self-control. The silent
dinner was to be remembered after they
had carefully forgotten the many scraps
of forbidden pleasure they had been weak
enough to snatch.
| Miss Eunice's face shone with anticipa-
ton when she entered the sitting room,
eager 40 claim the reward for her stead
| fastness in resisting temptation. Miss
| Esther was waiting for her, primly up
| right In her low sewing chair with stiff,
white apron over her lap to save the
black dress from bits OF thread and lint.
Miss Eunice was the elder, but she wore
less sombre tints than her sister; the
soft, gray cashmere which set OF her
flushed cheehs and sparkling eyes gave
the little old lady an air OF girlishness.
IT'S a beautiful day." she began
blithely. ~ shouldn't wonder IL some OF
the neighbors dropped in 20 talk things
over. Anyhow, / am glad we had reso-
luton enough to stick to our rules. Moth
err used to say that the day before
Thanksgiving ought TO be a fast day"
Miss Esther nodded her head In APP
provai. Mother was right; fasting. then
feasting. I don't believe In mixing
things. There's Susan Meeks down the
street, IL she's coming hero we shall get
all the particulars about the burglary and
the Deacon's wedding. Susan has a real
gift for picking up information and then
for giving 1t out again. Do you suppose
Mis- Norton had a new dress to get mar
ried in or wore the brown thibet she
bought when she went to New York ten
| years ego2"
Miss Eunics was anxiously watching
Susan Meslcs' progress up the street.
'"rherel' she exclaimed with a sigh Of
relief. II was afraid she might be 60
ing to SEQ the Colburns, but she has got
| past their gate / really believe she's
coming herei Wen have O real good Wis
It IL she does, and perhaps we can per-
| suade her 20 stop to tea
Miss EDther's work lay unnoticed In
a heap on the floor beside her: she was
leaning forward, gazing out OF the win
dow.
II guess you're right. She'll be here In
o minute. II she stays 10 tea I'll make
some hot biscuit and wen open a can
OF the raspberry preserves. She's stop
ped at our gate. Now we shall know
whether Mis- Norton had a new dress
and everything else there Is TO know.
You go TO the door. Eunice. and I'll