Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1902-11-27
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had.
"Mrs. Nisbett!"
1t was a soft little voice, and the old
lady's face relaxed instinctively as 1t
sounded on her ears.
"Why, Ida Tremaine-'tain't your
ut u.s. I've done everything that Aunt
Constance wanted. and now I've just
run over to see if you don't need bit
Of help"
She stood in the doorway, fair little
apparition. all flushed and rosy with
the November wind. while her blue
eyes sparkled as il they were twin
sapphires hidden away under her long.
dark laShes She was neither blond nor
brunette but a fresh checked girl. with
nut brown hair. skin like the leaf Of
damask rose, a straight refined nose
and lips as ripe as red crabapple.
though by no means so sour. Generally
she had a delnure sort of gravity lin
gering about her face. but when she
did laugh dimple came out upon her
cheek and Il row Of pearly teeth glim-
mered iEstantaneously.
In one hand she carried a bunch OF
late autumn flowers.
''See.' she cried. holding them up.
~ ransacked Aunt Constance's garden
for these. | knew that big vase on the
mantel needed something, and with q
branch or so of scarlet leaves, I'll have
royal bouquet to help you keep
Thanksgiving"
Mrs. Nisbett took the fair oval face
between her two hands and kissed the
fresh little mouth.
"Set down, Ida" she said. II wasn't
a-calculatin' to have no sech fixin's up,
but you've sech way, child, can't
never say no to YOU"
But you're going to keep Thanks.
giving" cried Ida, throwing off her
outer wrappings and dancing up to the
looking glass like little gale Of wind
because you invited Aunt Constance
and me to dinner and because your son
is coming home"
Eyes. child, yes" said Mrs. Nisbett,
subsiding once more into the mournful
Ike; from which Lida's sudden appear
aNce had momentarily aroused her.
"Joel's got the turkey shut up in a
coop, and the bakin' IS done, and I'm
just a-fixin' them apples, and
ooh, OH" cried Ida, who had f1ut-
tered to the window, ''what glorious
red leaves speckled over with little
drops of gold! May l make some
wreaths for the wall? Oh, please say
yesv'
Mrs. Nisbett said "yes''-it would
have been hard work to say mo" to
Lida-and the girl soon came in, her
apron full Of the sprigs of the old ma
Pile tree, whose shadowy boughs kept
the window yelled with cool shadows
through the glazing summer days and
showered fading gold upon the dead
grass when the autumn came.
Mrs. Nisbett looked with tenderness
upon the graceful little figure seated
| Oh the hearth rug, when the shine of
| the high heaped logs lost itself in her
bright hair and made sparkles in her
| eyes, as the wreaths and trails of au-
tumn leaves grew rapidly beneath her
/ deft fingers.
"Lida," she said softly, "Lida, my
dear! Ida looked up
II saw your Aunt Constance yester-
day, but there's somethin' reserved
about her, and | didn't like to ask
about you-whether you had decided to
| go out as a governess or not; because.
my dear, Joel and l We're talkin' last
night, and we both thought what q
comfort it would be to have you here. y
| ITO have me hereY'
Were old and we're alone, and
somehow we've both took fancy tC
you, my child. So when your Aunt
Constance goes back to the city. If you
choose to come here"--
Mrs Nisbett paused abruptly and
burst into tears
1--WE had little girl once, my dear
and If she'd lived she would ha' been
nigh about your age"
Ida let the leaves drop down on the
floor rs she sprang up and threw both
arms round the old wOman's neck.
"Oh, Mrs. Nisbett," she whispered
softly. lyon are so very, very kind
Believe me. | appreciate it all, but
l,+--' i""al~ L,u.w how tn toll Won"