The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-02-25
AS Good as a Girl.
By LOUISE ROWLAND

SLu. bcttinS tne TOlune pin Oh thc Gnu,
and deftly scraping off the dough,
that had accumulated on its sides. III
do say It, there amt bin a hand
somer batch of doughnuts than that set
On any pantry shelf in Bolton this fall;
leastwise, none that we've seen."
"Gim-me one o. them" said a small
voice, as a dirty little hand was thrust
IN at the kitchen window, and grimy
finger pointed at the colander piled
high with the brown circles, braids
and diamonds, that Miss Ann Eliza
was contemplating with SO much salts
faction.
Land sakes alive!" she cried, and
the rolling-p fell to the floor with a
bang. "Who be you? Git right down
from there. l shouldn't wonder IL you
was a steppin' right on my jacminot
rosebush."
The hand was withdrawn SO quickly,
and 1t had been such a small hand, that
Miss Somers, from some feeling Of
ccmpunction, or possibly to gain time,
added, "You kin go round back"
Now Miss Eliza. all through the
morning, as she lifted from the boiling
fat each doughnut as It. attained the
required shade of brown, had seen VI
sions of her self Offering her friends,
who might drop in during the day, a
fow of her doughnuts on one Of her
best china plates, and she could almost
hear them say, "These are the best
Sver did eat; they just melt in your
mouth" and she could see herself with
proud generosity complying to their
requests for the receipt.
She knew there would be no such ap-
probation from a boy-boys had no
place in Miss Eliza's catalogue Of use
ful things-nevertheless she selected
the last doughnut that had been fried,
made from odds and ends of dough
which had the merit of being much
larger, If also much inferior in quality
10 the others, and after depositing the
colander in the pantry, stepped to the
back door.
"well, l never did!" she cried, rest
ing both hands on her hips and regard
ing the owner Of the hand that had
% rudely disturbed her equanimity.
A queer little figure stood there. The
boy might have been anywhere from
seven to ten years old. He was very
small, but his face might have seen a
score Of years, SO deep were its lines
It was framed in the rim Of brown
derby hat that had, probably, once
sheltered a more fortunate member Of
society.
The few articles of clothing, al
though in tatters, were evidently his
own. as regarded origin as well as
possession; while his feet were protect
Cd by ladies' shoes Of by no means
Cinderella proportions.
From under the hat two big gray
eyes fixed upon the doughnut which
Miss Eliza h.. in her hand; not long,
however, for waving all ceremony, the
boy took it quickly from between her
fingers, and the doughnut disappeared
h three mouthfuls, so much, to Miss
Eizas alarm, that she ran for q glass
ef milk; for she often remarked that
Aponge cake and doughnuts, be they
ever so light, did beat all for sticking
In ones throat, and for her part she
never could eat either without drinking
1t least two cups of tea to get them
down.
The milk followed the doughnut, and
evidently met with some degree of ap-
breciation, for the hard and weary little
pace softened as 1t was lifted to Miss
ELIAS, and the boy said,- f FsfI
Gimme sumpin' ter do" ..u l..
Miss Somers regarded all boys as her
1atural enemies. Living alone for the
Tast twenty years since her father,
Farmer Somers. died, she associated
hem only with stolen fruit and tram
pied flower beds, and 30 declared them
'1mps and pests" and impatient with
aerself for relenting toward one of the
race to this extent, said sharply
,. "Yes, wash your face"
She closed the door, drove the bolt
In with good deal of force, and went
back to her task Of clearing up.
This done, and having eaten her fru-
gal dinner, she went upstairs and
uaae her afternoon toilet.
Before sitting down to her small
mending she thought of her plants ne
elected this busy day; so taking the
watering pot from its hook in the
porch. she went out to the cistern to
NIL it, for she always maintained that
no plants ever fiourished like those
watered with pure rain water.
This was day of upsets. There, by
the side OF the cistern, cuddled up in @
heap. his head pillowed on the butter
arkin. that served for bucket, lay her
small acquaintance of the morning, fast
asleep.
His face, stveaked by his recent anna.
teur ablutioas, looked so drawn and
plnched that Miss Somers was startled
md took hold Of his shoulder.
The boy jumped to his feet, ducked
under her arm. and ran to the othel
side OF the cistern.
81 washed me face; gim me sump
In ter do" he said, for hefelt there wa,
need of propitiating this woman, who
notwithstanding her kindness, spok,