The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1906-11-08
All Amanda'S Fault.
y GRACE E CODY.

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When Mrs. Thorpe came upstairs
from the parlor, she found her middle
aged housemaid busting the upper
hall. The busting had been finished
an hour before. as mistress and maid
both knew; but Mrs. Thorpe, in the
face OF larger issues, ignored this fact.
Amanda" she said, with mild re
proach. Il hope you feel satisfied. That
cali cost me sixty-fve, dollars"
20 Mrs. Thorpe, was she a book
agent?" Amanda inquired, guilty.
You know perfectly well that she
was, Amanda. 1t does seem as IL, after
living with me for eight whole years,
you might have learned to protect me
q little! A Sweet, little, frail old lady
like that, going round trying to sell
books! You knew I'd be utterly at her
mercy. II she had offered me a white
elephant at thousand dollars down,
! shouldn't have known how to refuse.
And the point is Amanda, you knew
It all the time!"
"She looked 90 awful tired and
white, Mrs. Thorpe!" Amanda protest
ed. industriously rubbing the clean
ruDgs Of mahogany chair. And she
didn't say she was q book agent"
"As If she needed to! Amanda, ii
you were to 90 into my pocket-book
and rob me OF sixty-five dollars, sup
pose you'd feel you'd done wrong;
but when you call me downstairs for
a matter like this, it amounts to the
same thing. 1t was all right to give
her the glass Of water-she told ioa
you had. when / offered her one
but after that you ought to have turn
ed her away, firmly but kindly, as I've
told you hundred times before"
I Eyes, Mrs. Thorpe" Amanda tried
to look repentant, but succeeded in
looking completely satisfied, as she
meekly turned away, and Mrs. Thorpe,
passing on into the little sitting-room,
allowed her own face to relax into an
apologize smile.
That's Amanda all over" she said
to the sister who had come only that
moaning to pay her a visit. She's
too soft-hearted to live In city
thal's the truth of it. She simply can't
bear to shut the door on anything Or
anybody that looks pitiful, no matter
how much ! try to train her. Well,
twas luck for me that the poor old
lady was trying to sell Stevenson!
Elinor wants set, you know. She
was sveaking of it only last night, and
1t will make lovely birthday present
for her. But, dear me, l knew the
minute l went into that room that I'd
have to take it, no matter what 1t was!
Now what were we talking about when
went DOWN."
I'VE were talking about your going
abroad with me this summer. My
chief reason for coming just now was
to get that settled"
"Oh! But the truth is, dear, I can't
afford It this year."
The face Of the visiting sister took
on a determined expression. HAS
Stanley turned miserlyi" she probed.
Doesn't he give you the same old
allowance?"
MISERY, no! But my expenses here
Ut home are something terrific You
don't know"
Eyes, do. Sixty-fve-dollar calls.
"Now. Cordelia!"
"It's the same old story, you sweet,
generous thing! You never had any
thing for yourself"
"Cordelia Mann. you never were
more mistaken In your life! Truly
I'm not q bit the way I was before
was married. Living In big city all
these years has hardened my heart so
you wouldn't know me; but, really,
It's the only way to get on. You have
TO shut your eyes to the misery all
around you. Oh, I'm just as practical
and cold-blooded now! II could only
get Amanda trained"
Excuse me, sister," interrupted Cor
della Mann, "but trampy-looking boy
just went round to your back door,
and now he's standing out In front
here, looking as II he wanted to steal
yOur lilacs."
let me sect" Mrs Thorpe hurried
to the window. II declare, I've q mind
to get policeman to guard that lilac
bush! People act so about 1t that"
Mrs. Thorpe" broke In Amanda's
voice at the door, there's . poor
starved-looking boy down there asking
N~we'd give him Just one little sprie
Of Mlacs. He doesn't want another
thing, but he says the lilacs make him
think Of home"
"One little sprig!" echoed Mrs.
Thorpe. Make him think Of home.
Amanda, get me the garden shears,
quick! Poor fellow!"
Two minutes later Cordelia Mann, at
the window. saw her sister pressing
huge bunch Of the fragrant blossoms
into the hands of the surprised boy.
and nodding and smiilng brightly al
him % she did SO. They stood and
talked for q little, then disappeared
around the side of the house. 1t was
some time before Mrs. Thorpe come
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