The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1910-11-08

chair on the porch and stared blank
ly out on the sunlighted garden.
"They amt coming" she said to
Josephus, the big yellow cat, who lay
at full length on the gravel walk.
AT the sound of his name Josephus
rose lazily and came toward her.
They amt coming" Miss Jane re-
peated. "and We will have to eat up
our party alone, Josephus.'
The big cat followed her to the
kitchen and shifted esctatically as
she opened the oven door. Within
was a chicken pie of huge proper
lions.
And to think sighed Miss Jane
that no one will be here to help us
eat it,
Josephus mewed sympathetlcally,
and Miss Jane picked him up and
carried him back to the porch, lea
wing the pie to further baking.
She rocked back and forth in the
big chair, her hand caressing the,
purring cat. Her face settled into
careworn lines. She was deeply dis
appointed. In her lonely life there
were few opportunities for social
pleasure, hence this yearly gathering
In June, which celebrated the birth
day of her only brother, was red
letter event. Years ago her brother
mad moved to the CITY, had married
and was surrounded by family of
children whom Miss Jane adored
And, today, the gay group had been
prevented from coming by the illness
of the youngest child.
The telegram had brought the news
just at the moment when Miss Jane
had finished setting her table. She
thought regretfully of the two cocoa
nut cakes, the cottage cheese, the
tarts and the crullers, to the making
of which she had given the whole of
the previous day. In the refriger-
ator were the crisp salad and the
luscious fruits. All was ready, but
there were no guests.
Into her mind came suddenly a
fantastic thought: eco ye into the
highways and the hedges and compel
them to come in" Ear down the
long road dwelt little colony of
poor whites. Miss Jane knew what
Joy the good things would bring to
them.
Il could pack a basket" she said
to Josephus, "but l hate to waste all
my good cooking on a crowd like
that"
She was still undecided when the
pie was ready to take out of the oven
AS she placed it, all Drowned and
smoking on the kitchen table, by the
window, she looked over the kitchen
garden, beyond which were the
flower beds which followed the path
to the front of the house. BY the
side Of the path was great bush,
covered with snowy blossom.
AS Miss James casual glance rested
upon it. there appeared, back Of the
whiteness, a patch of rose pink.
WELL" Miss Jane remarked, that
is a queer kind of blossom on that
bridal-wreath BUSH"
Followed by Josephus, she went
down the path, her soft slippers ma
king little noise. AS she reached the
bush some one rose from behind it.
1t was girl in pink sunbonnet.
In her hand she held a half dozen
sprays of the bridal-wreath. She was
little and slender, and she wore a
cheap, white gown.
"Oh!" she said as Miss Jane stared
at her. do you mind? I am going
to be married and I wanted some
flowers and we hadn't any,
you might have asked me-" Miss
Jane said austerely.
Il was afraid" the girl STAN
mered, land pap wouldn't buy me
any flowers, and he wouldn't let Joe.
He said 1t was bad enough for me to
marry Joe without our wasting our
money. But a wedding don't mean
much, does 1t, without any flowers
or without any wedding supper? Pap
said poor folks haven't any right to
expect such things, but Joe says a
girl only gets married once, and he
would have bought me some flowers,
only wouldn't let him. l was
afraid pap would be mad"
The long explanation came out in
stammering sentences. Miss Jane
found herself looking with interest
at the blushing. bright-eyed little
creature.
when are you going to be mar
ried?" she asked.
"This afternoon, at 4 o'clock" the
girl answered.
Its three now" Miss Jane told
her. "You ought to be home getting
ready"
"There won't be any getting
ready" the girl said wistfully. I'm
going to wear this dress, and I
thought I would make a wreath of
your flowers. You don't think 1t
would look silly, do your"
II think it would look lovely" Miss
Jane declared. Her heart went out
suddenly toward the shy little crea-
ture. "Why didn't your mother cook
your wedding supper" she asked.
"Shes dead" the girl said simply.
Maybe If she had lived things would
have been different"
Miss Jane had sudden inspira-
IT ha