The Southern herald., 1910-11-18

@AalAr on the porch and stared blank
y ont on the sunlighted garden.
They aint coming" she said TO
-osephus. the big yellow cat, who lay
~ null length on the gravel walk.
AZ the sound OF his name JOsephus
Fose lazily and came toward her.
They amt coming" Miss Jane re-
peated. and We will have to eat up
eur party alone. Josephus."
The big cat followed her to the
kttehen and smiled esctatically as
she opened the oven door. Within
Sss a chicken pie Of huge proper
gions.
and TO think" sighed Miss Jane.
shat no one viii be here to help US
eat It"
Sosephus mewed sympathetically.
and Miss Jane picked him up and
'eaFried him back to the porch, lea
wing the pie to further baking.
she rocked back and forth in the
sig chair. her hand earessing the
barring cat Her face settled into
Sarevorn lines. She was deeply dis
appointed. In her lonely life there
we're few opportunities for social
pleasure, hence this yearly gathering
IN June, which celebrated the birth
gay OF her only brother, was a red
setter event Years ago her brother
mad moved to the city. had married
and was surrounded by a 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
tnsa at the moment when Miss Jane
had finished setting her table She
Thought regretfully Of the two cocoa
nut cakes. the cottage cheese, the
carts and the erullers, to the making
OF which she had given the whole Of
ehe previous day. In the refriger.
Stcr were the crisp salad and the
fsEscious fruits. All was ready, but
there were no guests.
into her mind came suddenly a
fantastic thought: Go We into the
highways and the hedges and compel
them to come in" Tar down the
long road dwelt little colony OF
POOR whites. Miss Jane knew what
q Joy the good things would bring to
them.
could pack a basket" she said
IN Nncnnbnc thnf 7 hoN - -
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 we're the
aOwer beds which followed the path
20 the front Of the house. BY the
aide OF the path was a great bush.
covered with snowy blossom.
As Miss James casual glance rested
upon it, there appeared, back of the
whiteness. 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.
II was girl in pink sunbonnet.
In her hand she held a half dozen
sprays of the bridalwreath. She was
little and slender, and she wore a
cheap, white gown,
~Ohl" she said as Miss Jane stared
af her. DO you mind? I am going
! 90 be married and wanted some
nowers and we hadn't any"
you might have asked me-" Miss
lame said austerely
il was afraid" the girl STAN.
Z mered, "and 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 It, without any flowers
Or without any wedding supper? Pap
said poor folks haven't any right to
expect such things, but Joe says a
afrl only gets married once, and he
would have bought me some flowers,
emily wouldn't let him. was
afraid pap would be mad"
The long explanation came out in
stammering sentences. Miss Jane
found herself looking with interest
at the blushing, brlght-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
Eaer. You ought to be home getting
ready"
There won't be any getting
ready" the girl said wistfully. I'm
zoing to wear this dress, and l
Rlought would make a wreath of
your flowers. You don't think It
would look silly, do your"
Il think 1t would look lovely" Miss
Zane declared. Her heart went out
Suddenly toward the shy little crea.
aure. why didn't your mother cook
sour wedding support" she asked.
s.She's Dead" the girl said simply.
maybe If she had lived things would
nave been different"