The midland journal., 1911-05-26

:
multi, sor an afternoon tea was q thing,
that had seldom come the way Of the
older citizens and was fraught with
the mystery of the unencountered for
all the small fry. BY eleven o'clock
the excitement had spread telepathi-
cally to the Hill mansion and was
bringing the color to Miss Cynthia's
cheeks and lending an additional
sparkle to her eyes. Miss Cynthia's
eyes, however, had been very bright
through a very wide-eyed night, and
her heart had been dancing in an un-
accountable way since she fed
through the fields with the echo In
her ears.
Generally speaking, a woman pre-.
fers f1rst-hand wooing, but TO Miss
Cynthia the outburst in the grocery
had had an especial charm. There
is something propitiating and alluring
In an affection that is daringly out
spoken and declares itself at the first
opportunity, whether or not the listen
er is the inspiration. Her state Of
mind might have been guessed by the
careful process Of her toilet, though
she only intended to descend to the
bluff for the purpose of aiding Miss
Selma Lue in her hospitable prepara-
tions. The visit Of her friend Evelyn
had lost all aspect Of an embarrass-
ment; rather it partook of the nature
of a triumph.
Her trip to the Bluff, however, was
postponed for an almost unendurable
length Of time, for in the hall she en-
countered Mr.. Everston in the act Of
taking his departure after an inter.
view with Mrs. jackson Page. The
expression of extreme harassment on
that good gentleman's face conveyed
definite idea of the interview, and
Miss Cynthia followed him to the We
randa and invited the explosion.
Most unreasonable, my dear, most
unreasonable! The land company is
willing to wait no longer than two
weeks for a. definite answer It is an
exceptional opportunity and the only
way to settle the estate so as to in
sure a residue er-suitable to your
mother's-er-needs. The price of the
house is, may say, a fancy one, and
| cannot see another way of getting
the property on the market except at
a sacrifice. Couldn't you er- -er-my
dear, demonstrate with your mother?"
Remonstrance with Mrs. Jackson
Page sounded stupendous even to the
ears of her own daughter, but Miss
Cynthia's head went up trife and
she answered in tones slightly akin to
those habitually used by that most
impressive lady:
IF you please, Mr.. Everston, pro
ceed with the business Of the sale,
and when the time comes I am sure
she will sign the papers. Thank you
for yoar kindness and-your pa
tience," and Miss Cynthia held out
her hand to the fustered old gentle.
man with the smile that always drew
Bennie Dobbs-and others. She
watched him drive away in his sedata
old gig, and then turned, not to the
apartment of the dificult Mrs. Jack,
son Page. but down the hill to the
bluff, where turmoil and excitement
and life called.
And she found them in abundance;
In fact, the bluff fairly teemed with
them and spilled over and ran out to
meet her. Bennie headed the on.
slaught and was followed by Ethel
Maud and Luella Kinney and several
Tynes of assorted sizes. AS they
brought up beside her, Ethel Maud
stepped on one of her own feet in
most amazing way and fell sprawling
in such manner as to Craze her little
retrousse nose on the tip of Miss Gym.
thia's shoe. A mighty wall ensued,
which was augmented by Bennie's
most unsympathetic prediction that
she would be denied the privilege OF
attendance at the party.
h-oh-o-ho, can go, too! !
don't eat with my nose, and see with
my eyes and they won't be nothing to
smell. Ohio, can't go. Miss Gym.
thie?"
"Yes, indeed you can,'' answered
Miss Cynthia, as she wiped the barked
little dot with her clean handkerchief
and failed to notice the smutty prints
from the small fingers that clung to
the sleeve of her snowy frock ben.
ME mustn't say that. He knows 1t
wouldn't be nice party If you had to
stay at home with sick nose. Now
come on and let's get your mother to
put some camphor on it." And they
all proceeded down street.
Mrs. Kinney hailed them from her
open window with the rolling pin. She
was almost. literally speaking, elbow
deep in pies, and the aroma thereof
spread across the street. Her front
stoop glistened damply in the sunlight
and the front walk was spotless. The
gate was tied UP as signal for the
children to jump over the fence and ap.
proach their home with caution-on
the grass.