Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1913-01-23
wnat would he saw to Mrs. Allen?

What would he say to Mrs Allen
she pondered; and what should she
say to her mother of her morning.
walk? There was really nothing to
be told, however much there was to
think over, and she was still unde
cided how to express herself when
! she reached the Red House.
She might have spared her cogita-
tons, for Mrs. Iyert was a great deal
too busy to give time for conversation
or questioning. Phyllida found the
front door open-an unusual sight
and the parlor on the left of it, which
was only entered for busting as a
rule, being furnished up and thrown
open, evidently for the reception OF
visitors.
She stood astonished in the porch
at beholding her mother, with hand
kerchief tied over her head, arrang-
. ing the china jars on the tall three
shelVed mantelpiece of carved black
oak. 1t matched the high wainscot,
which, with Chinese paper covered
with figures half the size of life on a
black ground, gave the room a decid-
eddy gloomy aspect.
"Well, child" said Mrs Ivert, de-
scending cautiously from the high
chair on which she was perched. "You
have had your dinner, hope. If not,
there is a piece of cold pudding in
the larder for you; but make haste
over it, for the Curds may be here any
minute nOW'
Il have had plenty to eat, thank
you,' answered Phyllida. who is it
that is coming, mother?"
Her mother had reached the kitch-
en- by this time, and thither Phyllida
had to follow her for an answer
why, Mrs. Curd and her son John
from Belmains-th farm out on the
flats We spent day there once when
you were little one, and a fine mess
you got yourself into! The last days
pleasuring / ever go with child,
said"
Phyllida remembered it we'll; how
she and Master Johnny had slipped
away from their elders, and she had
tumbied into a bog, whittier he had
enticed her with the hope of catching
frogs. How he had laughed at her
when she emerged, green and Shiny
up to the waist, to spend the rest of
the day in bed, whilst her clothes
were being washed and dried; and
how she was kept all night by her
gOod-natured hostess, and sent home
next day in the milk cart-an expedi-
ton that had been one of the epochs
of her infancy. She passed it over
now without comment, and inquired:
What brings them here to-day?"
"They have changed their market,
it seems, and have come here instead
of to Canterbury with the sheep, and
Mrs. Curd dropped word as they went
by they would call on their way home,
so must give her cup of tea. Run
and change your frOck, Phyllida-
you are all over greenery; and put
one of those beau-pots you are so fond
of in the parlor. There are empty
pots enough to hold q garden of flow
ers doing nothing but harbor dust"
China for purposes of decoration
did not enter into Mrs. Ivert's view
of the fitness of things; she would as
soon have hung saucepans as plates
round her sitting-room, and would
probably consider the former objects
the more ornamental of the two.
AS she spoke she was fastening to
and fro, conveying the fead-cakes
and other local dainties, that were in
her eyes the Indispensable accom-
paniment to a state cup of tea, with
bread, beef, and beer for her male
guest. Phyllida made an opportunity
to say nervously:
81 got some flowers, mother; but l
sent them to Mrs. Allen by the gen
tleman who is staying there. We went
in the woods together
Whether Mrs. Ivert did not hear or
did not heed, she made no reply, be-
yond telling Phyllida to fetch her an
other loaf; and the girl, having clear
ed her conscience, proceeded to fill
the beau-pots-a delight over which
she fingered so long that, with all the
speed she made at her toilette, the
guests had arrived when she came
downstairs again.
1t was some years since she had
met them, but she recognized Mrs.
Curd in moment. Stouter and red
der than of yore, and very hot and
uncomfortable in her Sunday clothes
-fowered stuff gown and a duf1e
cloak and huge poke bonnet. She was
discoursing to Mrs. Ivert, with many
ominous mods of the head, and as Ia
mentable an expression as her round
cheerful face could wear, Of her part
ner's" many and frequent ailments
from the shaking agur (ague) which
took him every third day, till he trem-
bled so you would expect the flesh
to drop off his bones, to a wheel-like
going round in the inside of his head
in a manner which the doctor could
put no name to, and which she made
no doubt would take him off some day
sudden.
She welcomed Phyllida warmly,
with many comments of admiration