Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1913-03-21

vira 10 her black cat that sunshiny Oc-
tober day. III folks are going TO be so
Of1sh and d~lsagreeable ! shan't stay In
Little River"
The days vent on IN ~monotonous
similitude. Every morning Elvira did
her homework. and every afternoon
she dressed herself and sat down 10
pleasant expectation Of a call, perhaps
the f%orerunner Of many other calls
and, II might be, invitations TO Join
the sewing society. With this expect
ancy Elvira always kept poundcake
aud cookies In reserve.
At last there came a drilling day
toward the last Of the month when FL
vira built a ire on the wide hearth in
the dining room and decided that she
would make hot cocoa for supper. ''TTl
have a company supper. even II Toby
and l have to eat It all alone" she
murmured as she busied herself with
q batch Of biscuits.
IL was after 4 o'clock when the
front door bell tangled sharply through
the empty house. With an exclama-
ton OF pleasure that her loneliness
was TO be relieved by company Of
some sort she laid aside the lace edge
she was knitting and FASTENED to an.
swer the summons.
There OF the porch were grouped
four little girls. solemn eyed, unsmil-
fig. yet not unfnendly IN the gIances
half timid, half courageous, that they
cast mp at Elvira Buttons sweet face.
We've come to call on you. Cousin
Elvira." piped up Mrs. Frink's eight
year-old Bessie.
'Biess your heartsP' cried E1Yira
with tear filed eyes. Come right in
side. l am glad to see you"
The four visitors trOoped into the
hall and removed rubber shoes and
waterproof capes.
Bessie Frtnk. by right Of kinship
with Miss Elvira, took the lead in con-
versation and introduced her compan-
ions with a ludicrOus attempt at imi-
tating the grownups.
LET me make you acquainted with
Amy Guild, Cousin Elvira. Her papa
Is the minister. And this is Mary
Hopkins and Faustina Webb"
Elvira shook hands in a grownup
way with the little girls, who appeared
relieved that she did not impair the
dignity Of the occasion by Offering to
kiss them.
IF you win excuse me for a little
while" said Elvira politely. II will at
tend to my supper. You are Just in
time to sit down and have a bits>to
eat"
Four O'Clock was rather early to eat
supper. even in Little River, where the
inhabitants were so energetic that eV
erythinR was done ahead Of time They
breakfasted at $50 in the morning and
dined at II 80 and supped at $50. But
Elvira's visitors did not object TO this
early meal. A drizEling afternoon spent
in Mrs. Frink's attic. where they had
consumed imaginary meals from toy
dishes. had whetted their youthful ap
pedtes.
They smiled at one another as they
sat stifiy about the room. and Bessie
Frlnk swung her feet in triumphant
vindication Of her much talked about
cousin, who had been neXt door to the
pOorhouse.
II smell Cocoa" she whispered.
"Um-ah-sO do IT chuckled Mary
Hopkins.
"And something from the cellar"
whispered Amy Guild did you hear
her go downstairsT'
They oil nodded jOyfully. and Faus.
tina Webb 80 far forgot her dignity as
to permit Toby to curl in her lap and
go to sleep.
From the next room came the sound
Of tinkltng china and silver as a table
was laid for supper. Elvira's brisk
steps went to and fro In the dining
room, opening and closing the doors Of
the cupboard where the best white
and gold china that had been the pride
Of Noah Mead's wife was stored for
company.
After awhile the four little girls tip
toed around the sitting room. looking
up at the steel ~engravings In their gilt
frames, peering into the depths Of
duBky old mirrors, wondering at the
deiicacy Of the feather work flowers
under a glass bell on the center table.
oAcLalnnAnB over y great Dhhhet VI Cuii-
Gus foreign seashells that Elvira pro
duced for their amusement
By supper time they had quite for
gotten their shyness and their assum-
cd grownup dignity and ehGttesrd aaer-
rily as they trOoped out to the delicious
supper which awaited them. Il was
spread on the great square mahogany
table. with the best homespun table
cloth and the white and gold china and
the silver teaspoons.
There were hot biscuits and thin
slices Of pink ham; glass dishes Of
Jelly. ruby and amber and all a-quiver;
a crystal bowl OF damsOn preserves, a
plate OF cottage cheese. golden honey,
plum cake and cookies and. last OF all.
a great pot OF steaming cocoa. dear to
the heart OF small maidens.
II was a heavy supper-it was per
hRps an indigestible meal-but It was
a gala occasion for Elvira Button She
had served to these little girls the iden-