Lower coast gazette., 1913-11-08

got that returned her mother; she
prodded among the sausages for the
brownest.
"'Tain't every girl round here's got
as much as you have"
Il amt got a piano." said Mandy,
darkly; then she fell to eating, silent
ly, and very fast. When she had
finished, she laid down her knife and
fork defiantly.
I'm goin' over to the Ollin's to-day"
mo, you're mott" ~rejoined her
mother, sharply. Its your turn to do
the dishes, and there's the churnin'
waitin' for you, too"
Mandy patted her hair and frightened
the bracelet she wore over her red
calico sleeve.
Let Emmaline do it. l reckon I'm
going to see that new piano, and play
on it, too"
WELL" said her mother, in sudden
acquiescence. "And you might ask
Miss Ollin for a slip Of her rose gera.
mum. l amt got none of that kind"
Emmaline sat still as Mandy put
on her sunbonnet and disappeared,
humming, down the forest path. She
had not eaten much breakfast. Jake's
mother looked at her curiously when
she started out to hitch up the white
horse that Mandy had named Celeste.
Feel sick, Mandy?" she asked, not
unkindly.
mo. l was just thinking how queer
it is to be forty-fve, and not feel more
than twenty" said Emmaline, rising
with a sigh. q don't seem to be in
a mood to work to-day; l reckon my
birthdays gone to my head. I'd just
like to get out and go, and go, and
CO."
Jake's mother stared a little, for
Emmaline was not given to talking of
herself. you can put the butter in
the blue bowl" she said, as she left
the room.
After Emmaline had absently watch
ed Jake's mother drive Celeste down
the forest road, she cleared the table
and washed the dishes. On her hands
and knees, she scrubbed the kitchen
floor; next. she churned in the old
earthenware churn. When the butter
had come, she worked it with a wood
en- paddle, and put it away in the blue
bowl. Then she went into the house,
entered the living-room, and dragged
from under the bed a great basket of
carpet-rags. All through the morning
hours she sat sewing, first a light strip,
then a dark one, while her feet tingled
to be out in the meadows.
II don't know as l blame Mandy"
she said to herself. SEWN Carpet
rags amt exactly my idea of life. And
! suppose if was young, with good
looks like Mandy's I'd want to go over
to Ollin's too. She might have helped
me a little-but there, she's eatin'
her white bread now, as the old sayin'
goes, and oughtn't to expect much of
her. My land, what's that?"
There was a strange, steady putting
and snorting outside, and as Emma.
line ran to the door, a dustry, orange
colored automobile rolled out of the
forest into the little cleared space
that surrounded the house. Immedi-
ately there was a great squawking and
Hopping, and the young man who
drove the machine stopped it hastily,
jumped out, and with a rueful face
lifted a limp young cock from the
ground.
"Oh, you gallivantin' Dominecker,
I've told you to stay in the chicken
yard!" cried Emmaline, hurrying out.
You've broke Tommy's leg" she
said, turning reproachfully to the
young nan
Il am sorry" he answered, earnest.
ly. He was a broad-shouldered, tall
young fellow, with a great many
freckles, honest eyes, and brown hair
shot with red streaks. "And of course
I'll pay you for him."
But Emmaline had suddenly straight.
ened her thin shoulders, and there
was a strange light, shy and almost
rapturous, on her face.
Are you the young man who sold
Mag Ollin a 'luminum dish-pan yester.
day
Eyes,"
Then" said Emmaline, speaking
low and very fast, Il want you to
come in and eat dinner with me-"
At the slight hesitation on his face,
she flung out her hands like an eager
child. Don't you say no! Mag told
F
me you were awful good company.
It's my birthday. and I've never had
a birthday with any celebrating in
my life. I've never had a day OF
white bread, putting it that way. Oh,
do say you'll comet
All right responded the young
man, marveling at the swift flash OF
joy in the woman's face. He followed
her intn tho house and Sho nlocod a