The Forrest City times., 1914-08-28

Miss Abigail panted with righteous in dignation.
 Tt all comes of this plagued old winter time she declared, sharply biting her thread, for she was mend ing tablecloth. "Shet the winders on summer, an yew ketch the tail of islander in the latch every time. Naow, ef l hear one word about this 'tarnal foolishness comin' to Angy's ears, or Brother Abe's, or Blossy's either fer that matter, we'll all have to eat off'n oil-cloth Sundays, the same as week days. until l see more Christian sperit In the house."
 She gave the Sunday damask across her lap a pat which showed she was in earnest; and the rebuked sisters glanced at one another as if to say:
 Suppose the minister should walk in some Sabbath afternoon and find oil-cloth on the table, and ask the req son why?"
 They one and all determined to take Aunt Nancy's advice and sew a but ton on their lips"
 Fortunately, too, the February thaws had already set in, and the remainder of the winter passed without any se- we're strain on the "buttonholes." And at length the welcome spring began to peep forth, calling to the old folks, Come out. and grow young with the young year!"
 With the bursting forth of the new springtide the winters talk seemed to drop as a withered and dead oak leaf falls from its winter-bound branches; blessings of renewed approval.
 Angy went out of doors with Miss Abigail and puttered around among the flowers as If they were her own, thanking God for Abe's increasing pop ularity in the same breath that she spring.
 The anniversary of the Roses en- trance into the Home drew nearer, and Blossy suggested that the best way to celebrate the event would be by means of pink tea
 Neither Angy nor Abe, nor in fact half the sisters, had any clear concep- tion of what tinted function might be; but they one and all seized upon Blosey's idea as if it were veritable inspiration, and for the time jealousies were forgotten, misunderstanding erased.
 Such preparations as were made for that tea, The deaf-and-dumb gar dener was sent with a detachment of small boys to fetch from the wayside and meadows armfuls of wild roses for the decorations. Miss Abigail made pink icing for the cake. Ruby Lee hung bleeding-hearts over the dining-room door. Aunt Nancy resur- rected from the bottom of her trunk a white lace cap with a rakish-looking pink bow for an adornment, and fas- tened 1t to her scant gray hairs in honor of the occasion. Blossy turned her pink china pig, his lid left upstairs, into a sugar bowl.
 Pink, pink. pink everywhere; even in Angy's proud cheeks! Pink, and pink. and pink! Abe used to grow dizzy, afterward, trying to recall the various pink articles which graced that tea.
 But most delightful surprise of all was his anniversary gift, which was slyly slipped to his place after the dis cussion of the rose-colored strawberry gelatin. It was a square, flve-pound | parcel wrapped in pink tissue paper, tied with pink string. and found to con- tain so much Virginia tobacco, which Blossy had inveigled an old southern admirer into sending her for "charit- able purposes"
 After the presentation of this valu- able gift. Abraham felt that the time had come for hir. to make a speech practically his maiden speech
 He said at the beginning, more suavely at his ease than he would have believed possible, secure of sym pathy and appreciation, with Angy's s i glowing old eyes upon her prodigy that all the while he had been at the l Home, he had never before felt the power to express his gratitude for the welcome which had been accorded him-the welcome which seemed to wear and wear, as If 1t were all wool and yard wide. and could never wear l out
 The old ladies nodded their heads in approval of this, every face beaming but as the speech went on the others perceived that Abe had singled out Blosey for special mention-blind blind Abraham-Blossy, who had first proposed admitting him into this para. disc; Blossy, who had given up her sunny south chamber to his comfort and Angys; Blossy. who had been as a "guardeen angel" to him; Blossy who as a fitting climax to all her sis. terly attentions had given him today this wonderful, wonderful pink tea, and this five hull pound O Virginny | terbaccer."
 He held the parcel close to his | bosom, and went on still praising Blossy-this innocent old gentleman, needless of Angy's gentle tug at his coat-tail; while Blossy buried her ab. surdly lovely face in the pink flush