The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-01-26
CHAPTER II.
The Rest Of the Family.

II was Saturday morning when the
four young parsonage girls arrived In
Mount Mark. The elderly Misses Avery,
next door, looked out of their windows,
pending their appearance on Main
street, with interest and concern. They
were Episcopalians themselves, and In
all their long lives they had never so
much us heard OF wldower-rector
with Ave daughters and no housekeep-
er. There was something blood-cur-
ding In the bare Idea.
The Misses Avery considered Pru-
dence herself rather sweet, silly
little thing.
"You have some real nice people In
the Methodist church," Miss Dora had
told her. II dare say you win find a
few of them very likable"
"Oh, | win like them ALL" snid Pru-
dence quickly and seriously.
Like them ALL" echoed Miss Dora.
"0h. impossiblel"
| "Not for u.s." said Prudence. 1--WE
are used TO II, you know. When we
dislike people at first sight, we visit
them, and talk TO them, and invite
them 10 the parsonage, and entertain
them with our best linen and silver
ware, and keep on getting friendller
and friendlier, and--hrst thing you
know, we like them finel'
| So the Misses Avery concluded that
Prudence was not entirely responsible.
And they wondered, with something
akin 70 an agony OF fear, IL the younger
girls chad 1t. tool" and when Miss
Alice cried excltedly. "Qulck Quick |
They are coming" they trooped to
Miss Allce's window with speed that
would have done credit to the parson-
age girls themselves.
First came the minister, whom they
knew very well by this time, and con-
sldered quite respectable, He was
lively, as was to be expected of a
Methodist minister, and told jokes,
and laughed ut them Now, Il comlcal
rector--oh, very different matter
u wasn't done, that's all At any rate,
here came the Methodist minister,
laughing. and ON one side of him
trlpped small. earnest-looklng maid
en-. clasplng his hand, and gazing alter
nately up Into his face and down at
the stylish cement sidewalk beneath
her feet. On the other side was Fairy.
The Misses Avery knew the girls by
name already--havlng talked much
with Prudence.
"Such Falryw gasped Miss MILF
| cent, and the others echoed the gasp
but wordlessly.
For Fairy was very nearly as tall
as her father, built upon generous
lines, rather commanding In appear
ance, a little splendid-looklng. Even
from their windows they could discern
something distinctly Junollke In this
sixteen-year-old girl, With the easy.
elastic stride that matched her ia
theirs, and the graceful head, well car
ried. A young goddess-named Fairy !
Behind them, laughing and chatter
Ing, like three children, as they were
came the twins with Prudence, each
with an arm around her waist. And
Prudence was very little taller than
they. When they reached the fence
that bordered the parsonage, the scene
for moment resemhled u miniature
riot. The smaller girls jumped and
exclaimed, and clasped their hands.
Fairy leaned over the fence, and
stared intently at this. their parsonage
home. Then the serious little girl
scrambled under the fence, followed
closely by the lithe-limbed twins. A
pause, a very short one-and then Pru-
dence, too, was wriggling beneath the
fence.
, Hold the wire up for me, papa y
! cried Fairy. "rm too fat" And sec.
. ond later she was running gracefully
; across the lawn toward the parsonage
: The Methodist minister laughed boy,
r ishly, and placing his hands on the
: fence post, he vaulted lightly over
!, and reached the house with his daugh
e tiers. Then the Misses Avery school
teachers and elderly, looked at one an
: other.
i did you ever2" gasped the oldes
J. Miss Avery, and the others slowl!
e shook their heads.
Now, think Did you ever see a rec
/" tor jumping a three-wire fence, an,
running full speed across his from
d yard in pursuit of a flying family2 ]