Year: 1876

don't believe that, she said. " II


he is gentleman, he wouldn't make fun
OF any body, that way, I am sure. Per.
maps he thinks me simple-but I sup.
pose he will excuse it; for he knows
people In the country are different from
those in the city"


Ellva commisserated her unsuspect-
ing friend, being thoroughly convinced
that her cousins only object in convers,
ing with her was to amuse himself with
her simplicity.


Well, the evening came; and SO did
the invited guests; and likewise the
greatest trial OF pride Eliva had ever
experienced. Lawrence having pre-
vlously requested her to introduce him
to her friends, in order that he might
be on familiar terms with them, she
went through the ceremony like mar.
tyr. How awkwardly the young men
bowed and shook hands How the
girls blushed at meeting, so une1pect-
ecly, fine young gentleman from the
city What horrid calico figure Jane
Fairfield wore and what a graceless
knot was that into which her brothers
cravat was twisted | What clumsy boots
Lizzie Wyman tramped about in-she
was 80 fearful of their soles How
small were the pretensions to fashion
displayed by any of their guests What
must Lawrence Gray think of all these
things? Eliva didn't know. She could
only imagine. She shuddered to con-
template the scene. At one time she
had no idea she would have the forti-
tnte to go through with it. She was
afraid she might die


But Lawrence seemed to like it. He
talked with tho young farmers about
agricultural affairs until they had gained
confidence, finding that on certain sub
]ects they could teach him. He chatted
with the girls, and found out what books
they had read and what they liked; then
passl 6 to gayer matters, jested about
coming into the country to settle down
amoug them.


Besides, Lawrence was deeply con-
cerned in the fate of the sugar. Every
few minntes he would escape into the
kitchen to see how it was getting along.
Perhaps it was because Helen Snow was
Watching the slowly boiling syrup, the
golden froth of which filled tho shining
copper kettle; or it might have been
the golden fro!h itself that called him
thither. I do not know which. He
certainly talked gayly with Helen; bat
at the same time he tasted the luxurious
liquid, by dropping little from ladle
upon pan of snow.


Lawrence also was much interested in
the experiment of ascertaining when the
sugar was done sufficiently to grain.
Helen taught it to him. It is this:
Make little hoop or bow of splinter,
or straw which you may pluck from
the broom, and plunge it into the boil
Ing sugar In such way as to have q
heavy film adhere to it; then blow
through the hoop, and if the dross of
sugar flies away, white and light like a
feather-why the syrup has been over
the fire long enough, and all you have
to do is to cool it, and stir it to make it
grain. Helen also explained to her new
acquaintance that, as soon as the maple
trees begin to bud, the sap becomes use
less for sugar. You may boil it and boil
it till you burn it up; but it will not
grain. This appears to be a provision
of nature.


At length the sugar "feathered
then the keetle was removed from the
fire, and all things made ready for the
feast. Nicholas tub of snow was in de-
mand. Basins and pans were filed;
and the snow covered and deeply streak
ed with sugar which had been poured
upon it, was passed around to the COM
pany. Boys and girlsate from the same
dishes, delighted; drawing the hard wax
out of the snow and quarreling for it
playfully. Some, however, took their
sugar in saucers, and cooled it by stir
ring to make it grain. The kitchen was
the scene of this "sugaring off," and
tbe most perfect happiness prevailed.


With one exception. Eliva did not
like to see Lawrence drawing wax with
Helen, in corner by themselves. Hav-
ing tried in vain to separate them, she
gave up in despair, and was only miser-
able. Yet she would not acknowledge,
even to herself, that Helen was anything
but silly goose, and that Lawrence was
not "making fun of her.


Was it possible that her cousin en-
joyed himself as we'll as he pretended
tot Was it genuine good nature which
caused him to appear so highly amused,
when Jane Fairfield and Lizzie Wyman
became engaged in a sweet combat, and
fought each other with ropes of wax 2
Eliva felt more like crying with vexa-
toni


At length, after few games had been
played, and the company had danced a
little to Edward Jones playing on the
flute; after the guests had feasted on
sugar, and exhausted oil the inventions
of mirth, the party broke up and the
young people began to take their leave.


Eliva was congratulating herself with
the reflection that it was all over; and
that Lawrence would never see one of
the "vulgar, odious company" again,
when, to her infinite astonishment and
vexation, her cousin whispered in her
ear that he had engaged to walk me
with Heleni


How blind is pridel Eliva saw in this
arrangement only the vanity of Helen,
and the mischievous nature of her cousin!