Year: 1876

to have a friend to whom everything
was fresh and delightful, and in meas
ure Julia leaned on the strong, healthy
spirit which stepped into the world with
such honest and discerning eyes. Gar
rie admired Julia's delicate beauty, and
felt protecting love for the girl who
could decide nothing but the pattern Of
dress, and was unfamiliar with the
thousand delights which nature lavished
about her. But while Julia's girlhood
had been spent at schools, 80 that now
she could execute on her grand piano,
paint q water color sketch, converse or
read in French or italian, dance any
thing, bow In the divinest manner, and
ride her chestnut or drive her ponies
like Diana, Carries had been spent at
home. She could roll ont delicious pats
OF butter with plump, sweet hands; did
shape and make the perfectly fitting
dresses which adorned her busy little
person; could demonstrate any PROPOSE
ton in geometry, or calculate inter
est as fast as she could talk had
read all the English books she could
find, and could talk inteligently to you
by the hour on any topic of present in
terest, from the protective tariff to the
probability of Plus TX. being tho last
pope. She had her own ideas, and
thought about everything which seemed
to affect the world, and never knew nm
idle, unhappy moment.


Yes, one-when Frank Warden bid
her goodbye last summer, and said he
expected to go to California to remain
years, and probably should not be in
Preston again in some time. But that
did not Last long. She had no accom-
plishment, so called. She could play
hymns on her old piano, could embroid-
er, make delicious pies, cake and pro.
serves, and harness old Jenny to the
buggy; but these are not accomplish
ments. She was Just a rosy, active girl
with bright eyes and a tender heart, that
made the old farmhouse pleasant place
to be in. These were the two girls,
whose preparations were as different as
their lives for the coming fourth Of
July.


Carries mind being once made up,
she did not hesitate or grieve over the
inevitable. Her mood was only mock
heroic, for she did not hope or intend to
ro:orm the world, only have O pleasant


elf L worry or feel at all vexod," she
reasoned, "my fun will be oil spoiled,
and I'm really going to try and be indie
pendent"


The next morning early found her at
tho washtub. 1t was very far from q
humely picture that she made at the door
OF the ehed, the sunlight playing over
her ripping hair tucked out of the way,
and her round white arms dashing the
snowy suds abont. At times pucker
in the absorbed mouth, and then u smile
and few notes Of song, as the way
seemed clear. There was an unseen
spectator of this new signing of dcclara.
ti'n OF ndependence-a gentleman who
was coming across the fields. He must
have admired it, for he stopped to look,
and then ensconcing himself en- top rail
amidst we'll disposed branches, he
watched until the little drama was over.
Saw tho clear rinsing water supersede
the suds, saw the dress hung to dry in
shady place, smiled at the little pats
which it received before Carrie left it
and disappeared into the house. He
waited some time, but she did not come
out again, and only tho dress hung
there Tapping in the wind. Onlyl The
natural scene was lovely, with the old
farmhouse nested in elms, the orchard
rambling down a hill at the back, field
of tassled corn stretching away to a
flashing brook which sung Though the
meadow. But this was nothing without
the active little declarer, and the gentle
man picked switch and trimmed it as
he said, half aloud:


wonder how long it takes those
things to dry2 She'll come ont for it, I
suppose. l might make a whistle"


So round about he wandered, not
losing sight of the Tapping dress, which
slowly stiffened into an awkN ard, thin,
shnpeless object, and swung back and
forth on the line. When this result was
attained, he was repaid for waiting by
seeing Carrie run out with an apron
over her head, throw her dress over her
arm, and back to the shed. No use
waiting any longer; evidently the iron
ing could not be seen; and the restless
figure disappeared from the fence and
field, much to the qualification of
squirrel who had viewed him with dis
favor for some time.


But it was pity any one who felt in
terested could not have seen the conclu-
sion. The shower of water from the
twinkling finger tips, the firm rolling
with compressed lips, and the artistic
ironing which followed. Hair back close
enough then to be entirely away from
tho flushed cheeks, critical views at a
little distance with the head on ono side,
ruffies reironcd, and at last all complete,
and satisfied rest OH the bed, with the
dress laid on two chairs opposite; q rest
with Interruptions, which referred to the
manifold alterations and final adjust
ment, broken at last by the adjoining of
the piebian sundown with blue ribbon.


The next day was the fourth, and
dawned fair and beautiful. A little
warmer than its predecessors, it was still