The Exeter Times, 1886-2-4, Page 7MILLI
"" I guess, poor J inz will have to go with
out his supper to nignb," said widow Ho
mer ae she peered anxiously oub into the
bleak, rainy twilight, "Pete has sprained
his leg so, slipping down out of the hay
loft, that he can't take a step on it, and
,I s'pose you and I will have to finiah'the
chores Miller."
" All right, mother ; I can milk old
Speckle as well as not ; and then we have
only to close up things for the night.
Pete managed to get the hay down before
li he gob himself down, but I' do think he is
the moat awkward, unlucky creature that
" we ever had on the plane. Here it isn't a
week Nine he almost out hie thumb off,
andy
it's a mato he didn't
burn the house
'
up yesterday when he went and started
t fir
• he tea a in the fireplace without
b ever
g p
e
bo boards bh' '
Lakin a e ahimne 1"
,. g i, doesy
Y a atin o• he seembit
e� 611'' sa un-
balanced ; blit I feel sorry for the poor
fellow. He is groaning fearful with Me
leg, and won't let me do a thing for it ;
says he has got it wrapped up and thinks
it will get easier after he gets to bed. I
gave him some liniment for it, and he
went to his room. .And now comes this
despatch from Jim, and no one to go to
the station with his lunch."
" Never mind mother ; we'll fix it
somehow," answered pretty, brown -eyed
Milly, ail, she bustled about, putting on
her waterproof and overshoes, prepar-
atory to fintahing the, chines, and the
darkness hills the'roey laIh with which
she said, as the firih tinkling streams
of milk made mucic in the pail : "Mbth-
er, I believe I can carry Jim's lur oh down
to him 'myself*
" Mere, Milly ! I'd never dare to let
you !—the night's so;dark, and the road so
long pd lonely ! "No; indeed, ohtld ;
Jir would never allow it."
" I know, but it is too bad for the poor
fellow to go without his supper this cold,
bleak night, and I, know every inch of
the Way with my eyes shut."
Mrs. Homer shivered a little as she
drew her shawl closer against the keen
autumn blast, and one could see that her
resolution wavered a little. "Acup of
nice, hot coffee from home would seem
kind of cheerful to him," she aafd in a
meditative tone, " and it's proper kind of
yon to make the offer, ghild ; but I doubt
it's being safe for you td go so far alone,"
" Nobody would be likely to be out on
such a night as this, unleas it should be
some of the neighboring farmers, and
even if there were, the darkness would
hide me."
" I'm afraid to let yon go, Milly. I've
heard cf tramps, and—"
"III'll tell you, mother ;1'11 take Jim's
revolver.a left it in his room the last
time he wane at home."
"" Well,"Wb' gan Mra. Hoamer, doubt-
fully, though you'd never dare to use it."
" Yea I would, if I really needed to,"
responded Milly ; "so let us call it set-
tled, and go in and get something nice
- pub up for lunch.
Really pleased in her maternal heart
for this regard for her son's comfort, Mrs.
Roamer ghee a reluctant consent ; for
Jim 'was her only and almost idolized
child, little Milly being only thedaughter
of a dear da friend whose child Mra.
Homer h sadly taken to her home
- and heart. i,
The farm was small and Jim detested
farming ; so a man was employed on the
place, while ambitions Jim risked life and
limb as an engineer. He was now a hand-
some, stalwart fellow of twenty-six, whose
broad shoulders, bronzed face, and merry
eyes were secretly enshrined in Milly's
heart as her ideal of all that was noble
and manly. As for Jim, he, too, had an
ideal, and often as he sat waiting on his
engine he pictured a future fireside to
which he could turn for rest instead of
his barren boarding-house, and the wo-
man's face that always smiled his welcome
in Its light was wonderfully like the little
picture of Milly that he always carried in
the pocket of his b:ue flannel shirt. Many
a time the engine light shone over the
sweet face es it lay on his grim palm in
intervals of work, and Jim would whisper
softly, " By and by, little girl," as he
carefully slipped it back where it beat
with every beab-of his heart.
Working faithfully and ateadi'y, secret-
ly laying the foundation of that ideal
home, Jim had gained the reaped and
confidence of Ms employers and was on
the road to promotion. But his work
now was somewhat varied, and when the
busy season came and freight was moving
freely, he often ran a " wild train
through Rockfield, as the little place was
called, where a station bad been erected
for the accommodation of the surrounding
farmers.
On these occasions he generally sent
home a despatch, as in the present case,
and on return, found a tempting tench
Waiting his coming, and sometimes, if the
weather was fine, got a glimpse of Milly
and his mother and a moment's chat.
His despatohteenirzhb read :
"Ruh Redfield to -night just
ahead of ten o'clock express, reaching
there abort quarter of ten."
a
" I will start only just in time to get
there as the train arrives," said
Milly, as they made the coffee and friz-
zled some slices of ham ; if I walk fast I
can get there in fifteen minutes, and I
don't believe the coffee can get cold in
that time, all wrapped up in this big bot-
tle and shut up in the pail."
" You might carry it in a little pail and
set its on the stove in the ;station until
Jim Domes," suggested Mra. Homer.
'' " I don't believe there would be a fire
there; and builders, I would rather nob' go
in. 1 can't bear Tom ''Kennedy's nom•,
menta or company. I shall just stop un-
der the porch till the train comes, and
then I can hand Jim the lunch -pail and
Blip away before any one notices me."
" Maybe that world be best," assented
Mrs. Hoamer, who knew how disagreeable
the attentions of the sandy -haired young
station agent were to her adopted daugh-
ter. "But, •hilly, do be careful and
take care of yourself. If anything should
happen to you I ahould never forgive my-
self—never 1 In fact, I have half a mind
nob to let'you go, after all,',
her blood flew through her veine like fire.
-nowt burn bussed fool now," ex.
gruff oice in
Claimed a v a hoarse under-
tone. "It's a little late to turn soft-heart-
ed just when the game is ours; and 1 ain't
no hand to pub up with no nonsense, yen
know that. 13111."
" I dont mean nothing --only U. I was
sure there wouldn't lee no women and
little children—.specially little children—
ever since little Tillie died—"•
" Now bottle that 1" angrily interrupted
the otherwith a fierce oath. "If I'd
supposed you'd ever turn saoh a ehloken-
livered coward I'd seen you starve before
I'd have taken you into thea. Bub it is
too late now ; there is a cool fifty thou.
Nand on that express train to -night, and
111 have it or die, You do. your part and.
share the plunder, or you back down and
I`ll put an end to you. Bub you shan't
atop me -I'11 see to that, Bill."
"Jest give me a pull ab the flask, and
I'll be all right. I never,desert a friend,
you know that, old fellow."
" Ali right then," said the other, no
mollified"" ;
let's get to work. Mike
at hie pos, is he 4
"Yes, jest the other side of the hnild
ing. If that station chap seta foot outside
before we've had time to finiah our work,
Mike will send a bullet tato that sorrel
top of his before you could wink. He'll
meet us at the old oak ten minutes after
the train is due, and we'll be off. Now
let's go up to the cut and get them rooks
down onto the track mighty lively. There,
ain't much time to spare."
A HOUSE COSTINCG $2,500.
P. W. num, enotunzoy,
---
Figaro 1 hoand
g shows a erepouaeve view,
.figure 2 and 3 the fiprat and second atory
plane of a country or village house, in mod-
ern style. The plan is so arranged, thaia
Bitting-roorn or library; and a bed -room man
be added when desired, as shown by the dot-
ted lines on the: first -story plan. In which
case, the window which now lights the main
hall cn the first atopy can be ohanged to a
door, and this have direct communication
from the hall. There le a cellar under the
ball, dining -room, and kitchen, seven feet
in height, with outside steps and plank
staire aoeeseible from the main hall, in the
first story. The cellar Is excavated to a
depth of four feet below the grade line, and
w the loose earth rammed: against the walla,
is after they are dry, and the top is sloped so
that all water may run off. The loose earth
not required ed in gr
e. rng, i removed from
the premises. The cellar is provided with
windows which have heavy plank frames,
and an outside double -battened door, hung
with heavy strap hinges, put on with
screws. This door is reaohed from the out -
Aa they noiaelesaly moved away, the
man's last whisper rang in Milly'a ears
like a death -knell : " Sure there is not
much time to spare 1" Of course they
knew nothing of Jim's train, that would,
within a few minutes, come rushing into
the death-trap they were to set. And she
could give no alarm. The express never
did more than slightly alack its mooed to
drop some package on the platform; no
one was at the station except the sleepy
agent, all uncanaclons of the terrible
guard that steed beside him : long before
she could get the nearest neighbor there,
ib would be too late -all these thoughts
rushed like lightning through Milly'e die-
tracted brain. There was no one to know
or to aid but God and herself. She lifted
her eyes' to the starless sky in mute ap-
peal, then turned and sped like a deer
through the darkness towards the spot
chosen for this dreadful deed. Well was
lb that she knew, as if by instinct, every
step of this ground, even the very rocks
piled on the edge of the rooky gorge, that
now were meant for the crushing out of
human life. Only at Jim's last visit she
had walked with him here to this very
spot. Now, as' she approached, she beard
a heavy, grinding sound and the subdued
panting exclamations of the men as they
strove to move the heavy stones from
their beds.
" By the Eternal i there she comes 1
they've changed the time 1 Quick, now,
with this biggest one 1"
Poor Milly 1 she knew what light was
drawing so fearfully near. Not the ex-
press, but the engine of the man she lov-
ed batter than her own life. She drew
near to the panting, cursing men, till she
felt as If they could hear her heart beat ;
then, as they Dried, " Now 1 over with it 1"
she breathed, " Oh Jim 1 my darling, my
darling 1" and fired two swifbehots at the
men before her.
A groan and a cry of rage told her that
she had not failed in her atm. The train
passing swiftly by below her, assured her
that her lover was safe; then she sank
down in a little quivering heap in the
darkness. N )thing mattered now.
Those dreadful wretches might find and
tear her to atoms now if need be ; she had
saved the man she loved, and that wee
enough.
Bat in a moment or two she rallied, as
the cool rain beat upon her face, and rose
softly to her feet. She must see him now
at all hazards ; she must are and tell him
all, or she could not live. She flew over
the ground like a mad creature. Nothing
held her flightnntil she reached the train,
whore Jim's face shone on her from the
engine cab, and she fell with a speech-
lees gasp beside it. In a moment she
was in Jim's srma, some one brought
brandy, and dropped it upon her cold lips,
and after awhile she heard Jim's tender
words as he held and kissed her, and then
she sat up, pale and trembling, to, tell
her story.
But the express stopped that night, and
when it went on, it bore with it the two
wretches who had sought to destroy it
with its precious freight of Iife, and left
a heavy purse for bravo Mille., a contribu-
tion frcm the grateful passengers whose
lives she had saved.
On going to the top of the cut, the mon
had been found pinioned by the rock that
they had partly lifted to hurl upon the
track below. Milly'a bullet had gone
through the arm of the one called "Bill."
As his hold relaxed, the heavy rock roll-
ed back upon their legs, holding them
both prisoners.' The second man was
Pete, Mrs. Hosmer'a hired hand. Mike
had disappeared.
But Milly was the heroine of many a
day, and when, soon after, she was about
to become Jlm'a happy wife, she got a
silver tea -ser vice fit for a princess, " With
the gratitude and beat wishes of the—
Ex. Co., for James Hoamer's brave wife."
Proud of His Sister -
The Chicago Tribune relates the case of a
young man who was regarded as a phenom-
enon, because he took his sister to all the
best entertainments, and actually devoted
himself to her during the lecture and opera
season. •,Being praised for his unusual at-
tention to his sister,'tho young man prompt-
ly and proudly replied :
" No, there's nothing wonderful or extra-
ordinary about it. She is the only woman
I know in whom I have the most thorough
confidence. Sho is always the same, always
pleasant and aflectioneto, and to tali you tho
candid truth, I am afraid she'll go and
marry some of those imitation men around
here, and be unhappy all her life.
"She has nobody else to leek to, and I'll
take caro she does not have to look to any
body else. I° suppose' some day a genuine
man will carne along. If he's a genuine
man, I won't object, Until he does come,
she's good enough for me, and If I ever find
as good a girl, I'll marry her,"
The example is moat commendable. A
you're man would do well to seek his sie-
ter'a society until ho finds another lady as
good as his sister.
'-+-.�•-•�+�lA��ir.►Nie..---.-�+'
The body and the soul aro so nearly re-
lated they often catch each other's di.
seams,
Felicity, urn and unalloyed felicity,
q is
nota plant of earlygrowth ; her gardens
are the skies, g g
side y flag -stone steps set on batik ck risers,
all protected from the weather by titer%
doore made and hung in the usual way, The
entire cellar bittern and Aram are ewerod
with concrete three inches deep, put down
in board moulds, and well rammed In plate,
with the top of the concrete left amocth
and level,
i.'he footings are of lar o$ flat stones bed
ded'in ommt ranid on r v
morte properly leveled.
The fpundation; walls and chimneys pre of
good, hard -burned brick laid in cement mor•
tar. The outside of the foundation .walls
below grade, are plastered with good cement
mortar ; the chimneys for the parlor .and
dining -room are brought together in the
Mont on second story, with all flues septi
ate and continuous to the top. Iron thim-
bles and h ter•pipes set as required. Zino
eafea fort z ova i s
pt a which connect with
p _
the ohimnetnin the closet on' second stop
are set 'in the partition walla. y.
The chimneys have neatly axed blue -
atone naps. Cellar, areas, door, and win-
dows have• blue -atone slag sills, all set in
good oement mortar. All exposed brick-
work is laid in cement mortar, stain-
ed red, and at the finish the
whole cleaned with dilute acid and oiled
with two coats beat linseed oil, stained
i
s ^ti b � j
re -
�1dot/ z_
FIG. 1.—PERSPECTIVE. VIEW.
FIG, 2,—PLAN OF FIRST STORY.
FIG, 3,—PLAN Or SECOND �,r)RT,
with Venetian red. !Glazed tile facings and
hearth to all fire -places, carefully set in ce-
ment, the same supported upon four -inch
brick trimmer arches, leveled on top with
concrete.
The attic ie left unfinished. All closets
areeplestered in two coats ; all other rooms
and halls, pantry, and store -room, are hard -
finished on two coats brown mortar and sea-
soned lath, The frame of the house is of
sound, seasoned spruce timber of the follow-
ing sizes :
Girders 6 by 8 inches.
Sills, 4 by 8 inches.
Floor beams, 2 by 9 inches.
Header and trimmers, 4 by 9 inches.
Collar beams; 1 by 6 inches,
Plates, 4 by 6 inches.
Outside studding, 3 by 4 inches,
Veranda sills, 4 by 6 inches.
Veranda plates, 4 by 6 inches.
Inside studding, 2 by 4 inches,
Door and windows°uuding, 4 by 4 inches.
Rafters, 2 by 6 inches,
Hip and 'valley rafters, 2 by 8 Moho,
Veranda floor beams, 3 by 6 inches,
Veranda Rafters, 2 by 6 inches.
Veranda ceiling beams, 2 by 4 inches,
The beams and studding aro placed six-
teen inches from centres, with rows of
double cross -bridging not above six feet
apart, well nailed and fitted in place, The
angles of all partitions are firmly anchored
at their joinings, to prevent the cracking of
plaster, The first Story is be feat in height;;
the second story, vino feet all in the clear:
Tho outside walls aro sheeted withsound,
surfaced hemlock, thorougli ly nailed to earth.
stud, and are covered with heavy builder's
!paper ; and the lower story to the belt
course is clap -boarded with clear white pine
slx-inch beveled clapboards. The .roofs are
bevelled with one -by -three inch shingle lath.
The roofs$ gables, and side walls of the sec-
ond story aro shingled with best•qunlity
white pine ahingteelaid Ave Mahn to the
weather.
y,
0
The cellar window frames have one ana
one-half inch jambs and two-inch rebated
plank sills, and one and one-half inch sash,
glazed with single -thick glass and hung
with strong, malleable iron hinges, and pro-
vided with suitable hooks and fastenings.
All other window frames have one and one-
eighth inch jambs and two-inch rebated
sills, with one and one-eighth inch blind
hanging atiles, all of white pine. Casement
window sash, one and one-half inch thick,
glazed with single -think glass, and hung
with loose -joint oast iron japanned butts
and patent fastenings to match. All other
sashes are one and one-half inch thick, glaz-
ed with double -thick American glass, and
balanced with cast iron weights and, best
hempen cord. Outside blinds to all except
cellar windows.
The corner boards, gutters, cornices, out-
side door and window casings, veranda
posts, railing, steps, etc,, are all of white
pine, as shown on the drawings. The floors
throughout are of kiln -dried yellow pine,
well driven together and nailed to each
beam. Veranda floors laid with simply
jointed edges, The newels, rails, and.
balusters of the main stairs are of cherry,
the shelves of all closets are of white -wood
or white pine. The water -closet seat and
top of bath tub is of cherry. All doors of
white pine, Those on the first atopy, five-
paneled, and moulded both sides; those on
the second story, four -paneled, and mould-
ed both sides, except closet doors of the sec-
ond story, which are moulded on ono side
only, All other inside wood -work of clear-
kiln,dried yellow pine ; stained mahogany
color in parlor, dining'room, and hall; all
other moms loft in the natural color of the
wood. All inside woodwork to have one
goat of wood -filler, and two coats of nine
good preservative rubbed smooth.
All exterior metal and nd worid•work
painted two create patent prepared paint, in
shades of ,warm brown, Pantry and Monate
have euf table wardrobe hooks. Hardwood:
saddlea ` to all doors, with rubbed -tipped
stops where required.
The front door bas a bronze faced mortise
door look, with bronze knobs, roses, drops,
and escutcheons, Closet dgora have rim
look§ ; all others have brass•faood mortise
looks, and white porcelain knobs. Frons
door has bronze, loose -joint butts ;ell others
have japanped, iron, loose -joint butts,
()resting and finials, galvanizedlron, A
flashings and Iininge of gutters beat, I.
charocal tin. A gong bell, with bell p
to match trort door knob, a suitable furnace,
with registers and pipee complete, a kitchen
range, a forty-gallou'galvanized iron boiler,
galvanized iron sink,;: twelve -ounce planis-
ed copper bath tub, and wash-out water
closet, with all the neoessar y cooks, traps,
vl nt ;pipes and 801 pipes, all left in com-
plete
om-
p e worldng order. Estimate of coat,' $2,-
600 to $3,000.
-YOUNG- FOLKS
SLIPPERS. -
" Sh•h-h-h now 1 Somebody might hear,"
`" No, they won't, Listen, Up le Phil;
Me and Susie want to buy n pair of Blip ers
Inc grandfather, handsome, onee you know
-for a New Year's. present. We're going
Il to an our money together, because one of us
hast t got enough. We've got thirtyoenta
apiece. Will that do ?" ,
u11 1
A TELEGRAM A RARITY.
THE EXCITEMENT BROUGHT' ABOUT BY A
INCH YOUNG MAN'S MESSAGE.,
A very nice young man spent moot of
the hob days of last Angnat ab a wind-
swept retreat in the Atlantic Highlands of
New Jeraey. AtlanticHighiande, after
the summer has gone away, is a tired lit-
tle village of 600 souls. Nobody ever
comes there and nobody ever goes away
during the winter months, The village
goes to sleep as soon as the leaves begin
to turn, and hibernates until the sea at
the foot of its clifta beoomea warm enough'
to bathe in. Then the summer loiterers
pour in again and buckboards and pillage
carts enliven the place with a kind of 0o-
ith island jollity.
"Thin nice young man, when he was there
lent summer, met one of the rustic beauties
of the place. Ha came back to his work
in the city, but the witchery of her brown
eyes came with him. He wrote, and she
asked hies to call during the winter. iSo
yeaterday he sent a telegram telling her
he would call during the d'ay.
It was the telegram that caused the
trouble. The village was unaccustomed
to telegrams. It startled the community.
It was too much for the nerves of that
quiet plata. . Somehow—nobody ever will
know just how -fifteen minutes after the
message clicked into the office every per-
son in town knew that young Blake wa's
coming to see Miss Trevette. Every
young lady of the town made up her mind
to catch a glimpse of this rash young man
who sent telegrams, and every man deter-
mined to be there to see that everything
went smoothly. Now, this nice young
man was a modest young man. It was
with some misgiving that he -drove over
the hills to 'he highlands. And when"he
did get there he determined to sneak
quietly to the home of his friend. That
was his programme. He knew there were
only 600 people in the village and he
thought no one would know except the
girl with the brown eyes.
The carriage drew up in the main street
of Highlands. The nice young man got
oub in the middle of a great crowd. There
were 499 vlllagers gathered to receive him.
She was the only one that remained at
home. The entire village looked on while
he paid the driver $3 for the trip from
Red Bank. Then he askedthe way to
her house, and marched up to the home
of the brown -eyed beauty at the head of a
precession of 499 interested individuals
determined to have fun at any cc at. She
saw the procession coming np the hill and
sent word that she was not at home. So,
like the king of France, he marched down
the hill again. He will not go to High-
lands next summer,
Unavoidably Silent.
It does, und out tedly, give aman a peculiar
sensation to find himself in the midst of a
company for whose actions he cannot ac-
count. -The few unfortunate people who
have strayed by mistake into lunatic asy-
lums could probably complain, with justice,
of at least one bad quarter of an hour i
their lives; and there are those who, wif8
less tragic cause, have been the victims of
like uncomfortable sensations.
A gentleman who had occasion to visit a
neighboring bity arrived there at night, and
went directly to bis accustomed hotel. In
the morning, he discovered that his watch
had stopped some hours previously.
4tiheu he opened the door of his room,
another gentleman was to be seen taking in
nis boots cn the other aide of the corridor.
With an apology for making the request,.
our friend asked him for the correct time,
To his surprise, the man addressed took
no notice whatever of his question.
"Sir," he said again, "will you be good
enough to tell me what time it is ? My
watch has stopped."
No answer. The gentleman, without
even leaking up, shut his door and disap-
peared.
At that moment, two other guests came
walking down the corridor, and Mr, B --
again put his question. The two continued
their walk without word or sign.
"Well," thought the querist, "this is very
curious 1'
Presently the bels rarg to announce break-
fast, and a waiter entered the room, seized
the guest by the arm and began a series of.
gesticulations. It was then that Mr. B—
loat histemper.
"What ithe world is the matter?"
he pried.
Immediately the waiter ejaculated "Oh 1"
and vanished, laughing, and Mr. B ---came
to the conclusion that something must be
wrong. Nevertheless he went bravely down
to breakfast.
When he entered the dining -room, which
could ordinarily boast' but a doyen or twenty
at table, he found the hall "filled with men
in blank coate, all eating gravely and,in si-
lence.
When he had seated himself he whispered
his neighbor,—
"Sir,'
eighbor,—"Sir," will you be kind enough to tell me
what this is about ?"
No answer; the person addressed merely
went on eating bread and butter.
Mr. B --beckoned the nearest waiter
and besought him to explain the unusual
state of things.
"Oh," said the waiter, "don't you know t
Why, this is the deaf and dumb cnvention
which meets to -day," '
a
the young housewife who wants to have
home happy should always make the best of
everything-partioularly the beat of bread,
" Now Water' Works," says a black head
line in an exchange, New cider works, but
we didn't know that new water anted simi-
larly.
In olden days the hunter used to "wind
his horn" as he pursued his game uphill and
down dale. Nw he only unwins the top
p
of it, Times change.
"Yes, I think it will," said Uncle Phil,
"Or, p'rapa that's too much ?''
"Well—no, I think it willright."
go down this
" We'll. be about
afternoon and you
can show them to -us, And, Uncle Phil,
you can keep a secret, can't you ?'
"You must p -r -r. remise not to breath one
word i"
".Keep it till we say you maytell."
"Keep' it in a pansy,"
"Ina what, Susie?"
"In a pansy. That's the way to keep a
secret. I heard mamma read it in a book.'
Tom gave re very provoking laugh, but
Susie hunted out a book, and ran to mam-
ma to show her the ,poem in which came
the line—
"Th.'moral kept inviolate,"
"There," she said, "a violet's almost''
the same as,a pansy." .
"I'll"keep it," said Uncle Phil, solemnly,
"in violet or pansy or anything you say,
Susie. I'lf keep in If I have to get .a dozen
people to help me.''
"Pretty ones, we want," exclaimed the
two as they stood before Uncle. Phil's show
case.
" With rosebuds er forget-me-nots, and
things cn," said Susie.
"Pshaw, that'd what they have on girl's
doings," said Tom, in contempt. " When I
was down at oousin'Roland's he had a splen-
did pair -a tiger's head on the toes. When he
he crossed his feet and put 'em up on the
fender it made you think of a fight."
Uncle Phil had no tiger -headed slippers,
but he found a pair of dog's heads which:
charmed. Tom, though Susie did not like
them at all. She spied a pair, si ith daisies,
and a fern leaf, which exactly suited her
fancy. She declared the dogs were ugly,
and snubby -nosed and puggy looking (as,
indeed, they were), which made Tom angry.
" I'm a boy and I'm bigger than you, and:
I'm going to have the dogs."
Isn't it polite to give np to the ladies,
Uncle Phil?"
Uncle Phil could not say no to such an
appeal, and began to realize that he had un-
dertaken a task quite beyond him, as cus-
tomers waited and there appeared no pres-
peot of the very differingtastes being brought
to an agreement.
"I'll tell you," he said at last, " each of
you take one slipper you like best and leave
grandfather to ohoose."
Nothing better could be done. They were
wrapped separately, and Tomwouldn't
speak to Sasie as they walked home.
New Year's was always a busy, season,
but mamma thought it a good time to have
a little talk with the children ; and she
always managed to find a half -hoar for
them.
So, with .little. Bert on her lap, Susie'a
curls falling over one shoulder, and Tom's
short -cropped head resting on the ether, she
tried to impress on them a lesson of love
for the year coming, drawn from experiences
of the year that was gone.
As she whispered of kindness and gentle-
ness between brother and sister, Tom glanc-
ed shamefacedly over at Susie, and wished
he hadn't been se erose. And Saab 's little.
heart was soon filled with a plan which
broaght her back to mamma as soon as the
others were all out of hearing
"Mamma let me go down to Uncle Phil's
please, all, alone. She had never been so
far by herself, but she coaxed and coaxed
"because it was for New Year's" so the lit-
tle fur cap went on over the curls, and soon
tae small lassie stood again smiling up at
Uncle Phil.
"1 thought I'd change," she said holding
up the daisles and fern leaf, "Tom's the
biggest, and of course he knows beat, so.I
think I ought to give up, .dc nit you ?"
Uncle Phil had his own opinion about
that, but he kept it to himself as he wrap-
ped up the mate to Tom's dog.
She wanted to get into the honse without
Tom's seeing her, and she did, for he was
at that moment in the barn, looking lovingly
at the puggy deg'§ head.
"But I 11 do it !" be said resolutely, and.
he went out by the alley gate and down the
street, reaching the stere. a half hour after
Susie had left it.
"I believe I prefer, the other slipper, after
all, Uncle Phil," he said in a very of -hand
manner, "I think they will really be more
suitable.''
Uncle Phil looked puzzled, then seemed
about to speak, then checked himself and
turned quickly to the shelves.
" That's bosh, you know, Uncle, Phil,
about •being more suitable i nd all that, I
think the dogs;' are twice tee prettiest,
but I'm sorry I was so ugly to Sue—and
—
good-bye—"
Now he felt like anhonest boy.
Ile met Susie in the the hall skipping in to
tea as he got home. He seized and raised
her from her feet with a. mighty hug,
" 0 Tom dear ! I m going to be geed to
you all the new, year."
" Me, too, Sue," was his fervent though
rather indifferent• answer.
" I can't find my slippers," said grand-
father, coming into the fitting -room, with
stocking feet on New Year's' morning,
"Here they are grandfather. You mutt
have left thtrn hero last night," Susie and
Tom, Laving crept into his room over night '.
and taken away the old ones had just, now
unwrapped each a new one and placed be-
fore his chair.
"No, I didn't," said grandfather, stoutly,
as be seated himself and drew them on.
"Oh-h—h-1" cried Susie.
" Oh—h-h •- h—h—h 1" screamed Tom.
" Why; I exchanged mine 1" exclaimed
Susle, 7
"So—did--I 1"
both stared as if the double exchange
ought to have made the two more alike than
ever before.
As the others gathered around to see,
Uncle Phil, relieved himself by a fearful
shout of laughter, and then went on to cm
plain how it was that the slipper question
was unsettled, and seemed likely to remain
so, for Tom declared that Susie's choice
should be kept, while Susie insisted that
Tom's should.
At last Uncle Phil proposed a"; solemn
family amnion en the matter:
But grandfather gathered'a boy in one
arm and a girl in the other, and gave Tom
a loving kiss, and Sudo two. Then the
ear old gentleman settled it himself, and bow
do yon think he did it ?
"1 Phan keep them both," �w
he said ith a
decided stamp of the flowery slipper, Tha
wad how.
And to this day the peppy dog and the
daisies and fern leaf move slowly side by
side about the house,: serving as an every
day reminderto 'Susie ic and Tum that they
had resolved to be good to each other "all
the Now Year,"
1