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About Lincoln County leader. (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987 | View Entire Issue (March 12, 1909)
: Aunt Diana I The Sunshine J of the Family CHAPTER XIV. Missie's feelings were decidedly mixed when Roger related at the breakfast table the whole story of the previous night. Alison was a little surprised by the attention she received. Her pale cheeks and heavy eyes secured a good deal of petting. Mr. Merle questioned her anx iously whether she had caught cold; Miss Leigh fairly overflowed with tender in quiries; Roger waited on her zealously, and Rudel sat staring at her, to the ob vious neglect of his breakfast. Missie shrugged her shoulders a little over the whole affair. Alison had done very little after all, but they were all making such a fuss over It. She was doubly vexed when Miss Hardwire came in, full of en thusiasm for that dear, clever Alison. She had met Roger, and he had stopped and givn her and Anna a full account. Mis sie fiad to listen to mote euloglumfe, though Alison modestly disclaimed all praise. Miss Hardwick quite frightened her when she assured her the whole thing would be soon all over the town. "You will be a nine days' wonder, my dear," she said, graciously. "People will tare at you when you walk through the streets. Fancy lucking llm wrc-lJi la'. It was quite horrible and romantic. I must run home and tell mamma and An thony all about it." All this was rather a trial to Alison. Perhaps the greatest pleasure the day afforded was when Roger Bhowed her a letter he had written to Aunt Diana. "Oh, you foolish boy," she said, coloring with gratification as she read the glow ing sentences, written straight from Ro ger's warm heart. Rut the tears were very near the surface too. There was a little space left, and she wrote hurriedly across it, when Roger had left the room a moment: "Don't believe all Roger ays, dear Aunt Di. I never felt more frightened in my life ; heroines are not made of such cowardly stuff; they do not act In a panic. They all make a great deal too much of it." Alison would have been quite happy during the next few days except for the depressing effect of Missie's ill-hiimor. Missie was plainly suffering from a bad attack of jealousy. Missie sought con eolation in Eva's flatteries. Her visits to Maplewood were now of daily occur rence. Alison once ventured to remon strate. "I do not think papa would be quite pleased, Mabel, if he knew you were so much in Captain Ilarper'e company," she aid, very gently. "Captain Harper. Indeed !" returned Missie, haughtily. "You need not trouble yourself, Alison. My visits are not to him." "No, dear, of course not," replied Ali on, in a pleading tone. "But, all the same, yon are going every day to Maple wood, and that throws you necessarily Into his company. Miss Hardwick enn not well banish her cousin from the room; and, Mabel, do feel that it is not quite honorable to papa. He trusts us to carry out his expressed wishes, and in this you are setting them side." "I wish you would mind your own busi ness. Alison," she said, angrily. "You 'have no right to lecture me because you are the eldest. Eva says I am quite justi fied in asserting myself. I hope I know my duty without your always pointing Jt ut to me, and you may leave papa to me. We have always understood each other perfectly and there is never any thing wrong between us unless you choose to go and tell tales." "Mabel how can you be so disagree able?" begnn Alison, hotly. But she cooled down on remembering Aunt Diana's advice "Never get warm over an argu ment, Allie. When you begin to feel angry it is time to hold your tongue." And Ali eon held hers. She would have been a little comforted if she had known how ill at ease Missie really was. Her high complexion and cross speech only proved that the arrow had gone home. She knew in her secreet heart that she was behaving dishonor ably. Her father trusted her, and she was betraying his trust. The very next day she had planned to join Eva and her cousin In a pleasure excursion, though he knew it was an act of tacit disobedi ence, but self-will only gains Btrength by indulgence. Alison's vague uneasiness that led to her speaking was changed into positive alarm when Roger came into her room that night. He was in evening dress, having just returned from an early par ty. Alison was waiting up for him. She had put off her dress, changing it for a dainty pink dressing gown. She looked up brightly at him as he entered. "Allie," he said, sitting down by her, "I am so bothered about something I have heard to-night. Did you know that Mabel was going down to Durbans with Miss Hardwick and Captain Harper to morrow ?".v "Why, no!" she said, starting a little. "What place did you say, dear?" "Durbans. It is about twenty miles from here." There are woods there where people go for picnics. I meant to have taken you and Mabel one day, only we should have gone by train. Miss Anna was at the, Merediths', and she told me all about it quite innocently. It seems that Captain Harper has sent for his dog cart and he means to drive them over. They are to have dinner and tea at the Castle Inn ; so they mean to be away the whole day." ' "Oh, Roger I what shall do!" ex claimed Alison. "If par were n! lim I would go to him at once. Mabel has DO right to deceive him In thl. I should certainly get him to put a stop ; iu it st once, but now he will not be home until to-morrow." "He may possibly come by an earlier train, he told me so as we walked to the station. ; It will depend on how long busi ness will detain him. Of course we should tell him, Allie; the thing Is beyond a Joke. Fancy that fellow having the au dacity to propose such a thing. I wish I knew what I could do about it, Allie, but father's absence obliges me to be in the office. I must be in the yard early, too. I shall not even be able to speak to Missie." "I will tell her what yon say, and then, of course, she will be obliged to give It cp," returned AliBon, not relishing her task at all, but counting, nevertheless, on an easy victory. Missie had put herself so completely in the wrong that no choice but submission was left to her. Roger, who knew Missie perfectly, was not so sanguine. "Tell her that if she goes I shall cer tainly Inform father, and then he will put a stop to her visits to Maplewood, and tell her, too, that I am perfectly disgusted at her conduct. I am afraid you must do it, Allie." "Very well," she sighed. But she lay awake a long time revolving what words she would use. Alison awoke with a strange oppres sion upon her a sense of difficulty, that made the daylight seem less bright. She became nervously conscious that she might fail. What if her severity were of no avail, and Missie should persist in going? She was a little later than usual In going down. Rosr had n1r"dy hnd his break fast and had gone to the mill, and, the meal was half over before she suggested that Toppie should knock at Mabel's door. "Oh, I forgot," returned Poppie, in a stricken voice, laying down her slice of bread and jam; "Missie came into my room before I was dressed, and told me to tell you she would not want any breakfast she was going to have it at Maplewood. She looked so smart, Alison, in her new blue dress. It was rather funny of her to put it on for breakfast." "Miss Leigh, will you come into the school room a moment, if you have fin ished?" said Alison, quietly; but the gov erness noticed that she looked rather pale, and rose at once, but she was even more shocked than Alison when she beard the whole story. "My dear, your papa will never for give us if we do not prevent it," she said, very solemnly. "You none of you know how particular he Is; and this will seem dreadful to him. You must go to Maple wood yourself, Alison, and speak to Mrs. Hardwick. She is the only one who can do anything. Anna can go in Mabel's place, but you must insist on bringing Mabel home. I will not answer for the consequences If this affair comes to your father's ears," continued the governessv moved to tears at this fresh Instance of Missie's self-will. Alison thought this such good advice that she put on her hat at once and walked over to Maplewood. It was not a pleasant errand, she felt, and she hardly knew what she would say to Mrs. Hard wick. She only knew she would refuse to return without Missie, eren if she had to brave the obnoxious Captain Harper himself. Hut her face fell wlien she en tered the morning room and found Mrs. Hardwick and Anna alone; the others had just driven from the door. Seeing that her visit was useless Alison returned home. Roger met her at the gate with the news that Mr. Merle had returned. "I have not seen him yet, Allie; I have only just come across from the mill," he continued. "Would you like me to tell him, dear, or do you think you can do it better?" "We will go together," returned Ali son, uneasily. "I am bo afraid that he will put himself out, and then you will know what to say," And Roger acquiesc ed. 4 They found Mr. Merle In his study, looking somewhat fagged and weary, but he held out his hand with a smile, as though he were pleased to see them after his brief absence. "Where is Pussie?" he asked; "she is generally the rirst to welcome me." And he looked round as tbongh he were disap pointed. "Dear papa,' returned Alison, bravely, "I am afraid you will be vexed about something. We have none of us seen Mabel this morning; she breakfasted at Maplewood. Roger met Anna ats the Meredith's last night, and she told him that Mabel had promised to join Eva and her cousin in an excursion to Durbans; I went over to speak to Mrs. Hardwick and bring Mabel back, but they bad al ready started." "What !' thundered Mr. Merle, and the blackness' of his brow was dreadful to Alison, "do ybu dace to tell me that Ma bel has gone over to Durbans in that man's company, when I forbade any In tercourse with him?' "Captain Harper is driving them in his dog-cart," rejoined Roger, coming to his sister's relief. "It seems a very silly af fair, and I begged her to stop It ; it is no fault of hers or of mine, father. Missie slipped out of the house while they were at breakfast, and though Alison started off to Maplewood as soon as she could she was just too late." "No, It Is not your fault," returned Mr. Merle, gloomily. , "Mabel must bear the brunt of her own disobedience. . Miss Hardwick shall never enter this house again." "Would you like me to take an early afternoon train to Durbans?" Interrupt ed Roger, who had already conceived this plan, "and when I could join them ; there Is a vacant seat In the dog cart." "Look out a train in the time table," he said, suddenly ; "I will go myself, Rog er. Mabel shall not return in the dog cart; I shall bring her back by train." CHAPTER XV. j Alison passed an anxious and solitary afternoon, and as she sat alone at her. needle work she could not divest her mind of all sorts of gloomy anticipations. She ! know her father to be a man of strong pnssions; she dreaded the effects of his displeasure on Mabel. His severity would be tempered with Justice, but still the weignt or bis anger would be crushing. Alison's tender heart was full of com punction and pity. for poor Missie. Toward evening she seated herself un der the lime trees within view of the gaie. topple had come borne from her walk, and was playing about the lawn. Now and then Poppie claimed her atten tion. The time passed unheeded, and she woke up with a start to the conviction that It was nearly eight, and the early autumn twilight was creeping over the garden. So late and they had not arrived, and what could have become of Roger? She called to Poppie hurriedly to run Into the house, as it was bedtime and her sapper was waiting In the school room, and the little girl had hardlv left her before the latch of the gate was raised, and in another moment Roger came rap idly toward ber. He. looked heated, as though he had been walking fast, but It was a white heat, and it struck Alison snddenlv that he was ill, or that he had heard "some thing. "Don't be frightened, Allie." he said, In a quick, nervous voice, that certainly did not reassure her, neither did the touch of his cold,' damp hand. "I have come first to prepare you; be as brave as, you can, for your help in wanted." sn.t,fs dTWf.il tins hirpd Oh, Roger, be quick." "I have no time to tell you much." he returned, still more hurriedly. "They came back by train oh, why did he not send me? -there was an accident I was down at the station and saw them come In. They are both hurt; at least, I am afraid Missie is, only she will not say so, but father is the worst." "Oh, Roger !" and Alison's figure sway ed for a moment on his arm until be made her sit down, for the sudden shock had turned ber lips white. She could not say more at that moment. "We do not know yet," he half whis pered; "there are two doctors with him, and they are bringing him home. He had a blow, and was insensible, but they can not tell yet; there Is no wound. There, I hear them coming, Allie; null ourselves together ; we must not think of anything but him." "No, no." and she gave a quick gulp, and the color came back to her lips. The sparrows were twittering sleepily in the icy. "And one of them shall not foil on the ground without your Father," seemed to come into her mind, like the sudden flash of a sunbeam out of a pass ing cloud. He was in the Divine hands ; she must remember that. As Roger went down to open the gates she compelled herself to return to the house. "Sarah, there has been an accident," she heard herself say, only her voice did not seem to belong to her. "Send Eliza to the school room, to keep Miss Topple out of tbe way, and yon and Nanny be in readiness for what is wanted. Hot water I suppose they will want that, and I don't know what besides." And here her voice suddenly failed, for wheels were evidently coming up the graveled sweep. The next few minutes were sim ply horrible to Alison. The two doctors and Roger, and some man from the rail way, were all helping in removing her father's inanimate figure from the vehicle. Alison recognized the fnmily practitioner, Dr. Greenwood, but the other was a stranger. There was nothing to do; her father's room was in readiness, and Roger was there to show them the way She could only lean against the wall as they passed with a fleeting consciousness that her father's eyes were still closed, and flint there wns something terrible in the inert, heavy droop of the limbs. "Very gently." she henrd Dr. Greenwood say. "Yes, I know the room ;, that Is the door, Cameron." And then it closed after them, and she felt some one grip her arm. "Help me upstairs, Alison," said Mis sie, hoarsely. She had crept out of the fly unaided, and now stood by Alison's side in the dark hall. , Alison had almost forgotten ber in that moment's agony ; but when .Roger had said surely she was not much hurt, yet there she was clinging to her sister with a white, stony face. "Lean on me, dear!" exclaimed Alison, passing her arm tenderly round her; but to her alarm Missie uttered a sharp cry of pain. - "No, don't touch me, not that side; I will hold your arm. I want to be in my own room if I can only get there." And leaning heavily on Alison's shoulder, she toiled slowly up the staircase, her faint ncss and difficulty evidently increasing at every step, but her strong will support ing her until they reached the threshold, atid then she suddenly tottered, and if Alison had not caught her in her arms, she would have fallen. Alison dared not call loudly for assistance, for they were close to her tether's room; but she was young and strong, and she just managed to drag Missie to a chair and summon one of tfhe frightened servants, when Missie revived. "I am so bruised all over," she said, with a sort of sob. "I did not want them to know ; they had to look after papa J but I am afraid my arm is broken." , :' , (To be continued.) Had It Reasoned Ont. "You said you thought there was no malaria around here," said the indig nant stranger. "I did think so," answered Farmer Corntossel. "After all the summer boarders took away I didn't see how there could be any left" Washington Star. Jfip Louisiana Rice Dread. Put two cupfuls of. boiled rice into a bowl, add two cupfuls of milk and tbe well-beaten yolks of two eggs. Stir lu gradually one cup of flour, add one half teaspoonful of salt, two table spoonfuls of melted butter and the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth ; then turn Into a well-greased shullcrw pan, bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. Pepper Balls. Two and one-half pounds of flout, one-fourth pound sirup, one-half pound sugar, one-fourth pound lard, one fourth pound butter (lard and butter melted together), two eggs, teaspoon ful baking powder, one-eighth ounce cloves. After the sirup has ben boil ed take the foam off, then let it cool. Then mix tbe other things with the sirup. Bean Puree. ' After once making baked bean soup it will be tried often. Moisten a cup or more and put through a puree strainer ; add a minced onion and cook In a pint of water or stock until ten der, nd'l'nj; wntor hs needed. Then proceed as for any cream soup, mnk ing the beans for the base. Bean soup needs to be nicely- seasoned. Apple Salad. Pare, quarter and core six tart ap ples. Cut the quarters in halves length wise nnd then, slice. Wash and crisp the lettuce nnd arrange it In a salnd bowl. Add the apple and sprinkle over It a finely chopped Spanish pepper and a cupful of chopped walnuts and nlm ouds. Pour a French dressing over all and serve. Never Warm Over Moshroma. Never warm up a dish containing mushrooms, is the caution which phy sicians give. The process of cooking them is In Itself proper, but when mushrooms become cold they sometimes develop Injurious properties, which, are very hurtful ; therefore throw away any mushrooms that may be' left over. Soap. , All bar soap for household purposes should be kept for a few weeks before being used. It should be placed In the sun and air as much as possible, when It will last twice as long as If used at once. This applies equally to cake oap for toilet purposes. Vinegar with Barg-a. Housewives and amateur cooks who tvorry about the whites of poached eggs not remaining in shape should put a few tlrops of vinegar In the water. This will not add any tuste to the egg, but it will keep tbe whites in perfect condition. To Remove Stalna. Fruit, vegetable, coffee and tea stains may be removed from white goods as follows: Heap salt on the spot, rub hnrd, then rinse inhot wnter in which a good amount of borax has been dis solved and the stuin will disappear lm mediately.' Greene Spota. Obstinate grease spots can be re moved by placing them In benzine, placing them on a double pud of blot ting pnper and after laying another pad of the same over the top, press 'ag with a moderately hot Iron. To Soften Ilnrd Water. Put 1 ounce of qulcullme Into fout gallons and a half of water. Stir it thoroughly nndiillow it to settle. Then pour off the clear solution, which will be enough to add to four barrels of hard wuter. To Eillngolah Burning- Oil. Burning oil Is spread by water. To extinguish It throw down flour, sand or earth. The Idea Is to prevent the oil spreading. In Waablnir Flannel. . A couple of spoonfuls of glycerine in a tubful of water in which flannels are washed will do much to soften them. Short Sovgeitlona, Chenp canned .corn is improved bj tbe addition of a little sugar. Egg stains can be removed from sil ver by means of a dry cloth and com mon table suit. Charcoal ubsorbs all dampness, for which reason It should be kept in boxes with silverware to prevent rust. A pinch of sugar added to freshly, made mustard not only makes It much more tasty, but keeps it fresh much longer. Milk toast and cheese is a tasty luncheon dish. When trying to think of something a little different for lunch ; make some rich milk toast and place it in a flat pan. Cover with a thick layer of grated cheese aud put in the oven till the cheese melts and brooa. BROKE AND HI HEW YORK. 1 flarwrlBht Tnrna Demonstrator Ia . atead of Going- to Palm Beach. She Is a mighty clever actress, aud something of a playwright, too. At least, she wrote a play not long ago that was good enough to be produced and while it was taken off the road for repairs It's going bnck again, the New York correspondent of the Cincinnati Times-Stur writes. In the meantime, the nctress hud blown in all her money, had no Job and it began to look as though she would have to turn a neat and modest Btunt of panhandling. The flat rent was due, the buU-her had be gun to forget her orders, and the case looked desperate all around. A few days ago visitors to her npnrtmeuts found a card tacked on the door: "Gone south for brief rest." So every one re joiced. And the fact got into the pa pers that make a specialty of theatrical news. And one used her picture in a highly alluring low-necked gown. And the man who was putting on her play nsked all her friends for her address. He wanted her consent to a few change. And no one knew where she had disappeared to. But there are two or thre in the secret now. For the oth er day a young matron happened into a department store nnd was attracted by the demonstration of n now-f angled cof fee pot. Having always murdered the Arabian berry, she liked the new plan of assassination proposed. She watch ed the demonstrator's deft hands as the latter filled the pot, and took out the completed article, and poured It In dain ty little cups. And she might uever have notlivd the demonstrntor herself until the latter got mixed In her cues. And nt last gave it up altogether, nnd burst out' petulantly. "Well, Is this a Joke or nn Insult?" And there was the missing play wright. "I had to do It or starve," said she, with a laugh; "but don't give me nway, I'm s.uposi'd to lie n piazza, ornament at Palm Beach right now." City Editor Why do you sny that this man "passed away," Instead of "died"? Reporter Ho owed me money and I don't like to feel that lie Is real ly dead. She I'm going to give you back your engagement ring I love another, lie Give me his mime nnd address. She Do you want to kill him? He No, I want to sell him tho ring. Horace I can't understand you girls. Now, you hate Mabel and yet you Just Kissed her. Hetty I know ; but Just fee how the freckles show where I kissed the powder off. The Tatler. First Scholar What's the 'lectrlclnn doln' over nt the school house? Second Scholar Puttlu' in a 'lectric switch. First Scholar Gee mully! If they's goln' tor do the Hcklu' by 'lectrlclty I quit. Miss Scrcecher I wonder If Undo Jim remembered tun when lie made his will? I used to sing for hi in. Law yer Yes, he evidently remembered you nt least your name Isn't mentioned in 1 tin? document. Chicago Daily News, "There are some points about your writings that resemble Mlltun," said the editor. "Do you think so?" cried ll-( delighted author. "Yes," the editor continued, "you employ almost the same punctuation . marks." Stray Stories. Mulligan The byes say yo licked poor Casey. Shure, he nlver hurt iny man's feelln's. Harrlgnu He's a sbnake in the grass. The blackguard i ef erred to me ns his conllinpernry, and I'll be the contimpernry to no man 'i in'. Puck. "Do you regard tho stage as nn edu cator?" "Not exuetly," answered Miss Cayenue. "It would be unfortunate if we were to get our ideas of society from the problem play and our Ideas of costume from the musical comedy." Washington Star. "The lookliig-gloss is the only truth teller that is universally popular with the fair sex," remarked the tyevrlter boarder. "That Is because women In terpret its reflections to suit them selves, and not literally," rejoined the scanty-haired bachelor. "Why be so vrupied up In purely mercenary considerations?" said tho persuasive campaigner. "Why not Join us nnd light for the cause?" "Young man." answered Mr. Dustln Stx, "I'm tot fighting for causes; I'm 'Ightlng for results."- Washington Star. -,. . , 7 Sunday ' School Teacher Well Johnny, have you hnd anything dur ing the week to be especially thankful for? Johnny Yss, ma'am. Sunday School Teacher What was It? Johnny Billy Jones sprained his wrist yester day and I licked him for ' the first time,