Mildred Keith

by Martha Finley

  Chapter Fourteenth.

  "Jest and youthful jollity, Quips and cranks and wanton wiles, Nods and becks and wreathed smiles."

  "THERE had better be less talk, if these rags are all to be sewedto-day," remarked Miss Drybread, taking a fresh supply from the basket,then straightening herself till she was, if possible, more erect thanbefore.

  "I can talk and work too; my needle haint stopped because my tongue wasrunnin'," retorted Viny; "and it strikes me you've been doin' your shareas well's the rest."

  "My second ball's done," said Claudina, tossing it up.

  "A good big one too, and wound real tight," said Rhoda Jane taking it,giving it a squeeze, then rolling it into a corner where quite a pilehad collected.

  "How quick you are, Claudina," said Mildred.

  "Not so very; I've been at it quite a good while. Some folks can prettynearly make two to my one." And she glanced toward Miss Drybread who wasjust beginning to wind her second.

  "But 'tain't everybody that winds em as good and solid as you do,Claudina," said another girl significantly; "windin' loose can make aball grow fast, I tell you!"

  "'All is not gold that glitters,'" quoted Mildred.

  "I'd begin to wind if I were you," said Claudina, "you have quite a pilethere and it might get into a tangle."

  "Thank you. I'm new to the business," said Mildred laughing, "and shalltake the advice of an older hand."

  "Supper's ready," announced Minerva, opening the kitchen door.

  "Put down your rags and walk right out, ladies," said Rhoda Jane.

  "It seems to me that I, for one, need some preparation," said Mildred,dropping hers and looking at her hands.

  "Oh yes, we'll wash out here," said Rhoda Jane, leading the way.

  A tin bucket full of water, a dipper and washbasin, all bright from arecent scouring, stood on a bench in the shed at the outer kitchendoor; a piece of brown soap lay there also, and a clean crash towel hungon a nail in the wall close by.

  The girls used these in turn, laughing and chatting merrily the while,then gathered about the table, which was bountifully spread with goodplain country fare--chicken, ham, dried beef, pickles, tomatoes,cucumbers and radishes, cheese, eggs, pie, cake and preserves, inseveral varieties, hot cakes and cold bread, tea and coffee.

  None of the family partook with their guests except Rhoda Jane; theywould eat afterwards; and Mrs. Lightcap busied herself now in waitingupon the table; filling the tea and coffee cups in the shed where thecooking stove stood during the months of the year when its heat wasobjectionable in the house.

  "I don't know as we've earned our supper, Mis' Lightcap," remarked oneof the girls, stirring her tea; "we hain't begun to git all them ragssewed up yet."

  "Well, then, I'll just set you to work again as soon as you're doneeatin'; that'll do just as well; folks don't always pay in advance, youknow."

  "And if we don't get through 'fore the boys come we'll make them help,"said Rhoda Jane.

  "What boys?" queried Mildred; whereat several of the girls giggled.

  "Why the fellows, of course," laughed Miss Lightcap; "the boys is whatwe mostly call 'em; though some of 'em's pretty old, I should judge, forthat."

  "Yes, there's Rocap Stubblefield, must be thirty at least," said one.

  "And Nick Ransquattle's twenty-five if he's a day," remarked another.

  "Well, the rest's young enough," said Mrs. Lightcap. "Pass that cakethere, Rhoda Jane. There's my Gotobed just turned twenty-one, and YorkMocker, and Wallace Ormsby, and Claudina's brother Will's all younger bysome months or a year or so."

  The meal concluded, the work went on quite briskly again, Mildredcatching now and then a whispered word or two about the desirableness ofgetting through with it in time to have some fun; but the raw materialfor several more balls still remained in the basket when "the boys"began to come.

  Gotobed was naturally among the first. He was quite "slicked up," asRhoda Jane elegantly expressed it, though his toilet had been made underdifficulties.

  The only legitimate way of reaching the second story and his Sundayclothes, was by a stairway leading up from the front room, where thegirls were.

  The windows of his bedroom, however, looked out upon the leanto whichformed the kitchen part of the building and whose roof was not many feethigher than that of the shed.

  Watching his opportunity for doing so unseen, he climbed upon the shed,gained the roof of the leanto, and entered his room by the window.

  There was nothing of the dandy about the honest fellow, yet somehowdressing was a slow business with him to-night; he stood before a littlesquare of looking-glass hanging on the wall, tying and retying hiscravat till it was too dark to see, then giving up in sheer despair wentdown over the roof as he had come, and sought his mother, who, with thehelp of Emmaretta and Minerva, was washing dishes in the kitchen.

  "My land!" she exclaimed, as he came in, "what a time you've been upthere. I never knowed you to take half as long to dress afore."

  "My fingers are all thumbs," he said, a hot flush overspreading hissunburnt face, "I can't tie this decent nohow at all."

  "Well, just wait till I can wipe my hands, and I'll do it. There,that'll do; the girls ain't agoin' to look partickler hard at that bito' black ribbing."

  "Maybe not, but I'm obleeged to you all the same for fixin' it right. Isit time to go in?"

  "Of course, if you want to."

  He passed out at the back door and through the yard into the street. Hewas bashful and did not like to face such a bevy of girls alone; at thethought of addressing one of their number in especial--Mildred Keith--hefelt himself grow hot and uncomfortable. He had been admiring her from adistance all these weeks, but had never met her, and much as he desiredan acquaintance, his courage seemed hardly equal to seeking it now.

  How rough and boorish, how awkward and ill-bred he would appear to oneso delicate and refined.

  He waited about a little, till joined by a fellow mechanic, NicholasRansquattle, when they went in together.

  This was a wiser step than Gotobed knew; for his well-made, stalwartfigure showed to good advantage beside that of Nicholas, who was shortand thick-set, had scarcely any neck, moved like a wooden man, andcarried his head thrown back on his shoulders; he had a wooden face,too; large featured and stolid in expression.

  But he was not troubled with bashfulness or any fear that his societywould be other than most acceptable to any one upon whom he might seefit to bestow it.

  "Good evening, ladies; I'm happy to meet you all," he said, making asweeping bow to the company as he entered, hat in hand. "And I hope Isee you well."

  "Good evening," responded several voices. "Good-evening, Mr. Lightcap."

  "Find yourselves seats and we'll give you employment, threading ourneedles for us."

  Rhoda Jane was snuffing the candles. Hastily laying down her snuffers,she introduced the young men to Mildred, and dexterously managed to seatRansquattle on the farther side of the room, leaving the field clear forher brother; for an empty chair stood invitingly at Miss Keith's side.

  Gotobed took it, and, almost wondering at his own audacity, addressedhis divinity with a remark upon the weather--that never-failing resourcewhen all other topics elude us.

  She answered with gracious sweetness,

  "Yes it has been a lovely day, Mr. Lightcap."

  What should he say next.

  "I--I guess you never sewed carpet rags afore?"

  "Is it my awkwardness at the business that makes you think so?" shereturned, with a quizzical look and smile, as she lifted her fine eyesto his face.

  "No, no, no sirree! ma'am, I mean," he stammered growing red and hot;"you do it beautiful!"

  "Let me give you some work," she said, taking pity on his embarrassment;"will you thread this needle for me?"

  "And then mine, please," put in Claudina, who was again seated near herfriend; then to his further relief she launched out into a reminiscenceof a candy pulling they had both attended the
year before.

  Others of "the boys" came flocking in, the work was speedily finished,there was some tossing back and forth of the balls, amid ratheruproarious laughter; but some of them unwound and became entangled; andso that sport was given up; the girls washed their hands as beforesupper; Blindman's Buff, Puss in the Corner and other games were playedwith as much zest as if the players had been a parcel of children; thenrefreshments followed, served up in the kitchen; huckleberries withcream and sugar, watermelons, and muskmelons, doughnuts and cup cake.

  At eleven o'clock the party broke up and the young men saw the girlssafely home, Gotobed being so fortunate as to secure the privilege ofwaiting upon Mildred to her father's door.

  She would, perhaps, have slightly preferred the attentions of YorkeMocker, or Wallace Ormsby; both of whom she had met before and who wereyoung men of much better education and much more polish and refinementthan poor Gotobed.

  It was Mrs. Keith who admitted her daughter; every one else in the househaving retired.

  "Had you a pleasant time?" she asked, with a motherly smile.

  "I heard some of the others, as they went away, saying it had beenperfectly splendid," Mildred answered with an amused little laugh, "butthe fun was of rather too rough a sort for me."

  "Games?"

  "Yes, ma'am; and I took part until they began kissing; when I retired tothe ranks of the spectators."

  "That was right," Mrs. Keith said emphatically.

  "And what do you think, mother?" laughed Mildred. "Viny Apple was one ofthe guests. The idea of being invited out to meet your ci-devanthousemaid and cook! isn't it too funny?"

  "Well, dear, let us be thankful that Celestine Ann was not invited also;leaving me to get tea to-night," Mrs. Keith said, joining in the laugh.