Show P RT DEW 10 1 IDA as av copyright by the dobbs bobbs merrul merrill company the parsonage girls entertain a visiting minister much to his discomfiture and carol rides a cow with disastrous results mr starr a widower methodist minister has been assigned to the congregation at mount mark iowa he and his daughter prudence she Is nineteen and a nd the t he eldest of five girls have come on ahead to get the new parsonage ready for the younger members of the family of course the whole town espe dally the methodists Is very curious about the newcomers individual members of the ladies AM society drop dron in upon the family and pump the girls for all worth but the starrs starra rapidly adjust themselves to their new ings and the father decides his brood to Is old enough to participate in family prayers little connie has just finished hers here much to the amusement of her elders J CHAPTER 11 II continued a so it was that the twins and connie were alone for a while I 1 you did a pretty good job connie said carol approvingly Ys yes I 1 think I 1 did myself was the complacent answer but I 1 intended to put in keep us as the apple of thy eye hold us in the hollow of thy hand and I 1 forgot it until I 1 hud had said amer I 1 had a notion to put in a postscript but I 1 believe that done never mind said carol ill use that in mine tomorrow it cannot be said that this form of family worship was a great success the twins were invariably stereotyped cut and dried they thanked the lord for the beautiful morning for kind friends for health and family faintly and parsonage conage connie always prayed in sentences extracted from the prayers of others she had often heard and every time with nearly disastrous effect but later on the morning worship went better the prayers of the children changed became more personal less flowery they remembered that when they knelt they were at the feet of god and speaking direct to him the family had been in the new parsonage only three weeks week a when a visiting minister called on them it was about ten minutes before the luncheon hour at the time of his arrival mr starr was in ili the country visiting so the girls received him alone it was an unfortunate day for the starrs fairy had bad been at college all morning and prudence had been rummaging in the attic getting it ready for a rainy doy day and winter playroom for the younger girls she was dusty and tired the luncheon hour arrived and the girls came in from school eager to be up and away again still the grave young minister sat discoursing upon serious topics with tile the fidgety prudence and in spite of dust and perspiration she was good to look upon rev kev mr morgan realized that and could not tear himself away finally prudence sighed do you like sweet corn mr morgan this was entirely out of the line of their conversation and for a moment he faltered sweet corn he repeated yes roasting ears cars you know cooked on the cob then he hd smiled oh ob yes indeed very tery much he be said well she began her explanation rather drearily 1 iwas I was busy this morning and did not prepare much luncheon we are very fond of sweet corn end and I 1 cooked an enormous but elwe llave have for or luncheon sweet corn and butter we even evea bread because I 1 am going to bake this afternoon and we never eat it with sweet corn anyhow now if you care to eat sweet corn and butter and canned peaches wed just love to have you stay for luncheon with us rev kev mr morgan was charmed and said so so prudence rushed to the kitchen opened the peaches in a hurry and fished out a clean clead napkin for their guest then they gathered about the table five fie girls and the visiting minister it was really a curious sight that thai table in the center stood a tall vase of goldenrod on either side of thevan the vase was a great platter piled high with sweet corn on the cob I 1 around the table were six plates blaies with the ace necessary Alver silverware ware and ii n glass of water tor for each there was also a small bishof dish of peaches at ea each ch place and an individual plate of butter that was all except the napkins but prudence made no apologies she was a daughter of the parsonage I 1 she showed rev mr morgan to hla hiti place as graciously and sweetly na as tho though ugh she were vere ushering him in to a twenty seven course banquet will you return thanks mr morgan ganta she said and the girls bowed their heads I 1 key mr morgan cleared his thront throat and began our father we thank thee nr for this table there was more of the blessing but the parsonage girls heard beard not one additional dit ional phrase except connie who followed him conscientiously through every word carol burst into merry laughter close upon his reverent amen am rl and af after ter one awful glare at her sister prudence joined in and soon it was a rollicking group around tile the parsonage table mr morgan himself smiled uncertainly he was puzzled more he was embarrassed but as soon as carol could get her breath she gasped out an explanation you were just right mr morgan to give thanks for the table 1 theres nothing on it to be thankful for I 1 and the whole family went off once more into peals of laughter mr morgan had very little appetite that day ile he did not seem to be so fond of sweet corn as he had assured prudence he talked very little too and as soon as possible he took his hat and walked hurriedly away he never called at the parsonage again A few weeks after this carol distinguished herself again and to her lasting mortification A man living only six blocks from the parsonage had generously erous ly offered mr starr free pasturage for his bis pretty little tersey jersey in his broad meadow and the offer was gratefully gr aae f accepted this meant that every evening the twins must walk after the cow and every morning must take her back for the days grazing one evening as they were starting out from the meadow homeward with the docile animal an carol stopped and gazed at blickle reflectively lark she said eald 1 I just believe to my soul that I 1 could ride this cow ashes so gentle find and im such a good hand at sticking on enroll caroll ejaculated lark think how it would look for a parsonage girl to go down the street riding a cow but theres no one to see protested carol and this was true for the I 1 t cows have such funny backs parsonage was near the edge of town and the girls passed only five houses on their way home from the meadow and all of them were well back from the road lark argued and pleaded but carol was firm 1 I must try it she insisted and if it go well I 1 can slide off you can lead her lark The obliging lark boosted her sister up and carol nimbly scrambled into place riding astride ive got to ride this way she said cows have such funny backs I 1 keep on any other way if I 1 see anyone coming ill slide for lt it for a while all wen twell lark led blickle carefully gazing about anxiously to see that no one approached so they advanced to within two blocks of the parsonage by this time blenkle concluded that she was being imposed upon she shook her head violently and twitched the rope from larks hand gave it a scornful toss of her dainty head and struck out madly for home with great presence of mind carol fell flat upon tile the cows neck and hung on for dear life while lark in terror started out in pursuit help I 1 i she cried loudly papa I 1 papa I 1 papa I 1 in this way they turned in at the parsonage gate which happily stood open As lack ick would have it mr starr was standing lit at the door with two men been calling on him and hearing larks frantic cries they rushed to meet the wild procession and had the th a unique experience of seeing a parsonage girl riding flat on her stomach on the neck of a galloping gallop lill jersey with another parsonage girl in mad pur pursuit sult blankle stopped beside the barn and turned her head about inquiringly carol slid to the ground and burled lier her face in her ber hands bands at sight of the two men with tier her father f then with never a word she lit the houst at top speed the ahr oliree ce mansat men sat down on the ground aud and burst into hearty laughter lurk lark came upon them ns as they sat thus and lark was angry she stomped stamped her foot with a violence that must have hurt her 1 I dont see anything to laugh at she cried passionately it was awful it was just awful I 1 carrio carrie might have been hilled I 1 it it ftp tell ue us all about it lark gasped her father and lark did so smiling a little herself now that her fears were relieved poor carol she said shell never live down the humiliation I 1 must go and console her in a little while carol felt much better but she talked it over with prudence very seriously 1 I hope you understand prudence that I 1 shall never have anything more to do with blankle I 1 she can die of starvation for all I 1 care ill never take her to and from the pasture again I 1 do it I 1 such rank ingratitude as that cow displayed was never equaled I 1 am certain 1 I suppose quit using milk and cream too suggested prudence oh well sold carol more tolerantly 1 I dont want to be too hard on Di braide inide for after all it was partly wf own lault jault so I 1 wont go that far but birt I 1 draw the line somewhere I 1 hereafter blankle and I 1 meet as strangers I 1 CHAPTER ill III the ladles ladies aid now this really was a crisis in the life of the parsonage family the girls had met separately every member of the ladles ladies aid but this was their first combined movement upon the parsonage and prudence and fairy realized that much depended on the success of the day As girls the whole methodist church pronounced the young starrs starra charming but as parsonage people well they were obliged to reserve judgment and as for prudence having entire charge of the household it must be acknowledged that every individual lady looked forward to this meet meeting luig with eagerness they wanted to size up the situation they were coming to see for themselves vesi 1 yes it was undoubtedly a crisis therell be a crowd of course said fairy well just leave the doors between the front rooms open yes but well close the dining room doors then well have the refreshments all out on the table and when we are ready well just fling back the doors carelessly and there you are arel I 1 so the table was prettily decorated with flowers and great plates of son sandwiches d and cake were placed upon it in the center was an enormous punch bowl borrowed from the averys full of lemonade glasses were properly arranged on the trays and piles of nicely home laundered napkins were scattered here and there the girls felt that the dining room was a credit to them and to the methodist church entire from every nook and corner of the house they hunted out chairs and stools anticipating a real run upon the parsonage nor were they disappointed the twins and connie were not even arrayed in their plain little ginghams clean before the first arrivals were ushered up into the front bedroom ordinarily occupied by prudence and fairy theres mrs adams and mrs prentiss and mrs began connie listening intently to the voices in the next room yes whispered carol peck through the keyhole lark and see if mrs prentiss Is looking under the bed for dust they say she better not let prudence pruden ce catch you repeating theres mrs stone and mrs davis and they say mrs davis dails only belongs to the ladies aid for the sake of the refreshments and carol prudence will punish you well I 1 dont believe it protested carol im just telling you what ive heard other people say we arent allowed to repeat gossip urged lark no lind and I 1 think its a shame too for its awfully funny minnie drake told me that miss varne joined tho the methodist church as soon as she heard the new minister was a widower so shep she P carol I 1 carol whirled around sharply and flushed and swallowed hard for prudence was just behind her 1 I I 1 I 1 but she cutill get no further farther upon occasion prudence was quite terrible so I 1 heard beard she said dryly but her eyes were hard now run upstairs and out to the field or to the barn and play and carol be sure and remind me of that speech tonight I 1 might forget it the girls ran quickly out carolee carol well 11 in the lead no wedding fee for vie me she mumbled bitterly somehow I 1 just cant help repeating P you dont want to said lark not without sympathy you think its such fun you know well anyhow im lure sure I 1 wont get tiny any cake tonight it seems to me prudence Is very harsh barsh sometimes you can appeal io to father if you like do you think that prudence Is a bit too young to handle the youngsters with proper discipline TO BE CONTINUED |