. Little helpers . hen they went to dinner Miss Ann smiled, and nodded mysteri-ously at Johnny, to his great delight, and whispered to him, asshe handed him his plate, — Ill be there, and you neednt help me, dear; but Im justas much obliged to you as if you did. But when she said this, she did not know that a carriage-load of cousins would arrive that afternoon at half past three,and respond to the very first cordial request to Take off yourthings, now do, and stay to tea ? So four oclock found Miss Ann in the kitchen, not by anymeans eating bread and honey,but mixing light biscuit for tea;and
. Little helpers . hen they went to dinner Miss Ann smiled, and nodded mysteri-ously at Johnny, to his great delight, and whispered to him, asshe handed him his plate, — Ill be there, and you neednt help me, dear; but Im justas much obliged to you as if you did. But when she said this, she did not know that a carriage-load of cousins would arrive that afternoon at half past three,and respond to the very first cordial request to Take off yourthings, now do, and stay to tea ? So four oclock found Miss Ann in the kitchen, not by anymeans eating bread and honey,but mixing light biscuit for tea;and when Johnny and Tiny,having waited impatiently in thehaymow for fully five minutes,went to hunt her up, they foundher so engaged, and she said,pleasantly, — I hope itll keep till to-mor-row, dear, for I shall be busyright on from now till bedtime,Im afraid. Cousin Samuels folks dont come here, often, andmothers set her heart on giving them a real good tea. But wheres Miss Julia ? asked Johnny, without stopping. 202 LITTLE HELPERS. to think that he had no right to ask this question; for he wasvery much disappointed. Oh, shed just dressed herself all clean for the afternoon,said Miss Ann, cheerfully; so I told her to go along in andtalk to em, while mother fixed up. Id rather cook than talkto a lot of folks, any day in the year ! And she laughed socontentedly that Tiny and Johnny found themselves laugh-ing too. Two or three more clays passed, and still Miss Ann was hin-dered from keeping her mysterious appointment, until Tinyand Johnny, growing desperate, marched into the kitchen oneafternoon, at four oclock, and appealed to Mrs. Allen, who wassitting in the old green rocking-chair, knitting a stocking,while Miss Ann, her round face flushed with heat, stood by thestove, waiting for her third and last kettleful of blackberries tobe ready to go into the jars. Mrs Allen, said Johnny, solemnlv, weve been trvins; for «/ v \J O one week to catch Miss Ann; we want her up in the ha
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Keywords: ., bookauthorjanviermargaretthomso, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880
