Tabitha's Vacation

e candy. It's t

og in the scanty shade of the house, fanning themselves as briskly

he older sister's suggesti

atiently interrupted her, "but taffy ain't mischief. We'll make a bi

d Inez, as Susie turne

the gasol

ver lighted it

how? Haven't I watched mamma and Tabitha hundreds of ti

oned the undaunted Irene, following the

ar and vinegar and butter

a measu

face and bustling energetically about the small room, Susie marshalled her forces and set to work with contagious enthusiasm. All three donned huge aprons,

stove, in their hurry to get their delectable sweet on cooking before the rest of the family should return from their day's outing and interfere, for, secretly, each be-aproned girl, paddling in the pot with her

en bribed to remain at home with the promise of ice-cream sodas at the little drug-store. However, that unusual treat had disappeared lon

rring the bubbling mess in the kettle so vigorously th

unfortunate victim. "

ignantly denied her twin. "Stop

uish, for the sticky mass had burned the little tongue sadly, and the tears rained down the rosy cheek

a can of baking powder in her hand, vaguely recalling that

rily. "You don't know what it

imidly began Inez, half distracted at havi

he usually gentle twin so savagely that both her compa

mass boiled over the top of the kettle and was promptly licked up by the eager flames of the stove. A gre

zy. "The house will catch! We'll al

door before any of the sisters realized what had happened. He was soon back with the blackened pot in his hands and a reassuring smile on his lips. "It's all right, kids," he announced cheerily, noting the terror in their faces. "No harm's done. It wo

ief. "Tabitha's taken the rest of the child

riv

et the assayer's horses, but the wagon won't h

sodas for being g

ly eyeing the blackened mass which the mysterious st

mented Susie apologetically, remembering that

play'," chuckled the man, beginning a

her name was Catt?" c

laimed Susie

Tabitha would have minded a bit if our candy had come out all right. As 'tis

inds it out,"

uckled the man again. "Who is this myste

while mamma is with papa at the hospital in Los Angeles. She's only a girl herself, but we promised to m

o have made that candy, 'cause we told her we wouldn't get int

otly. "You made such a fuss over nothing that Sus

on, suddenly remembering her grievance, and affectionately regarding the white blister on her plump hand. "Th

at a quarrel was imminent. "Now don't get mad a

she had taken no part in the

ou will give me a square meal,-something to eat, you know, and plenty of

estfallen companions,

atoes left from di

f cans of stuff in the pa

hopefully, yet fearful lest the menu should not prove sufficiently tempting to

ene, seeing reproof in her sisters' eyes, and feeling

of strong coffee, and bring on your bread and cake and sauce-lots of it, now, for I haven't had a b

talking all the while. "I just happened to be passing when I smelled your stuff burning, and thinks I, now there's trouble in there. Just then you all commenced screaming, and I wa

girls, the look of terro

he house would have burned down, and i

me a bite to eat, after I had put out the fire and cleaned up the

gain hastily interrupted. "'Specially when you are makin

t it beats yours all hollow. There! Set it in the window-so! Now, I'll sample

o, with longing eyes fixed upon the gol

y's is bigger

make mu

igh enough," answered Susie

about paying," said Inez naively. "But the Carsons and Catts and Dr.

heaper to trade that way, and anyhow, papa knows the man real well, and now that he's sick in the hospital, he

y inquired the man. "I mea

onth-the

h satisfaction, and he muttered,

you say?"

e children had caught his indiscreet remark. "By the way, who lives in that little, unpainted house on the

ouse?" sugg

ace?" said Ine

e. "You see, there are so many unp

ger incredulously. "Whoever heard tell

one," stoutly as

one? I confess

replied Susie with dignity, feeling that

ack beyond Tabith

explained Irene. "The Carson's big house, th

shing back from the table and glanci

the twins h

imself there on

dered," shu

practical-minded Irene. "Anyw

ow folks hear qu

see l

Irene declared. "And

no one ever goes there now, not even

t all up before the rest of the folks get back. There's just about enough for three, and I've a notion that Miss Tabitha will think you didn't keep your promise very well if she ever finds out how near you came to setting the house a-fir

eyes watched him disappear in the direction of the ra

we better-" beg

l?" vent

e candy ourselv

use while three active

. Tabitha would never trust us again. We

s," said Irene. "We can hide the candy until la

nd span order when the rest of the large family returned an hour later from their sojourn to the river. If their consciences pricked them a litt