Mixed Pickles

“Oh!” gasped Grandmother Capers, throwing her hands upward with a gesture of dismay; “oh, what a terrible infliction!” And she began rocking herself violently to and fro, and sc...

Such a hubbub as ensued in the old homestead on the top of Deer Hill mountain, when, a half-hour later, “Fritzy Nunky” arrived with his other charges, would baffle description;...

“Now tell Fritzy Nunky every single thing.” Mr. Pickel sat down upon the sofa and took his favorite into the safe shelter of his arms. Sympathy, he knew, was the shortest road t...

“Only a mental one, dear. Thee must not take me too literally. But I unwisely asked Lydia’s children to help me in trying to improve Melville, and they responded only too briskly.”

That is, for one brief, ridiculous moment she so believed. Then, with a blush at her own credulity, Aunt Ruth speedily hurried out of doors and laid her energetic mortal hand up...

Fritz, junior, slept soundly; but he had a child’s fashion of waking early. When he found the sunlight shining into his eyes through the window which, being unaccustomed to care...

It was a very grave and tear-bedimmed little lad who sat on his guardian’s knee. It had been a gentle but earnest talk which had caused the tears; and somehow the boy understood...

“A young lady sixteen years old giving occasion to me to use them! Paula Pickel, I should think you would be ashamed of yourself! You would if you knew how you were looking at t...

Divided between curiosity and hunger, Paula stood for some seconds deliberating whether she should go to join the group of people in the distant field or eat her supper. She fin...

From that silent contest of wills Octave came out conqueror. There was no resisting her merry audacity, with its underlying principle to strengthen it, and Melville was the firs...

“Yes, that is what she needs; it is the only thing.” The doctor said this very firmly and gravely; but quiet as his words were they set the impetuous heart of Ruth Kinsolving in...

There was considerable “substance” in each voice. Melville, however, had the advantage of years and his terrible “roar,” which, even accustomed as he had become to it, Fritzy ne...

If Fritz had not heard the appeals which the frantic Melville made to him, they had reached other ears, and summoned the help which the crippled lad was so impotent to render.

For some days after this affair, the “pickles” remained quietly in their “jar,” as Octave laughingly called the great house, wherein they were all gathered at nightfall, no matt...

The ways of cabmen are similar, the civilized world over; and it did not confuse Octave as it would a less accustomed traveller to have a number of these enterprising Jehus rush...

It was a most unexpected journey that the over-busy scientist took, on the following morning, with the young girl whose audacious appeal to him had resulted with so much success...

Aunt Ruth was in great perplexity. She did not intend to let her mother see that she was but when had her tell-tale countenance ever hidden anything from the eyes which watched...

For an instant silence reigned; but it was not in the frank natures of either Octave or Fritz to tremble long before the apparition which had appeared so suddenly in their midst...

One by one the cousins who could do so passed out of the room, leaving Melville, who could not go had he wished, as sole witness of the interview between Ruth and Octave.

A “Mystery” is not healthful for any one; even when the secret originates in brains as youthful as Octave’s; and though it did not solve the problem for the household, yet the v...

Fritzy’s face showed traces of recent tears, but his valiant air not even tears could subdue. He stood by Dr. Winslow’s side, affectionately resting one arm across the gentleman...

Grandmother Kinsolving smiled. She had learned to watch her daughter’s face with considerable amusement, whenever missives from the “pickle”-invaded Snuggery were received. Ther...

“You are patient and the patient, both, dear Melville,” said the girl, affectionately laying her warm hand on the lad’s thin one. “You are a hero! I’ve been wanting to say it ev...

Some days later, Fritz appeared in the kitchen, only to be speedily informed by Rosetta that “I hain’t no time to bother with young ones now! Here, take a cookie if ye want it,...