Ester Ried

Ester Ried, by Pansy (aka.
Isabella M. Alden)

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Title: Ester Ried
Author: Pansy (aka. Isabella M. Alden)
Release Date: August 20, 2004 [EBook #13234]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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RIED ***

Produced by Joel Erickson, Lisa Zeug and PG Distributed Proofreaders

[Transcriber's note: The spelling inconsistencies of the original have
been retained in this etext.]

[Illustration: SADIE HAD A GLIMMERING OF SOME STRANGE
CHANGE AS SHE EYED HER SISTER CURIOUSLY.--Page 263.]

ESTER RIED
BY
PANSY
AUTHOR OF "JULIA RIED," "THE KING'S DAUGHTER," "WISE
AND OTHERWISE," "ESTER RIED YET SPEAKING," "ESTER
RIED'S NAMESAKE," ETC.
ILLUSTRATED BY ELIZABETH WITHINGTON
BOSTON LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO.
PANSY TRADE-MARK Registered in U.S. Patent Office.
Norwood Press: Berwick & Smith Co., Norwood, Mass., U.S.A.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
ESTER'S HOME
CHAPTER II.
WHAT SADIE THOUGHT
CHAPTER III.
FLORENCE VANE
CHAPTER IV.

THE SUNDAY LESSON
CHAPTER V.
THE POOR LITTLE FISH
CHAPTER VI.
SOMETHING HAPPENS
CHAPTER VII.
JOURNEYING
CHAPTER VIII.
JOURNEY'S END
CHAPTER IX.
COUSIN ABBIE
CHAPTER X.
ESTER'S MINISTER
CHAPTER XI.
THE NEW BOARDER
CHAPTER XII.
THREE PEOPLE
CHAPTER XIII.
THE STRANGE CHRISTIAN

CHAPTER XIV.
THE LITTLE CARD
CHAPTER XV.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
CHAPTER XVI.
A VICTORY
CHAPTER XVII.
STEPPING BETWEEN
CHAPTER XVIII.
LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS
CHAPTER XIX.
SUNDRIES
CHAPTER XX.
AT HOME
CHAPTER XXI.
TESTED
CHAPTER XXII.
"LITTLE PLUM PIES"
CHAPTER XXIII.

CROSSES
CHAPTER XXIV.
GOD'S WAY
CHAPTER XXV.
SADIE SURROUNDED
CHAPTER XXVI.
CONFUSION--CROSS-BEARING--CONSEQUENCE
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE TIME TO SLEEP
CHAPTER XXVIII.
AT LAST

Ester Ried
ASLEEP AND AWAKE
CHAPTER I.
ESTER'S HOME.
She did not look very much as if she were asleep, nor acted as though
she expected to get a chance to be very soon. There was no end to the
things which she had to do, for the kitchen was long and wide, and took
many steps to set it in order, and it was drawing toward tea-time of a
Tuesday evening, and there were fifteen boarders who were, most of
them, punctual to a minute.

Sadie, the next oldest sister, was still at the academy, as also were
Alfred and Julia, while little Minnie, the pet and darling, most certainly
was not. She was around in the way, putting little fingers into every
possible place where little fingers ought not to be. It was well for her
that, no matter how warm, and vexed, and out of order Ester might be,
she never reached the point in which her voice could take other than a
loving tone in speaking to Minnie; for Minnie, besides being a precious
little blessing in herself, was the child of Ester's oldest sister, whose
home was far away in a Western graveyard, and the little girl had been
with them since her early babyhood, three years before.
So Ester hurried to and from the pantry, with quick, nervous
movements, as the sun went toward the west, saying to Maggie who
was ironing with all possible speed:
"Maggie, do hurry, and get ready to help me, or I shall never have tea
ready:" Saying it in a sharp fretful tone. Then: "No, no, Birdie, don't
touch!" in quite a different tone to Minnie, who laid loving hands on a
box of raisins.
"I am hurrying as fast as I can!" Maggie made answer. "But such an
ironing as I have every week can't be finished in a minute."
"Well, well! Don't talk; that won't hurry matters any."
Sadie Ried opened the door that led from the dining-room to the
kitchen, and peeped in a thoughtless young head, covered with bright
brown curls:
"How are you, Ester?"
And she emerged fully into the great warm kitchen, looking like a
bright flower picked from the garden, and put out of place. Her pink
gingham dress, and white, ruffled apron--yes, and the very school
books which she swung by their strap, waking a smothered sigh in
Ester's heart.
"O, my patience!" was her greeting.

"Are you home? Then school is out".
"I guess it is," said Sadie. "We've been down to the river since school."
"Sadie, won't you come and cut the beef and cake, and make the tea? I
did not know it was so late, and I'm nearly tired to death."
Sadie looked sober. "I would in a minute, Ester, only I've brought
Florence Vane home with me, and I should not know what to do with
her in the meantime. Besides, Mr. Hammond said he would show me
about