Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-04-05


bank.
Her age might have been thirty y-five,
and will not undertake to say that it
was not forty-ive; there was nothing in
her appearance to afford any certain
indication on this point. Her complex
ion had neither the bloom of youth nor
the faded hue to which that bloom too
often gives place; her strong white
teeth bade defiance to the dentist, and
her black hair, somewhat coarse of fibre,
showed not silver thread. She wore
it coiled at the back of her head--a style
which is never in fashion and never out
of fashion-and her dress, though des-
titute of flowers, ruffle and panier, was
always of fine material and fitted we'll
her not ungraceful figure.
For the rest, she lived alone with her
serving-maid, Suky Ann. content to fill
up her time in looking after her house
and farm, wedding her fower-garden
and plying her needle.
The work in hand was one of a set of
chair-coverings, intended, she said, as
can heirloom for future generations;"
which, under the circumstance, was
certainly very disinterested on her part.
II might have known how it would
be-" said she to herself, when Suky
Ann had left the room; " 'twasn't rea-
sonable to expect that house would re-
main vacant forever; the more fool l
was for buying this one; nothing but q
fence between me and that old bach
elor! I've the greatest mind to sell out
and move away; but 'twould be pity,
too, when I've just got everything to
my mind; besides, I guess / can make
it as uncomfortable for him as he
can for me-" and she thrust her needle
through and through the canvas, as if
the parrot she was embroiderng had
been Mr.. Merridew himself.
The next morning as Miss Penniman
with handkerchief over her head, and
a feather duster in her hand, was
putting the parlor to rights, she thought
she preceived a strange and indefnable
odor stealing in through the open win
dow.
"Suky Ann" called she.
Here. num-
Don't you perceive queer smell /?
there isn't anything burning, is there? p
Nothing but old Merridew's pipe"
said Suky, laughing.
"a pipe? Phew" cried Miss Pen
niman, shutting the window with an
energy which made the glass rattle in
the frame. "Well, give it up now;
if there's anything 1 hate it's tobacco"
He must be lazy loon, said Suky,
there he's got great kind of a net,
with tossels to it, hitched up in the pi-
azza. I've heard um say it was hum
muck.
GA hammock" corrected her mis-
tress.
"a hammock there amt much odds
though; and there he's sprawled out
in it full length, swingin' himself to and
fro and readin' the newspaper-or pre-
tendin' to- don't believe anybody can
read much, with their head bobbin'
about from one side to t other"
There was trellis at the end of the
piazza which had prevented Miss Pen
niman from seeing all this.
Did you notice what kind of furni-
ture they brought?' asked she.
"Nom; t was all done up in tow
cloth when they carried it in, 'cept
black box, that looked like baby's cof-
fin"
"But it could mt be, said Miss Pen
niman; "what should he want with
baby's coffin?''
II heard UNI say they guessed t was
fiddle in it," said SuIy.
"a fiddle! My stars! So our noses
are to be filled with tobacco smoke and
our ears with the screeching of o fiddle!
Heaven knows what will turn up next!
" How do you spose they gets their
victuals p asked Suky, pleased to be
the bearer of SO much intelligence.
&C That servant man, Popgun, cooks
them. doesn't hep"
They has um all brought from the
tavern-every identical thing" said
Suky. ...
"Suky Ann, you may go!' said Miss
Penniman, in deep sepulchral voice,
as if her endurance has been tried to it's
utmost limit. ....f
GA pipe-it is q nuisance" mused
she; but I don't suppose could have
it abated by law-men make laws!'
After some moments of profound re-
Election she summoned Suky again.
We're to have corned beef for din
ner to-day aren't we?"
$50 you said, num-"
"And cabbage, of course; we always
have boiled cabbage with corned beef.
Well, mind you leave open the kitchen
window toward Mr.. Merridew's; the
winds that way, I believe"
IN be sure to give the kitchen
good airin'," said Suky, demurely, and
with only sly twinkle in her eye; but
when she reached her own dominions
she broke into series of giggles, and
gave ntterance to the remarkable excla-
nation
Cabbage is trumpsw
If Miss Penniman expected to drive
her neighbor from his stronghold by
weapon so intangible, she was disap-
NninfAd. for he not only continued xo