The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-17
MOTHER RUE,s CASHMERE SHAWL,


MOTHER RUE,s CASHMERE SHAWL.
"Bless your soul how air ye, Mrs.
Sovereign" said n bent, wizened old
woman, accosting lady who was giving
some orders in store. az should hey
knowed 70 II I'd met you in the New
Jerusalem you amt day older'n you
was q dozen years ago." The old wo-
man wore rusty alpaca, and q tattered
woolen shawl that did service ut the
same time for q bonnet.
81 really-I beg your pardon, mur-
INJURED Mrs. Sovereign, smiling apollo.
getically upon the poor old face, and
trying to bring to mind all the old women
she had ever met. "Is it Mrs. Rue?"
-"Blessyoureyesl I knew youwouldn't
forget an old neighbor-whcn I made
your wedding-cake, too Now there's
many fine lady like you would hey jest
made as II she'd never sot eyes on sich
shabby old body Us me but you never
was proud. Lor sakesl I wish / he'd
my teeth in I Jest thought Of it. I'd
'aput 'em in II l knowed was going fur
ter sec you; but, ye see, I thought
thore'd be nobody hero ter take grain
of notice Of me. That's jest the way
go without q thing, and you're sure ter
wish ye he'd IL; keep on your old gown,
and company's certain ter call y
" You've grown into q philosopher
since We met, " said Mrs. Sovereign
"Like as not" answered Mrs. Rue,
whose notions Of philosophy wero rather
hazy. "But, you see, was allus ono
oil them folks as set sight by appear
nnces-more's the pityl And the teeth,
I Igot 'em by way OF q slant; and some
how or other when I don't hey 'em in,
the roof Of nay mouth seems ter go
clear up ter the top Of my head. You
see, there was young fellow as was q
dentist-a sort OF peddling dentist-and
he was took down with the small-pox,
and nobody ter look after him but them
as was scarced ter death OF it; but rs it
wasn't no great account ter me noway,
and I couldn't be much worse off in
t'other place, il I died Of it, than with
'Iiza Ann, why, jest up and nursed
him clean through with II aud when
he got we'll, says he:
"'What shall do fur you fur all
you've done in my bchalf9 And says I,
"Nothing whntsomeyer. was only
curious TO know il I'd be liable TO the
disease
"'Nonsense, says he; I want ter
pay youin some way. And as he wusn't
forehAnded, and I knowed how ter feel
fur them rs wasn't, and as IL was all in
his line, said,
"'well, II you're bent on it, mako
me set Of teeth. And I'm awful sorry
Iain't got en- in.
Indeed you deseryedthem returned
Mrs. Sovereign. "But don't concern
yourself about It; I shouldn't tknow that
you were without them II you had not
told me.
"oh yes, You would, begging your
pardon, II you wtis onst to see them in. /"
"You arc dropping piece Of steak
from your paper, observed Mrs. Soyer.
eign.
"Lor I wouldn't mind losing the
whole Of 1t, I'm that glad OF seeing you,
only Liza Ann would raise sich rum.
pus she wouldn't take no excuses and
It couldn't be made up ter her noway |
Ispose she's a-scolding now, cause /
amt at home frying this ere but I left
the table all sot, aud the water a-biling
fur the tea"
"And who is Liza Ann ~
"Goodnessi / thought everybody
knew Liza Ann-leastways. she thinks
they do. Why, she's my Toms widder:
an'heleftwordon his dying. bed that She
wus ter pervide fur me as long rs I lived
an sometimes / think she's a.trying ter
see how soon she can get rid OF me"
"And do you still live in joys
Court 2" pursued Mrs. Soyerign.e
"oakes alive didn't you know that
we'd left there these ten yearS Is'pos.
ed that wus town talk. fwish ter good
ness he'd my teeth in, and I'd walk
along with you bit, ter hey o little
chat, and not keep you waiting"
"Oh, never mind your teeth. An.
other woman might have limited that
she had her tongue left. .-.
Nov that's downright Christian in
you. 1 take II, Liza Ann herself would
not be seen outdoors with me in this
old gown !. and II want but yesterday
as ! met Miss Deacon Merit, and stop
ped ter ask after the deaeon's numb.
palsy, and she Jest makes or though she
wt,sn't looking my way, and walks
straight on. Iten ye what. Miaa Soyer.
eign, II -ye want ter find out the rattir'
off0lks, what virtues they're made Of,
and what air hung onto EN- like their
clothes, left lose your worldly prosperity
and your good looks, and wear out yotir
store clothes. But that Cashmere shawl
SIS ter blame fur II all-plague take M"
"what do you meanf" asked Mira.
Sovereign.
"oh, like as not you never see me
wear 1t, I never he'd IL on my back
more'n twice. I felt as II was carry.
ing of Christians burden every time I
put II On. Liza Ann don't know I've