Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1873-01-21
Stlttt Storp.
From Tho Uollea Ago
ii \ Il d. TIM f. ).

Ars F.iI,2au was proud woman. II
~. did uajoy misery; aul ahO Lld uo iu
,.o.ion OF letting Airs IlsusjoN know
,hat The family lived ou can>i!!. bread.
Ooed had Joen kicked in Iho chest by
Black Bill. who ras trying 10 rua with The
cart. and now ha lay on the cod in tho
family bsd room. aud Sslomo va, with
hia. Nrs FAirtran hsd told he mou
folks, more than hundred times, that
thoy ought 10 sell Black Bill; 5ut she
wasn't any body to DO considered, and no
heed VAS paid to what she said. There
aai ono satisfaction though; things had
e. rued exactly a. she predicted they
would. nnd that WAS tho worst possible.
Now IS sho stepped away from tho
sore where she had been carefully COW
aiu. up her lille gray loayes with u
srS,h towel, she glanced out of The win
dow al the spring pastures that were
pelishing for want OF rain. and where the
cattle could scarcely nitblc a moulhlul;
and beyond tO the hsrd-lookiug plowsd
field, that showed only the iaiutost
simmer OF side green pats. The wells
were giving cut. and springs that never
before had been known to iHil.
Mrs. Fairman's face had cul-wa,er
outline. and it was rheumy and pinched
in al the nostriiS. and tucked down al tho
corners ol the mouth. Now "a size look
eel at the cold, bleak. brown fields. taken
in connection with thu cauail.e luavcs
behind tho stove, il seemed plain to her
mind that there WAS = Judgment upon
them; aud la u vague way She connected
,hs jud.menl with OCe,l. "whO never had
boon under conviction since she married
him." aud who had soldon stepped his
,OOt into The mUsting house a. the Cor
uer.. She hnl read in the newspaper
that the drought extended over the who.e
Of New England, and i large portion ol
the Western States; but it did not occur
10 her that Providence was going con
.idcrAbly out oi its way to punish Ob,d
Tor his oOstinacy and .p ritual biindues-
A man had ridden early in the mornin.
over from Salisbury with Whitcomb's
bill. aud had threatened 10 levy on some
oi the larm Implements. and order !
sheriff. salp unisss i, wGs paid IN ten
dsys, Mrs. Fairman knew that Obed
was drained" of monoJ, and the pros
pect oi being sold out OF house and home,
which was thing she had 50 often
predicted would happen, seemed dismally
near.
Miss Henslow lived across the road il
\ llltle house that appeared TO be always
in the sulks. Now she lett her goose
heating, and took section OF Deacon
Broderip's coat over her arm, with her
biz tailor's shears ut her side, and went
stopping across the way. She had i
crooked BACK, and hooked nose. with =
mouth that hid Itself In the big cavity of
her face, and which. some way, gave
one the impression Of a gigantic owl.
She appeared to have a three-story throat
and to speak out Of the basement door
She stepped over one OF Salome's flower
beds, where tho " .siurtionsf could push
their heads through The caked soil. and
she gave a short peek ON the window
pane with her steel thinble-
Il got the fdsets setting alone" she
began, IS Mrs. FaiIman admitted her,
and sat down, and let her poke bonpei
lall back, shaving ring ai snuily brown
hair each side OF her face, done up with
big pin. You see dreamed OF rats
last night, and its always bad sign
The last time it happened was just before