The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-04-27
were two odd ones, which could by no
noasibility In motad

pltiSt hcT, Hc nil uDHc nCG uetT NUN
frequent neighborly favors, all the more
would he do them now that Roxanna
lay cold in death. And as day after
day went by, and he felt more and more
closely drawn to the cheerful, bright
eyed widow, the simple man believed
this was solely for his departed wife's
sake. She had been dead II year and II
day, when Mrs. Ebbeson whiskcd out
upon the doorstep one warm July
morning to shake the table-cloth.
son, my stars I" calculated she,
looking not into the armament, but
straight carthwaTd ut her hens darting
hither and for the breakfast crumbs.
In the midst of the flock bristlcd two
Brahmas, with sullen eyes and feathers
on end, clucking for chickens that were
not.
"Any thing wrong, Mrs. Ebbeson?"
Mr.. Buttorkin paused on his way
from the barn with the milk.
"Only these Brahmas, Mr.. Buttcrkin.
I've broken 'em up and broken 'cm up,
but they mil set" (AIrs. Ebbcson had
been reared in rural part Of New Eng
land where hens never "sit.n)
swell, why not let 'em?"
"In JulyP Now, Mr. Buttcrkinln
"Then supposing you tie red yarn
about their fect?'
"Why, they'd peck my eyes out"
laughed the widow, dextrously folding
the table-cloth in its former crcascs.
She was sorry the m she had
said ii, for Mr.. Butterkin ut once offer
ed to assist in the girdling process.
Why should he not? Yet rs he held TIE
hens, first one and then the other, while
she bound about the right le@of. each
the anti-incubating anklct, she wa in
wardly agitated, and could not help be-
ing thankful it was early morning, and
they were not likely to be seen of pass
ers-by.
No such feeling perturbed Mr.. But
terkin. He was honestly glad TO help
Roxanna's friend-becauSc she had
been her friend, he would have said if
he had thought about the matter ut all
and in the kindness of his heart he pres
emily asked if the chickens bran was
not getting low. He was going to the
village; should he call at the mill?
"Or, if you have any crrands, | cgIl
take you over us well rs not" he add
ed, as an a~ftcrthought, and vas mildly
bewildcred ut seeing the sudden flush
on her face rs she hurriedly answered
that she had no errands.
Picking up the milk pail, in which
the froth had perccptibly settled, he
walked away with II troubled express
sion. He hoped Ruth hadn't any hard
feeling toward him. What could have
made her color up so? And then it oc.
CURED to him that though he had asked
her often, he was sure, she had not rid
den with him for Il long whilc-not
sincc-why, o since l,UNanna died.
and his WI face flushed under the dawn
of II new idea. Ruth was afraid TIE
ncighbors might talk. Strange he hadn't
thought Of it before. Dear! dear. wha;
a timid little woman she was!
As he logged lonesomcly along in the
great wagon which used to carry two,
and seemed dismally empty with one,
he could not Danish her from his mind,
and he began gradually to realize how
constantly she had been in il of late.
What had made her manner so distant
these months past? Was it fear of viii
lagc gossip, or did she really dislike
him? lie wished he knew; yes, he did
wish he knew! and he jerked the reinS,
unwittingly w%ounding the feelings of
his faithful roam, conScientiously trot-
ting her best.
Turning in at his own gate, n rebel
lious clamor from Mrs. Ebbeson's hen
merry greeted his ear. Alas for his vain
attempt to overcome maternal instinct!
Hardly had he left their sight when the
clucking Brahmas sought their nest,
where the little widow found them bill
to bill, the scarlet anklc-ties hidden be-
meath the straw. Six times she dis
lodged them; six times they reinstated
themselves; and now ut noon there they
sat brOoding over the pile of bricks she
had heaped in their nest, winking their
small round eyes at hcr" in lazy triumph!
1t was too much. Was an immortal
woman to be outwittcd by Il couple'oi
finite hens! The little widow renewed
the conflict, but not daringt to lay hands
again upon the belligerent bipeds, she
resorted 10 the discreet eXpedient of
poking at them through the open win
dow, thus aflording to Mr.. Butterkin,
as he rounded the corner, Il confused
vision of agitated calico dancing about
Il distracted rake handle.
what! setting again, Mrs. Ebbe-
sonP"
The small lady, till then unconscious
of the gentleman's proximity, hastily
withdrew her head from the window
and looked down in some confusion
from her perch On an inverted barrel.
"ies, they're setting again; but it's
just us w%ell-just exactly rs WE'LL" said
she, rather incoherently, narrowed by
the fear lest she vas displaying her
ankles.
"Now, now, we must see about this
responded Mr.. Butterkin, fishing in his
pocket for II ball of Irvine he had
bought that day for stringing the toma,
toes, and meanwhile glancing over his
shoulder, apparently to assure himself
that the orchard was where it should
be. He would have liked nothing bot
: ter than to lift the little widow down,
but his instinct told him she would pre-
fer to descend by herself, unobservcd
5 and he was a man capable of self-sacri
> flee. wen tie the hens to the fence
he added, presently, conscious of {
: thrill of delight as he pronounced tn,