The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-06-22
A TRUE STORY.
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.


and she lived in Hockanum. Hockanum
was a little village, but Mrs. Magus was
q large woman. She was portly and
fair, with a fresh color, big blue-gray
eyes, a lose always held high up in the
air, and a large mouth, that opened and
shut with a snap. She thought she
knew more than any body else in
Hockanum, and perhaps she did, but
the people did not like her any the bet
ter for that. Besides having this good
opinion of herself, she was a very de-
cided woman, and despised every body
who did not know certainly what they
meant to do, or what they had done, or
what they ought to do.
81 hate people who have no decis-
ion," she used to say. "When l know
thing l knowit; and | don't go doubt
ing and guessing about. It's too shift
less for any thing"
One day Mrs. Magus found there was
a swelling coming on the back of her
left hand. 1t panied her n little, and
troubled her more.
"My DEAR" she said to the Judge
her misunderstanding very loudly, and
startling that worthy man so that he
dropped the knife from his mouth just
rs it was conveying thither a large
bit of fried pork" My dear, my mind
is made up. | am sure this thing on
my hand is Il weeping sinew, and l am
going into the city on the first train to-
morrow to show it to DR.. Brett"
"Very well, very well. l think
would" mumbled the Judge, who had
by this time recovered his pork, and
added to it a piece of potato.
81 know l SHALL" tartly replied the
lady, and the Judge said no more,
Why should hep Mrs. Magus did as
she pleased in that house.
So the next morning, with a big bun
die in her arms, full of sundry thing:
to be matched, dyed, or exchanged
for Mrs. Magus always had plenty o.
errands into the city-this good lady
took her way to the station, in the
Judges pretty sleigh.
She looked very fine, indeed, with he
velvet cloak and hat, her long blacl
plume, her scal-skin tippet and mufl
and her dark blue silk gown. HIGH,
respectable all her dress was, and thu
fresh, frosty air gave her a bright color
She put her big bundle beside her oil
the car-seat, and very oon found her
self in the city.
She decided to do her errands first
So the Judges vest was left at the clean
er's, and her old blanket shawl at tn
dyer's, to be blackened for the Wido,
Hodge, who had no shawl at all (fo
Mrs. Magus was a benevolent woman
as far as food and clothing VENT. The
she took some shoes to exchange, an
bought herself a new morning dress.
By this time it was ~ O'Clock, an
she knew DR.. Brett's Office opened q
IL; so she hurried on to Peter Street
The Doctor was busy just ther
the pretty Irish girl who opene
the door said, but if she woul
walk into the waiting-room, he woul
soon be at liberty. S
Mrs. Magus, a little vexed at bein
late, went in, and met in the parlo,
where patients took their turn, an oil
acquaintance, Mrs. Basil, who lived
the very extreme end of the city, an
had come to ask the Doctor about hi
dreadful headaches. She was very gla
to see Mrs Magus, and chartered like
blackbird, but had to hurry away an
do some shopping, after which 81
would come back, she said, see the Do
tor about her ailments, and perhal
meet Mrs. Magus again.
Pretty soon the up stairs patient LEI
and Mrs. Magus had her turn. I'll
Doctor examined her hand, prescrib,
for it, showed her how to bandage
properly, and set a day to see h
again. Much relieved, the good la,
put on her other glove, and rose to g
looking about for her muff, nov mo
than ever needful to hide the bandag,
hand, which no glove could go on.
But no muff was to be found.
81 must have left it in one of I
stores," said Mrs. Magus, and off s
went to look for it, tying up her hand
a little scarf, which happily she h
bought for her cook at a cheap store
her way from the train. 1t was an u
ly red and yellow thing, and disturb
Mrs. Magus very much, as it show
against her black velvet cloak. So s
was quite sharp at all the stores whe
she went to find her muff. But thou
she used great plainness of speech W
clerks and masters both, yet no one h
seen the lost muff.
Very red in the face was Mrs. Mas
when she found herself at DR.. Bret
door again.
"Did you find the muff I left here
she said, sharply, to pretty Moral, "
answered the bell.
Norah blushed to the roots of
dark hair. She was frightened ut
sharp look and tone, for she was O
just come from Ireland, and wal hoI
sick and lonely enough.