The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-11-23

w. sat back as if she was stock with a
stitch" and the I" lady on visit" said
20, my!" knew what it meant; twas
the beauteous Emmelina, a remote rela-
tive, with a rich papa. You have seen
such photographs-frizzes a foot high
above the forehead, and curls yard
long, s;raying over the left shoulder; a
shadow picture. with melancholy coun-
tenance and pensive, up-looking eyes,
full Of tragical suggestions, feecy white
drapery, fastened with flowers--and
OH dear me-
THAT" said Betsy, ''is my picture,
taken last November; it isn't natural at
all my frizzes got damp going TO the
gallery, and that pink bow looks like a
patch; besides, it looks As, and l am
only So
~ thought you was older than that, :"
said Mrs. w.
~ think it very true likeness re-
marked the hateful old fossil from the
G. NJ. country.
THAT is Phebe Ann" and nobody
asked any questions about the prim,
plain face.
Betsey shut the book and snapped the
clasps.
Mrs. Weatherbe sal .ney ''must GO. :"
Betsey said "Don't be in hurry"
and opened the hall door.
The aunt's sister said, If you ever
come out our way give us a call"
And Betsey said she should "be de-
lighted, = and they all said "good after
noon,- and while Betsey was bowling
them down the front steps, and think
ing how much better the Eastern lady s
dress would swing out if she had back
hoops on, the scribe slid out OF the eel
lar-way. grabbed up the album, ran in
to the big closet that has a window in
it, and picked up her train-of thought,
as very careful knitter does dropped
stitches
1t is the last picture in the album, the
pinched face Of poor Phebe Ann, that
shall have its story, all that Is known Of
il, told. Once. when .syours. etc.
was young and idle. before she became
scribe to the B family, she knew this
, Phebe Ann; she was an old maid, too,
but not bit like the Green Mountain
one.
[ She was over forty years Of age when
she came from the east with her old
, and feeble parents to settle near friends
in little, kind, quarrelsome, gossipy
western village With all the busy pry.
, ing and poking, nobody knew why
! Phebe Ann had never changed ber
name. To be sure she was salow and
) sharp featured, AMI angular, but there
! was picture in the parlor that told when
she was young and charming. 1t was
hard to realize it, for she always chad
I the same set look on her face, and did
her thin, silver-streaked hair in the
) same tight twist, with a stingy little
| comb atop Of it. One old philosopher
: said he had seen her face change to the
! beauty Of an angel, when she was hand.
: ing cookies through the fence to hungry
street urchins (she always made the
: cookies for the churce picnics, ETC., and
! they were the incest in the world). She
was an unbending Presbyterian. Like
Hannah mending Shoes" she always
4 sat by the same window, doing patch.
: work, or family work. The time came
! when there was funeral in the house,
E then another, and after that Phcbe Ann
, lived alone.
One mild May afternoon, when thu
earth was moist and warm, and the ali
) redolent with the perfume of new lea
!, and opening bud, the dearest friend o
your humble scribe--the one she wrote
1 criss-cross letters 10 when she wa
G "away to school, = and vowed 10 low
: for ever and evcr--came in quietly fol
(, her, upset basket Of stocking-darning
D rocked against the window, and said
+ ave mast 20 and sit up with Pheb
Ann tonight. She Is sick and want
Y us; ma said So"
In those roscate days to have sat VI
/ with Gloria for week upon the slight
est proyocation would have been rap
} ture.
!; Gloria bought stack Of Ledgers--
we were reading " Self-Nfadc " AM
a were deeply In love with Ishmacl- an
with cordials and kind messages III
[, watchers turned down "back streets,
. AS villagers say, just as the house light
were twinkIing Ike stars in the wiz
\ dows. Phebc Ann didn't look niue
r sick; there was the same prim smile tina
q allowed the lips to stretch just so IA
= and no further. After all, Gloria said
i her eyes didn't look natural and she wa
n afraid 70 stay without Mrs. Mills Q
4 somebody. Her friend said "pooh,
and arranged the pillows and laid III
9 palm Of her hand against the sick won
ans cheek, professionalism, TO see
. she had fever.