The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-05-16

AoA0AAuS - UO0VVAASAA RAosSS ~ ~
repeated Jane, unctuously. "Treea
fairly laden down with fruit; and what
with new-laid eggs and cream. and
homemade hams and sausage. the
place is next door to q paradise. There
amt no manner o. use of Johns givin'
up his whole life to mournin' over Be-
Indy; she had q good time of it while
she lived; never had to raise hand.
Johns that foolish about woman that
she never has to raise . hand, and
that's somethin' for poor strugglin'
widow to think of, isn't it, Nellyf"
YES" l stammered out, my face in
a glow, and world of confusion bat.
Ting at my heart. This good creature
Jane had evidently invited her brother
John purposely to sec me, and though
her intentions were good. what must
he think of my meeting him halfway
in his consolation little while agoi
Oh, how bold and contriving he had
found me! How in the world was l to
know he was a widower, and invited
down for special purposee
"Oh, why didn'tyou tell me, Jane?''
l cried.
"Well, you see, I couldn't tell how
it would turn out. John didn't know
there was mortgage on Susan's prop
erty."
"Susan'' repeated.
eyes; you know Susan-my hus.
bands sister. She's comm down on a
visit to-day, and John says he don't care
a pin about the mortgage he's only
afraid he can't care for Susan. You
see, his heart was bound up in Be.
Indy"
began to understand that it was moi
my lonely condition that Jane had in.
terested herself to ameliorate, but that
of her husbands sister Susan. It took
quite weight of confusion from my
heart, but left it strangely sad and dis
comfited. 1t was. SO hard to be alone
and desolate, and have nobody care
whether one lived or died, and Susan
was SO much better off than 1!
II thought Susan was quite com.
fortably situated" l said.
"Well, there's the mortgage" said
Jane; g she keeps botherin' us about
that mortgage all the time, and my
husband can't undertake to bolster up
all his relations. You see, just told
John all about it, and it's q business
transaction, Nelly. If she gets John
we won't hear any more about the
mortgage"
l began to lose all interest in the
conversation, and remembered that my
poor dear Howard had told me how
sordid and mercenary all these people
were. 1t was really dreadful to hear
the most sacred sentiments of life de.
graded to the level of mere business
transactions. James Brother John
didn't look like this kind of person,
but of course he must be. The whole
thing so confused and bewildered me
that went away without my thyme,
after all.
We all know what appalling things
can happen in an incredibly short
space of time, and our dearest hopes
are blasted when we least look for a
calamity. l had not expected to be
absent five minutes, and had left my
kitchen window open, as the morning
was so balmy and sweet. Imagine my
dismay when I saw q strange cat act.
ually standing on my kitchen table
and helping myself to the meat which
had already cost me so much trouble
He was a lean and hungry animal
with murky green eyes; and though he
fled ut my approach, and had not made
much progress in his meal, of course
the damage was irreparable. l fell
as Byron did about the little waltzer
''What you've touched, you may take, .
l said. and flung the meat after the
green-eyed monster.
Then l banged down the window
shut out the balmy air, and looked dole
fully at the miserable materials left u
me. l might have borrowed any one
of them, or all of them, if the meat haG
been there, but couldn't ask Jane fol
the meat; it would be like the Irishmar
begging the loan of an egg for his pincf
of salt. No; it was plain to be seer
that little Howard must do without hi,
Sunday dinner. 1 didn't care for my
self, but my poor little fatherless DO,
would suffer for my carelessness and
neglect. And, truth to say, he was no
wont to suffer in silence or uncomplain
ingly. 1 should have q terrible day
and began to feel more and more tina
life was hideOus and unbearable bur
den. saw through the front window
a lady 60 by, wearing seal-skil
sacque, could not think it possible i
was Susan. But it was-yes, it wa
Susan. She had the seal-skin sacqu,
which she had SO long coveted. SOM
people were born to good luck. Heavel
forbid any injustice upon my part, o.
useless repining at the ways of Provi
dence, but it did seem hard that Susal
should have everything. To crown all
l saw somebody else pass my window
It was James Brother John, with
lovely bunch of violets in his hand. HI
was only few rods behind Susan; h
would soon overtake her. and given he
the violets. with some nice little speec
about her eyes, which, l remembered
were a washed-out blue. Then the
would 20 in to one of James appetizin
little lunches, while I and poor littl
Howard would sit down to q crust; an
the end of it would be that Susa
wouldn't have to raise hand, while L
Well, 1 must 60 about my sweepin
right straight away.
Which l did at once. But the sal
and bitter tears that fell from my eye
ought to have allayed the dust of m
dining-room. l didn't care for any
thing SO much as my little Howard
disappointment. How could 1 comics
to the child that had left his preciou
bit of meat to be devoured by this
green-eyed monster? He would kic
and cry and refuse to be comforted, an
| I should be most miserable.
| While the tears were falling like raj
upon my broom q big shadow loome
up at the door, and there stood Jane
brother John, with the bunch of violet
still in one hand, and bunch of thym
in the other. turned my tear.staine
face away from him, and held out m
hand for the thyme. 1 was sorry t
seem 90 ridiculous. OF course Jane ha
told him all about his mistake, and
had come to apologize and explain.
wished he would not mind, but 20 BAG
again to Susan; but he held my han
tight in his own, and put into my finger
the pretty flowers, looking down int
my face 9th . world of tender inquir
as to its forlorn and woe-begone cond