Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-08-09
NAN AND l.
By ESIy.

o, that blessed salt fish, | shall al
days. For if had not the fish, Ishould
not have tried to cook the dinner, and
Hicks probably would never have asked
me to have him. But | had better be-
Gin at the beginning and tell you all
about it.
Sister Nancy and | were twins, doubt
less intended by nature to grow up las
like as two peas" But with total dis
regard for natures kind intentions we
had come up to womanhood as unlike
as II barrel and beanpole. But we
loved each other dearly, and being en-
tirely out of relatives, excepting u
cousin or two, (who might be living III
Egypt for aught we knew Of them, we
were all the world TO each other. Ours
had been no life Of sunshine, for wehad
been toilers III the factory for rs many
wears as we could remember, where, by
close economy and strict attention
to business" we had amassed II consid-
erable sum of needful. For years the
desire of our hearts had been to some
time retire to country life, and our
plans had long laid i'll this direction.
We were past thirty, and weary and
worn, longing to leave behind us the
whir and buzz of machinery, and the
many dlStasteiul ASSOCIATIONS OF laclory
life.
AT last the time had arrived when
we felt that We might venture III our
new life. We purchased modest llt-
tie cottage lar away from the dust and
din Of the city, and felt that We had
earned the right to take all the comfort
in Quiet way that it was possible for
two old maidens like us to obtain. We
were foolishly troubled with the fear
that our neighbors would say OF us,
"that two old maids lived there We
never allowed anything to look prime
about the place. If a flower attempted
stiff look, we gave it an extra twist,
and if obstinate we uprooted it. We
would not even indulge i'll cat, that
universal pet of lonely old maids. But
there, if ! go too deep into details
never shall get to the fish.
On one Of those lonely days with
which September abounds, we had been
Oh d weary tramp in the woods, and
coming home as hungry rs wolves, had
sat down and eaten ourselves entirely
out of victuals; not a.great achievement
| suppose, for like most OF homes, to
men unknown, we were rather slack
about keeping lot cooked up. We
had made our arrangements for the al
ternoon. and sat down to rest awhile
when Nan, who was always on the
lookout for tramps, called out, Myra
here comes pedler. lets lock the
door" i looked out, and saw on INC
carts, as it halted at the gate, Goods
at wholesale only" Nan who was al
ways in Il tremor when strangers called
pushed me ahead to the door, ~ the
driver had already knocked. 80 70 thC
door / went "Good afternoon ladies
(for his sharp eyes had detected Nan
who was more i'll sight than she mag
ined. can you furnish poor half
starved fellow with a dinner? I've beer
on drive since four O'Clock this morn
inc. and so busy that / forgot that hac
any debts to pay to my inner man, I'll
here am, ready to faint. looked a
Nan who made excruclatlng gesture
for me to say no. and ofcourse my tirs
Thought was. "how can We when w'
are so cleaned out entirely
but somehow felt Just Ike trying
VI accommodate the man if such thlnt
were possible, u stated the case, ans
asked him If Ne could give me halt AZ
hour 70 get him up some sort q = dlh
ner. III - ~, 1il.,
.;.,;ng down here and resting tina
length Of time 20 ! 'oia ,,,;.,,,.;, mn, - =,
could put his horse IN our dininu'lS'