Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-10-10
Mrs. LamsOn's Dignity.

SIS this Mrs. Lamson 2" l asked Of
a sallow, mountaineering woman, who
sat in big chair in her doorway rock
ing aud sewing.
"That's what folks call me-" she re-.
piled, rocking faster, and never raising
her eyes from the log-cabin patch.
work." which seemed to be the all i'm
portant thing on earth with her.
She then ignored my presence, max
ing no movement to give me q seat, nor
even looking at me.
"You have good deal of poultry, I
believe, Mrs. Lamson."
81 hev," was the laconic reply.
"Do you sell chickens?"
Sometimes I do"
"And eggs?"
81 hev done SIGH thing"
"Can you let me have pair of
chickens and two dozen of eggs?"
:" can eff I want to there amt no.
body to bender me" was the strange,
curt reply.
evil you do so, then?"
" I amt obleeged to sell my hins nor
my eggs neither-no more than some
folks is obleeged to sell canary birds,
Malta cats, and p'inter dogs, that they
set SIGH store by y was her independent
and rather personal answer.
"Of course not" l said, and then
felt that either my family, or my cat,
or dog, or bird, must have given sore
offense to my techy new neighbor, for I
was stranger in the place.
HSoma folks think =" sba ad1ad stilI
rocking, that they're head and ears
above other folks cause they've got
larnin' and live in cities in winter,
They think country folks is all fools and
beggars to boot, and dispisesem and
turn up their noses at EN- /"
"They must be very silly people,"
replied. "Some of the worst and most
ignorant people I ever heard of live in
cities and some of the best and wisest
of my friends live in the country. But
am in haste this morning; can you
sell me the chickens?"
81 amt in no ways distressed for
money. My husband is fore-handed
man--if he amt larned-and he can Of
ford to feed both me and the hins with
out sellin' either on us" was Mrs. Lam
sons rude reply.
1t was evidently the "larnin of my
family that cut Mrs. Lamson s pride
and she had set us down as idlers who
had nothing to do but to pet cats, dogs
and birds, and to read, and was thus
expressing her disapprobation of such
life. rather than of me personally.
Z" don't want the bother O. ketchin'
chickens when he's away" she contin-
ued--she always called Mr.. Lamson
"he -" and can use up all the eggs
I've got without much trouble. I'd
like to know who told you kept things
to sell to private folks?" she asked,
with some sharpness.
1.-The storekeeper, I replied. "He
said everything you had was the very
best OF its kind; and that if 1 could
only taste your butter, Id think I never
tasted butter before" 1 did not tell
her what else he said about her.
had now touched the spring that
loosed Mrs. Lamson's tongue.
did Mr.. Thompson say that?" she
asked, with a kindling of interest in
her dull eye.
"He did"
Well, if I do say it that shouldn't,
I do know how to make butter
don't read books and play the pianny
Folks can live without music and read
in but they can't live without butter.
l call that the staff O. life NV neigh.
bors say to me, Miss Lamson. I wish
you would teach us to make butter.
But tell 'em butter maxim is born in
folks-like blue eyes and brown hair.
that ct you amt nat'ral- born butter
maker, it amt no use tryin'; better
marry shoemaker, and not impose
on a farmer Why, to the F-County
Fair l took the prize; eff I hadn't I
do believe l should took nv own
life; it would a. been SIGH O down.
come Why, a man that KEEP public.
house IN Newport heerd about nv
butter; and says he to Jim Lord O.
this place, that was head waiter -
Mrs. Lamson," said, 6" I must bid
you good afternoon as I must 90
somewhere else and look for chickens
for to-morrow's dinner. Some one NAV
be willing to do me a kindness. even
If they do not care for the money. y
And ! turned and left the yard.
Mrs. Willard !" cried Mrs. Lamson
letting fall shower of patchwork, and
running out of the gate and waving
the corner of her apron. DO Won
want favor--to be obleeped by q
neighbor? Nobody shan't Guido me
want some chickens and eggs
said, without looking back or ston.
ping, - have no doubt / can ce,
them at Mrs. Denham's." o.
Well" she cried, still following me,
Miss Denham sets herself me fn,
good she belongs to the church. ard
goes to all the night meetin's and