Morris tribune., 1882-09-28
"PA'S HARNSUM GAIL"

PAS HARNSUM GAL"
ga piece of pie an a glass o milk, if you'd
be so kind, marm an thank ye."
He always said these words, never more or
less, in husky, self-deprecating sort of way,
ending the sentence with meek little cough.
He always slid into a chair in the far corner of
the little restaurant, and no man. woman or
child ever saw him come in. He appeared in
the chair, called for pie. and was there every
day at the same hour He never used the nap
kin, carefully placing it out of reach Of the
crumbs. l inferred he had never been
brought up to use them He was thin
and hollow chested, his hair and scanr
straggy beard were red, his faint blue eyes
watery, his mouth had droop at the corners,
his nose sloped downward as if it, too, tried to
be unobrusve. His poor old hands were
warped and clumsy Jointed, with horny palms,
showing that he must have worked hard ali
his life HIS clothes were seedy and dirty :;
his shoes on the ragged etge Of ruin: his shirt
looked as If /, had never seen starch put had
been washed in some brook; he had an old
black silk handkerchief tied around his neck,
and his hat would have disgraced scsrecrow
never saw him eat anything
but pie, or drink anything but milk.
l never knew him to speak to a living
soul, or walk in companionship even
with dog. After few mouths grew inter-
verv we'll. | have little room. a cat and a
bird, and Aunt Sarah's pic.ure 1 think 80
much of the picture was left on the door
step of the poor house, YOU know the kind Of
children lived IN the place ten years, such
terrible life, then Aunt Sarah adopted me-
She was an old maid queer people said
poor, too, only little notion shop in New
England country town. She shared every
thing with me, that want no kin TO her either
After she died and I'd been teaching school
twelve wears nv health broke down so came
out here to Get we'll | guess can't leastways
don't seem to get any better earn enough
to keep me- and | have something saved
to bury M: shouldn't wi III the town to do
that sinful pride may be, but pray not All
nv life I've seen other folks have Things good
looks, money, kind husbands, beautiful child
rem l don't envy them At al We; il makes me
wonder why sometimes. Y.t. if | am plain,
ugly a9l old might have been as happy as
other women. The young minister long ago
used 10 be kind to me, used to tell me nv hair
was pretty. and those pleasant thing. He
was in CONSUMPTION, poor fellow, no money or
friends he Died in NV arms ald Aunt Sarah
and paid for his burial. | often think of
him when set resting after NV DAYS work
NV cat asleep in nv lap the bird twittering
sleepilv, and Aunt Sarah looking down
from the wall and seeming to smile on me- T
look ont the window ITS ever so smaID at th.
little patch of go.dea clouds beyond the noun
tains or at the moonlight silverlng the leaves
of the cottonwood trees in the YARD, and NV
mind goes back to the walks we used to take,
Scion and |, over the meadows, through the
SHADY lane hand IN maud
He used to cough so, poor fellow. he often
had to rest at the stone wall and he grew
weaker every dav We used 10 plan n meeting
in heaven | remember how Aunt Sally used
to stand in the shop door and joke Us for be-
inc ont 90 late >av it was scaudaIous Some
how. l guess If, hasn't been SO hard after all.
God has been GOOD TO let me have such dear
memories Of such loving friends But this
isn't about the old m4u.
On. dav l spoke to him. was sitting at tie
table whore he. was. l saws. Don't YOU think
so much pie unhealthy, mister?"
char
at is" went on in fun; sthey saw it causes
I'm glad ONT" he SAID. strangely: then he
hid his face in his glass of milk. We used to
sneak after this: We were both lone ones in
the great city | told him about my bird and
cat, and one day about Aunt Saran's picrure.
Ha.aid oval. now. sine was = clever wGman
to be sire"
That was great commentator, l knew, for
he sail so few words = - -. : =. - -
One Sunday afternoon some one knocked at
nv door l opeueIlt He stood out III the
little dark entry with big bunch of catnip
wherever could he nave found ity in his
hand. a head of lettuce and A b3unuet of
prairie flowers, OF course T asked ann in
though | doubted 1t might be wrong for me. a
lone woman 10 have men ga ilers IN nv rom
sin was So LONELY sometimes tho bird and
cat. even Aunt Sarah's picture didn't seem
company erouyb "Tye brought We y he said
sitting c1urerly on one of nv chairs ga lee,la
en'thin' fur the CO.. A taste a. Green's fur the
bird an, eft yan,l Ia An Kind "A ter set ,pro
posiss nnI,r thu. pictnr o. dat 'oman With the
can an spcctac,es, which I take TO be Aunt
Sarah. III thank We. marin did 40. His
face lighted ND with satisfaction. He tilted
back in his chair and seemed to fesl al
500 Won live alone ont here ar saas1;td FIR
sitting sill go loSc and he not sa yinaea word
and strrive saro;1lei SO made rae feel awkward
eyes ,be said. uneasiIy.g 70 II y -
s'Wife tleal?n' = ~ ''@s5s ~ Et#s2
az MOI sbe amt dead. y in a strange tone IS
"Anv children ?' *s'zz:G {. e
Cone PsglEF III tafflF ,r - E*rL 4
Then he brought his chair down to the floor
with aferk worked his hands together 5oueerly
far attri1meIss then placing one on eacn knee.
..Marm,reStitti YOU eva know man that
hadn't enfly sbeerit 81 IN ,s9ytH'4N,SY u =
II can t. eIi." SstanameraL His Question
wasso queer ii tpaet mo! l
Look atfils. then, These ,ere old clothes
this SHIRT that Wusii myself in the Platte tbis
hat picked up on an ash heap. hove away
marin. I Amt sharnsum:. LEt1eyer were Il
ain't smart: I never were SAud never he'd mn.
speerit Don't saw nuthin': bein, 7its Won an,
vou'yn been so Kind, an this 'eraS room ia so
cheerful an homish like-what always think
a oman should live in-with thom little fol de
rolls an GIN cracks round, an all so shiny an