Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-12-15
MISS BECKY'S '.HOME.,

Miss Becky was going to the ''Old
Ladies' Home" at last. IL was n sorry
fact. but there was nothing else for her
TO DO. IL seemed. Who would think of
Offering any other home TO poor.
almost helpless old woman who had
outlived her usefulness? Having passed
her lays in other peoples houses, so to
speak, she might not mind il as much,
perhaps, as n more fortunate being.
Yes" she said. 'there's a vacancy
IN the "Cld Ladies' Home" and the
hundred dollars that Parson Amory lett
me will pay my way i'm. but it wouldn't
last me long If began TO spend it, YOU
know, aud | shall have n warm bed and
my regu ar meals without Worrying
about where the next ones com no
from. I'm most tired worry ng about
ways and means. Seems as though
have been about il all nv life; ever
since Ia. her was taken with heart d s.
ease hearing the class in algebra. Now
that the rheumatism has cot the better
OF me, 20 that / can't work in cold
weather. and the doctor SAYS it'll draw
my fingers up SO that | can't use them
soon. 1t doesn't seem as ii there was
anyth ne lett for me in this world but
the Home and | ought to be thankful
for thatr'
Miss Rocky had had other expecta-
tons in her heyday. when Young Larry
Rogers met her and carried her basket:
when his strong arm paddled her down
the broad river To church on SUNDAY
mornings; when they sang together in
the cho from the same hvmn-book:
when they loitered homeward in the
fragrant summer dusk, and heard the
whip-poor-wil complain, and startled
the iire-llies in the hedges as they
brushed nv. lt sometimes seemed 10
Miss Becky rs If all this had hap
pened IN another planet. She
was young then, with bloom
ON her cheek; but although the rheuma-
tism had bent her figure and rendered
her more or less helpless at times. vet
her dark, Neivety EYES looked out Ike
SOFT stars. and the ghost of n dimple
still ickored on cheek and chin i'm spite
ot her siNtv odd years Miss Becky s
father had been the district school
teacher IN those far-olf DAYS OF her yirl-
hood. He had taught her the simple
lore mt his command. but il was Larry
Rogers who had Taught her music. hDur
alter hour. in the empty old school
house; thew had practiced together.
while he wrote the score on the bIa l.
board. But all this had not sufficed IN
enable her TO earn n livelihoDd. Her
educaton, musical and otherwise, had
Stop eel short OF any commercial value.
In those days she had never expected
to earn her living BY the sweat OF her
brow. Larry was go ny Co give her ev-
erything. How trivial the little Quarrel
seemed to day which circumvented this
line resolve of his. But what maoni-
tude 1t had assumed ut the time! On his
return froma trip to neighboring citv,
some sybody had whispered to Larry
that Miss Becky had been seen driving
with Squire Ellstis' son Sam behind his
rioters. sam was just home from col
lege, harum-scarum fellow they said.
who made love right and left and gam
bled bit; aud when Larry reproached
her with Z she had not denied she had
simply said: "What thenP lfyou choose
70 listen to gossip rather than wait till
tell you -" TTff"' =
"But YOU didn't telIme, and I've been
home n week"
had forgotten all about it till YOU
reminded me. said Becky. l
"lts such an everyday affair for you
TO drive with Sam Eusts (which in
credulity so sting Becky that she would
not condescend 10 explain that she had
carried some needle-work up to Squire
Eustis which she had been doing for his
wife, and that as she left to walk home
Sam was Just starting of with his smart
chalse and new dapple -grays. and the
Squire had said; Take Mss Becky
home. sam. and show her their PAGES"
and how she had been ashamed to re-
iuSe the Kindness although preferriDg