Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-04-21
CLoCK-wORK.

My no SAID MIS-. HoySett, laugh
ing at the very idea; "we amt afraid to
stay in the house one night 'thout men
folks. Be we, Lindy?"
"Iguess not" said black-eyed Linda.
cheerily, washing her hands as a pre-.
liminary to putting the bread in the
pans.
Frank says, when John wrote him
to come and stay over day in Boston,
You'll be afraid, mother, with all
Lindy's presents in the house. And
he was real put out at first because
wouldn't have some of the neighbors
come in to sleep"
Well, 1 don't blame you, eff you
feels eff you could sleep-on'y two
women folks" said the caller, sharp
featured Miss Haines, with prominent
elbows and emphatically clean calico.
at 'ud on'y amount to maxim up a
bed for nuthin'."
Yes" Mrs. Poysett went on, ac-
companying the sliring of apples for
pies with the re2ular swing of her
Fooking-chair, whi4e she now and then
placed particularly thin and inviting
pieca of the fruit IN her mouth, "that's
what l thought. n-'leven-Lindy,
when you go into the other room l
wish you'd strike that clock round. 1t
strikes one too many"
Yes'm," said brisk Linda, and then,
trying to extricate the recipe for COM
position cake from inevitable dreams
about her wedding day, she forgot the
clock and made an incident for this
story.
Your presents are handsome, Lin
dy, there's no mistake about that" said
the visitor. turning the conversation
skillfully to the quarter toward which
the town interest was just then tend
ing.
Yes" answered Linda. blushing q
little. She had grown used to blush
ing of late. People have been very
kind to me-"
mo m0re'n you deserve" said Miss
Haincs, ,oracularly, and with an empha-
sis that left no room for denial.
Folks say to me, John Willeys been
pretty stiddy TO 60 out West and make
home, n then come back n marry
the girl he's b2en with ever sInce tley
was chih'n.' But L say to 'em, No
credit to him. No more he'd orter
done. Lindy's pure gold, and he's got
the sense to see it," And sne finished
h,r eulogy on the doorstep, perhaps to
AVOID having the matter disputed.
while Linda went back to her
cooking table laughing. and still
gratefully rosy over the sense
that everybody in general was
far too good to her. 1t was a case of
the smooth running Of deep waters.
She and John Wiley had been pro-
saical!y faithful to each other for
years before he asked her promise to
marry him. Eighteen months ago he
had gone West to set up in business as
carriage-builder, and now, having
prospeTed. was coming East for his
wife. Within two days journey of
home he had written to ask Frank,
l. nda's brother, to meet him in Boston
for days sightseeing and an evening
at the theatre.
"I don't know what shall do with
out you, Lindy," said the mother, put
ting down the knife to wipe away a
furtive tear with her apron. "Pm
sure don't know"
Linda was at her side in an instant,
with tear of her own, and the two
women kissed, laughed and went on
with their work, as they mad done a
hundred times within the last fort
night. For Mrs. Poysett had the
squable temperament that sometimes
accompanies rotundity of form and a
double chin, and Linda, besides being
sensible, could not keep miserable very
hong at time.
Meanwhile, everybody in the town
ship was not rotund and possessed OF
double chins, not all the houses were
keepers of new and shining wedding
gifts, and, strange to say, not every
body was happy. Pete Hayden, who
lived down in Tan Lane, was poor and
savagely discouraged. He made shoes
ordinarily. but that winter there were
no shoes to be had. His was n fine
and practiced hand; he could do all
iorts Of jobs. from cleaning a watch to
building a chimney, but nobody saw fit
10 have making or mending done.
There had been only four or five pieces
If work since fall for Tinker Pete, for
none of which could he. in conscience,
ask more than fifteen cents His wife
fell sick, the children's clothes were
TOO shabby for school, and just then
some one tapped bin on the arm and
tempted him.
One morning stranger strolled into
:. - Ii L. -l.