Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-05-17
81 am Miss DEAN" she announced.
"Air your questioned the woman,

Air your" questioned the woman,
calmly. &
''You did not send any one to fetch my
baggage" Margaret continued, with tone
that suggested remissness in duty.
II should s'pose not. as it isn't mine
though for that matter I've had to fetch
and carry my own this many year. L
don't want to buy anything, either" with
a suspicious glance at the small satchel.
Margaret looked at her in bewilderment.
"You do not understand. l am Miss
Dean-your boarder for the summer. You
We're expecting me, were you not? Per-
haps"-with happy thought that this was
probably only an obtuse rustic servant
'sif you should call Mrs. Grey"
''I'd have to call long time: she's been
dead this five years." answered the por-
tress, without opening the door an inch
wider. II wasn't expectin' you, because
l never heard of you before, and l don't
want any boarders for the summer
Dusty, tired, "a stranger in strange
land" and the sun sinking low i'll the west,
a sudden dismay seized Margaret.
ut is very extraordinary" she muir
INJURED. "There must be some mistake. l
certainly have correspondent with a Mr..
the summer. A boy at the depot directed
me here" ~
"Well, there's no Mr.. Grey here. Pm
Susan Grey, neither more nor less.' Then,
with closer scrutiny of her visitors at
tire, smile began to glimmer on the hick-
prised if twas Noxton where you was
aimin' to go tor she remarked.
"Certainly it was. Where am II"
SIN Observation-Disclosures different
kind of place. That ose is way off in an
other direction on the other road. You
must have made a mistake when you
changed cars"
There was comfort in the information
that the other was a different kind of place,
nevertheless the situation embarrass-
ing. Miss Dean sat down upon the door,
step. ......-... ............
''Then I must go back. What is the ear
Hest train can take"'
''Won't be any passenger before two
O'Clock tomorrow afternoon. You see, this
is only branch road. Come in and rest a
spell. You'll have to stay somewhere all
night, and you might as well stay here" /
The door was thrown wide open at last,
and Miss Dean found herself i'll a room
cool and clean as it was plain and hofnely.
With her entrance the hostess seemed to
concede all claims to hospitality. She led
the way to an airy chamber, brought fresh
water, and suggested the possibility of an
earlier supper than usual if desired. Il
"DO not inconvenience yourself in any
way" Margaret urged. 81 am very glad
to stop here after my stupid laundering,
and l beg that you will let me make as lit
tie trouble as possible.' A-r - ~ -
"Well, can't afford to, put myself out
much, that's honest" was the prompt re-
ply. II keep the village Post-office-though
that don't amount to no great-do dress
maxim and tailorin' besides, and what with
the care of the house and garden, I've work
enough on my hands"
They looked like Thrown roughened
hands that had never lacked hard work.
They were a marked contrast to the deli
cate ones that had fallen in Margaret's lap,
and both women noticed it; but the elder
only added, a little more curtly. ''You're
welcome to stay until tomorrow, though"
A little head, with tangled yellow curls
and grave dark eyes, appeared for mo-
ment at half-opened door, and Margaret's
quick glance of admiration atoned even for
her white hands. There was a curious
softening of her hostess's hard face.
cit is the child" she said. go away,
Billy"
The face disappeared, but little later,
when Margaret was sitting in the wide
the swaying vines, and presently small
brown hand was pushed through and
touched the trimming of her dress with
grave curiosity.
won't you run around here and talk to
me-" she asked, amused.
But there was no running. He came
slowly, with the pitiful sound of little
crutch on the walk, and sat down on the
steps at her feet, and looked up at her with
a mingling of pleasure and wonder.
IBID you come from Heaven" he asked.
''No, indeed!" she laughed, though with
a quick thought that the life from which
she had come might seem like paradise
compared with this.
81 thought mebbe- It looked like q star
on your finger" observed Billy, watching
her ring-Tom's one extravagant gift-as it
flashed back the last rays OF sunlight. Then
his eyes wandered over her dress again,
and back to his own clean patched little
apron.
''Wish-wish we was, too" be murmured,
more in soIloquy1 than as if speaking to
any one. swish Susan'd wear shiny rib
bons and stars only she can't, cause
she's Susan. She's good, she is - he added,
face, as if she had questioned the state
ment. "Do there be boys and girls to play
with where you live: 2" he asked. ------l.
'Plenty of them. 1 had a whole room
full
wish I had some" unused Billy, visit
fully, resting his elbows on his knees, and
settling his chin between his small palms.
''We'd play ball-no," surveying his lame
foot; they'd play ball, and I'd tell 'em to
sing
Billy" called voice from within the
house, voice like the woman's face, not
exactly harsh, but as il the wear and tear
of life had left no room for softness.
"Comin', Susan" the child answered, So
berly, and hobbled away. ..-+-.
Sleep could coinfortab bly, occupy the night,
but what to do with the long hours of the
was a problem that greeted Mar
garet with the morning sunlight. She
tried to solve 1t at the breakfast table.
81 think l must explore your village
while l stay. Are there any places OF spe-
cial interestT'
"Well, l don't know. I've heard they was
havin' meetin's every day at the little
church across the run,'' suggested Miss
Grey, in evident uncertainty as to what her
visitor might consider interesting. Then
there's the hills; some folks like to wander
round over them"
Margaret decided to try the hills; but her
pleasant rambling was abruptly terminated
by dash of rain that forced her to seek
speedy shelter. An isolated building with
an open portico was fortunately not far
from her path; but it was only when she
had reached it, and was brushing the rain
drops from her clothing, that she discovered
it to be 1.-THE little church across the rum"
81 shall have the satisfaction of doing
both places of interest, then-the hills and |
the 'meetin'," she laughed softly to her
self Pas
From beyond the half-open door came
the sound of a voice rising and falling in
a regular sing-song way-a seesaw style of
elocution that had nothing to do with en-
phasis or expression, but inexorably sent
one half of each sentence up, and the other |
half down, When the voice sank nothing