Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1883-10-05
CLOCK. WORK.

II guess not" said b'ack-eyed Linda, cheer
lily, washing her hands as preliminary to put
ting the bread in the pans.
Frank says, when John wrote him to come
and stay day over in Boston; You'll bt
afraid, mother with al Lindy's presents in the
house, And he was real put out at first be-
cause wouldn't have some of the neighbors
come in to sleep''
''Weli, don't blame you, eff you feels 81
you could sioep-on'y two women folks,' salt
tho caller sharp-fea,ured Miss Haines, with
prominent elbows and emphatically clean cal
aco. 1T 'na en'y amount to maxim up bed 70,
nuthin'.a
''Yes,'' Mrs. Poysett went on, complaining
the s'icing OF apples for pies with the regula'
swing Of ber rocking chair, while she now and
then placed a particularly thin and inviting
piece of the fruit in her mouth, 'sthat's what
thought. Ien-'leven-Lindy, when you &c
into the other room, wish you'd strike thai
clock round. 1t strikes one too many"
'Yes'm," eaid brisk Linda; and then, irving
to extricase the recipe for composition cake
from inevitable dreams about her wedding day
she forgot the clock-and made an incident fol
his story:
sYour presents are handsome, Lindv;
there's no mistake about that" said the visit
or, turning the conversation skilIfully to the
quarter toward which the town interest was
just then tendiug.
'Yes," answered Linda, bl1shing q little.
She lad grown used to blushiug of late.
S'People have been very kind to me.'
eracularly, and with an emphasis that left no
room foraenial folks say to me. John Will
1eys been pretty stiddy to 60 ont West and
make a nome, m then come back m marry
the girl he's been with ever sence they was
child'en' But say to 'em, mo credit to hinl.
No more'n he's orter done Llndy's pure gold,
aud he's got the sense to see it," And she
finished her euogy 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 psnse that everybody in gen.
eral was far teo good to her. 1t was case of
the smooth running Of deep waters. She and
John Wiley had been prosaically faithful to
each other for years before he asked her
promise to marry him. Eighteen months ago
carriage builder, and now, having prospered,
was coming East for his wife. Within two
days journey Of home he had written to ask
Frank, I,uda's brother, to meet him IL Boston
for days sightseeing and an evening at the
theater: Perhaps you would say that the ideal
lover eheuld have fastened to his lady on the
wings of the wind, or with all the power of
steam: but linda thought differently.
ut was just like hinl-wasIl it, n1other?"-
she said thatvery morning, after Miss Raines
had gone. $50 think Frank would be the better
for change. I'd rather have him 80 to Bos-
ton for a good time than see John one day
sooner And Tm sure nobody could speak
stronger than tha,, could they mother?'
II don't know what / shall do without you,
Indy" said tho mother, rather irrelevanty,
putting down the knife to wlpsaway furtive
tear with her apron. "I'm sure l don't know ~
Linda was at her side in an instant with q
tear Of Der own, and the two women kissed,
laughed, and went on with their work, AZ they
had done % hundred times within the last
fortnight For Mrs. Poysett had the equable
ro,undity of form and double chin, and
Linda, besides being sensible, could not keep
miserable very long at a time. Thus you per-
ceive that circumstances were rendering it as
easy as possible for them to weather the gale
of coming separation.
Meanwhile, everybody in the township was
not rotund and possessed Of double chins, not
all the houses were keepers OF now and shining
wedding gifts, and, strange to say, not every
body was happy. Pete Hayden, who lived down
in pan lane, was poor and savage!y discouraged.
He made shoes ordinarily, but that winter there
were no shoes to be had His was fine and
pract1ced hand; he could do all sorts of jobs,
from cleaning watch to building chimney,
but nobody saw fit to have making or mending
done There had ouly been four or five
pieces of 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 iusttheu some one tapped him Oh the arm
and tempted him.
One morning stranger strolled into town
and stopped at Pete's little shop to ask his
wav He was travelling to Southtield, SO he
said.
'sWhere had ne been?"
COB anywhere" airiy and jauntily; stray
work somewhere, if I found any worth doing. :"
Hard tines" said Pete, looking modify at
the little rcd stove. "What's your trade?"'
give been sailor" said the man, filling his
pipe--a process Pete watched greediy for his
own tobacco box was empty "Twenty years
before this time--but there's jealousies. So I
got sick of It. I call myself q landsman now. !"
s'You dent have the look Of O. sailor" said
Pets, his eyes travelling from the shabby fur
cap ard the dark face with rather narrow, bold
black eyes down over the shabby suit of
brown.
The man gave slight start and glanced at
him keenIy You don't think SO? Well I've
been On land some time now. Salt WATERS easy
to shake OF. What might your name Beg"
''HaydoR--Pete Hayden"
ssAnd mines Job Whettles Queer name,
amt its Don't believe there's another like it
in the country. Good day, mate II Pm round
this way again Ill look in on you. F"
And I've did
One day. as Pete was soldering a milk-pail
for Mrs. Rurge, this time whistllng little, hay
ing work 10 whistle over, the man came in
without warning Of rap or voice
Thought you's twenty five mile away afore
this" said Pete, plying his iron. ''Take a
seat''
ssIhings don't please me much over that
way said the fellow, pompously. again be-
ginning to cut his tobacco, perhaps as a cover
to hisfurtive Chances II may stay ronnd here
spell. Perhaps I'll do a bit OF work on some
body's farm" -
= "Oan't got it." said Pete, briefly, viewing his
completed job with approval saint no farm
work to be had Just now
s'Well, doing chores, I mean--light work.
Tn not particular how little do for my
board,n with q coarse laugh.
ssFolks do their own work round here" said
Pete. .ssonle OF 'em have got money enough
and don't want hired man round in the win
teri 81 g=G.il.. .+~,-- .
, T.sseems pity-don't it?--that things can't
be equally divided, 40 that you and could
have our share, . said the stranger, putting in
dustriously at his pipe, but not forgetting to
watch the tinker. 81 should like to help my
self to somebody's pile; now, shouldn't yon :?
Honestly enough, Of course, man, You
needn't jump. mean, suppose the young
fellow that owns the big farm over there
( Poysett honld say. .Whettlea, take half my
bank stock ! don't need II ~ z do you think !
should say mo- r. iii.
Of course the tinker laughed at the fanciful
notion. He was sunny tempered fellow; il
hardly needed q very bright thing to provoke
3 his mirtb. J. 3sa. ].
Where Whettles stayed at night was mys-
terry. Sometimes Pete suspected he might have
slept ID a barn, he turned up 30 tonsled in th.
morning; eften he guessed that Ioppan, the
e saloon keener had given him q lodging. from
the fumes that fingered about his shabby per-
II son. He had money at times, for again and