Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-06-28
BARRY

Miss Abigail Burr was n little brown
old maid, who lived in little brown old
house with her cat "Debby," and her
woman of l-work, Prudence, sharp of
tongue, long OF visage, Drowned and
older tuaa the mistress herself. There
was nothing of grace, nor beauty, nor
sweetness about Miss A biyail's life; ey-
erythinS vas dry, hard and husky. In
deed, some people were so uncharilable
rs to say that her heart was very much
luxe dried,up kernel in nutshell,
and would rattle if she were to be sha-
Ken hard enough. Bat L never quite
beloved that. | always said there was
asoft spo5 in Miss Abigail's heart, to be
found when the time came to find it,
One spripg twilight boy opened
Miss Abigail's garden gate and walked
up the patl, between the rows of strac-
CLING lilacs. Ike was. not boy who
4ived about Caperstowh, or he would not
dare venture, am sure, for Prudence's
sake, besides having nothing to ven
gu Tor. lie was an uukempt, starved
looking little specimen of humanity.
His coat was world too long and patch.
cd at the elbows; and his trousers we're
world too short and patched at the
knees. His hat was gulltless of brim,
aud through n hole IN ihe crown bob
bed a little tuft OF hair which had once
been brown, but was now wofulIy faded.
He went straight up to Miss Abigails
porch steps. Miss Abigail was sitting
on the porch ill her high backed rock
lng-chalr so intent on binding off her
stocking-heel that she heard neither the
click of the gate latch nor the footsteps
ON the hard trodden path, and she did
not look up until the boys figure inter
posed itself between her woYk and the
fading sunset light.
He doffed his tattered hat-crown
"If you please, a'am, will you-
may have something to cat?"
1t was not mt all Il tramp's manner of
asking; there was manliness in the
voice winch Miss Abigail could not help
but notice. Perhaps that was the rea-
son she looked Mt rhe'boy SO sharply for
Il moment before she answered. In that
moment Prudence, tall aud angular,
Stood at the door with a shawl thrown
over her head, and right hand swathed
with soft cotton
"I'll have to git Jonas Burrows man
to do the milkin', Miss Abigail" said
she, ~ can't. I've burned my hand
that bad"
The boy looked up quickly. "Can't
l. could milk for you?"
AS have inaled, Prudence did not
like boys; and that she sometimes ex-
pressed her dislike i'll very forcible
manner many of the village urchins
could testify. Now, she.surveyed this
boy, standing by the porch steps, from
his bare brown head, not forgetting the
faded little tutt, i'll dumb astonishment.
You might let him try, Prudence" !"
said Miss Abigail, thinking obviously of
the nervous monse-colored Alderney in
the yard.
"l chored on farm all last summer"
explained the boy, eagerly, glaucing
from mistress to maid. 81 want some
supper, and III be glad to do something
to pay for it. !"
Well, you kin try it, said Prudence,
alter momentary deliberation. It's
better'n begging favor, anyhow"
She led the way to the kitchen, and
took a shining tin pail from the dresser.
s" Heer's the milk pail" said she to
the boy, who stood waiting; "an' the
cows in the yard yonder. Payday
comes when the works done"
And Prudence smiled grimly, as she
went about setting out lunch of bread
and butter and cold meat. She felt
morally certain that the fighty Alderney
heifer, used only to women.kind, would
be much more likely to spread pair of
bovine wings aud fly away than to allow
herself to be MIXED by boy.
8. He can't do it'll" she said to Miss abb
gail, who presently brought her knitting
work into the kitchen. "The heifer'll
send him sky y-highl"
But he could and he did. Soon he APP
peared in the doorway, his pail brim-
ming with snowy foam.
You didn't think 1 could 2" said the
boy, smiling brightly.
"No, / didn't" admitted Prudence,
and straightway, iu her astonishment,
she added to his fare segment of rhu-
barb pie.
Wasn't there a bitof cheese leftfrom
tea 2"asked Miss Abigail. q
Prudence thought there was, and
while she was fetching it fIom the Gel
lar he gave himself healthy scrubbing
at the pump, coming in from his ablu.
tions fresh and ruddy asa rose. He was,
very hungry; there was no doubt of
that. He looked Mt Miss Abigail with
depreeating smile rs Prudence carried
Oh the bread plate for third replenish-
ing:
~ am pretty hungry" said he.
This is the first bite I've had since
morning, and it tastes good."
10 be sure it did. Miss Abigail
Paought OF little brother, who died,