The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-24
A GATHERER OF SlsiPLES.

A GATHERER OF SimPLES.
A damp air was blowing up, and the
frogs were beginn ne to peep. The
sun was setting in lew red SKY. Or
both sides of the road we e rich greer
mead .ws interse ted by little canal ike
brooks. Beyond the meadows on the
west was distant stretch of pine
woods, that showed dark against the
Clear sky. Aurelia Flower was going
along the road toward Ter home. with
great shea of leaves and Towers IN
her aims. There were the rosy spikes
OF hardhack; the great white corymb>
raccmes of lobelia. Then there were
great lunches of the odcrous tansy and
pennyroyal in with the rest.
Aurel.a was q tall, strongly-built
woman: she was not much over thirty,
but she looked oder. Her complexion
had hard red tinge from exposure to
sun and wind, and showed seams as
unreservedly as granite. Her face was
thin, and her cheek-bones high She
had profu ion of auburn hair; show
ing in a loose slipping coil beneath her
limp black straw hat. Her dress. as a
matter of fashion, was execrable; in
point OF harmony with her surround
ings, very well. though she had not
thought of it in that way. There was
a green underskirt and brown over
skirt and basque of an obsolete cut.
She had worn it for good many years
Just so, and never thought of altering
it. 1t did not seem to occur to her that
har l.,
not really flower in regard to apparel
and had not its right OF Interchangeable
ness in the spring. When the trees
hung out their catkins. she Haunted her
poor greens and browns under them,
lie. oicing, and never dreamed but what
they looked all right. As far as dress
went. Aurelia was a happy woman.
She went a.ong the road TO might at a
good pace, her armful of leaves and
blossoms nodding; her spare muscular
limos bore her along easily. She had
been over good many miles since
noon. but she never thought of being
tired.
Presently she came in sight of her
home, square unpa'nted building,
black with age. 1t stood back little
from the road on gentle slope. There
were three great maple-trees in front OF
the house; their branches rustlet
against the roof. On the left was 8
small garden; some tall roles thickly
twined with hops were prominent in it.
Aurelia went round to the side dool
of the house with her armful of greer
things The door opened directly into
the great kitchen. One on enter
ha- CT Ok
would on seeing unexpected company
in a room. The walls were as green q:
lady's bower with lunches and fes
toons of all sorts OF New Eng and herbs
There they hung. their blossoms turn
ing gray and black. giving out strange
half-pleasant half-disgusiing odors
Aurela took them in like her native air
ats good to get kome." murmured she
TO herself, for there was no one else
she lived alone
She took off her hat and disposed Of
her burden; then she got herself some
supper. She did not build fire in the
cooking-stove, for she never drank tea
in warm weather. Instead, she had 8
fumbler of root-beer which she had
made herself. She set it out on one
end of her kitchen table with slice oil
coarse bread and saucer Of cold beans.
She sat down 10 it and ale with good
appetite. She looked better with her
hat of. Her forehead was an import
ant part OF her face; it was white and
vomanlr, and reddish hair lay round il
In pretty curves; then her brown eyes,
under very strongly arched brows,
showed to better advantage. Taken BY
herself, and not compared with other
women, Aureiia was not so bad-look-
ing; but she never was taken by he self
In that way, and nobody had ever given
her apy credit for comeliness. 1t would
have been like looking at iack-in-the
pulnit and losing all the impression
that had ever been made on one by
roses and hyacinths. and seeing abso-
lutely nothing else but that one flowers
fine green and brown lines: it is doubt
full if it could be done. /.
She had finished her supper, and was
sorting her fresh herbs, when the door
opened and q woman walked in. She
had no bonnet On her head; she was a
neighbor, and this was al unceremoni-
GUS little country place.
'sGood-evenin', 'Relia," said she.
There was an important look on her
plain face, as if there was more to fol-
low.
"Good-euenin', Mis- Atwood. Take
q chair"
Been herSin' again?''
"fes; went out little while this af-
ternoon."
'Where'd YOU COUP on Green
Mountain"
'.No; L went over to Whites Woods.
There were some kinds there L wanted.
''You don't ssy so! That's q mat
Ter of six miles. amt it? Amt you
tired?"
..Lor', no. said Aarelia. 81 reckon
I'm pretty strong. or mebbe the smell
Of the herbs keeps me up;" and she
laughed.
SO did the other. ''Sure enough