The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-02-29
on THE WALPOLE ROAD.


Walpole was lively little rural EN-
porium of trade; thither the villager
from the small country hamlets there
abouts went to make the bulk of tnei
modest purchases.
One summer afternoon two womel
were driving slowly along road there
from, in dusty old-fashioned chaise
whose bottom " as heaped up with brown
paper parcels.
One woman might have been seventy
but she looked younger, she was so hal,
and portly. She had double, hrs
ling chin, her gray eyes twinkled hu
morously over her spectacles, and sht
wore wide-faring black straw bonnet
with purple bows on the inside of the
rim. The afternoon was very warm
and she held a palm-leaf fan in one
black-mitted hand, which she waved
gently now and then over against hel
capac:ous bosom.
The her woman was younger-for.
ty, perhaps; her face was plain-featurrd
and energetic. She wore gray serge
dress and drab cotton gloves, and held
tightly on to the reins as she drove.
Now and then she would slap them
br.skly upon the horses back. He was
a heavy. hard-worked farm animal, and
was disposed to jog along at an easy
pace this warm afternoon
There had net been any rain for a
long time, and everything was very
dusty. This road was not much trav-
eled, and between the wheel ruts grass
was growing; but the soil flew up like
smoke from the horses hoofs and the
wheels. The blackberry vines climbing
over the stone walls on either side, and
the meadow-sweet and bareback bushes
were powdered thickly with dust, and
had gray leaves instead of green. The
big leaved things, such as bur,oek,
growing close to the ground, had their
VEIN .sil outlined in dust.
The two women rode in a peaceful
sort of way; the Old lady famed her
self mildly, and the younger one slapped
the horse mechanically. Neither spoke,
till they emerged into more open
space ON hill crest. There they had
an uninterrupted view OF the no Invest
sky; the trees had hidden it before.
Il declare, Almiry,' sand the old la
dy, 1--WE air goin' to hev thunder
shower"
s''It won't get up till we get home"
repl ed the other, IAN ten chances to
one it III 60 round by tie north ANYWAY,
an not touch us at all. That the
way they do half the time here. IfFd
a seen Cloud as black as TINT down
whcre | used 10 live. I'd "a known for
sure there was goin' to be heavy
tempest, but here there's no KNOWN
anything about it l wouldn't worry
anyway, Mis- Green, # it should come
up before we get home: the horse amt
afraid of ghtnin'.'
The old lady looked comlcal s'He
amt afraid Of anything, is he, Al
miry?"
NO" answered her companion, Civ
ing the horse a spiteful slap; .she don't
know enough TO get scared even. that's
a fact. d mt believe anything short
of Gabriels trumpet would start him up
a bit"
Il don't think you ought 10 speak
That way. Almiry," said the old lady;
'.it S kinder maxim light o. sacred
things. seems to me. But as long as
you've spoke o it, don't believe that
would start him up either. Though Eli
ell you one thing. Almiry: don't be-
ieve thar S goin' TO be anything very
;rightful bout Gabriel's trum,:et. 1
think it's goin' to come kinder Ike the
robins an the flowers do in the spring.
kinder meltin' right into everything
Else, sweet an material like"
THAT amt aceoruin' to Scriptur,"
said Almira, stoutlv.
Its accord n to my Scriptur. L tell
Tou what It's, Almiry, I've found out
)ne thing alvin so long, an that is,
thar amt so much difference in things
On this airth as thar is in the folks that
see EN-. It's me a-seein' scripturs.
IN it's you a-seein' the Scripturs, AL
niry, an You see one thing an an
other, an Idare say we both see crooked
mostly, with may be q little straight
mixed up with it, an well never RELY
know how much is straight till we see
o read it by the Ii ht of the New Jeru-
saem"
.'fou ought to ha' ben a minister,
Mis- Green"
"Wa'al. so l would ha' ben eff had
been man; alters thought I would.
But s'pose the Lord thought tn re was
more need of an extra hand Just then to
raise up children, an bak. an brew an
wash d shes. You'd be ter drive along
leetle aster eff you kin, Almirv."
Almira jerked the rcins vicionsly and
eluckfd, but tie horse logged along I'M
tqsbedly- 1T amt n, use. said
She. You might as well try to start
up stone post.
.'Wa'al, mebbe the shower won't
come up" said the old lady, and she
leaned back and Logan tanning herself
peacefully.
THAT cloud makes me think of Amt
Rebecca's funeral" she broke out. sud.
ienly. Ibid 1 ever tell you about it,
Almiry?"
mo; don't think you ever did. Ms,
Green"
''Wa'al, mebbe you'll like to hear il.
IS we're joggin' along. It'll keep us
rom gettin' aggravated at the horse.
POOR dumb thing!
.tWa'al. you see. Almiry, Aunt Re
jeccs was my aunt on my mothers side
-mJ mothers oldest sister she was-