The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-10-01
LOST HER FACULTY.
The Minister and the Arithmeti-
cian-Letty's Escapade.

A strong soft south wind had been blow.
ing and the trees had dropped nearly al
their leaves. There were left only a few
brownish-gold ones dangling on the elms
and hardly any at all on the NAPLES. There
were many trees on the street, and the
fallen leaves were heaped high. Mrs
Wilson Torry's little door-yard was ankle
deep with them. The air was full of theil
odor, which could affect the spirit like 6
song, and mingled with it was the scent o
grapes.
The minister had been calling on Mrs
TORY that afternoon, and now he stood
facing her on the porch, taking leave. Ht
was very young, and this was his frs
parish. He was small and light and mild
looking; still he had considerable nervou:
volubility. The simple village women
never found him hard to entertain.
Now, all at once, he made an exclama-
ton, and fumbled in his pocket for folded
paper. ''There," said he, 81 nearly forgot
this. Mr.. Plainfield requested me to hand
this to you, Mrs. TORY. 1t is a problem
which he has been working over; he gave
1T TO me to try, and wanted me to propose,
when called, that you should see what
you could do with it,"
She seized it eagerly. "Well, I'll see
what | can do; but you an he mustn't make
no great calculations on me. You know
don't know anything about the 'rithmetic
books an the rules they hev nowadays;
but Pm willin' to try"
"Oh, you'll have it done while Mr.. Plain
field and are thinking of it, Mrs. Tory"
"You 'aint neither of you done it, then:'i
"He had not at last accounts, and
have not, )" replied the young man, laugh
ing, but coloring a little.
The old lady's eyes cleaned as she looked
at him, then at the paper. 81 dare say
can't make head or tail of it," said she
-'but I'll see what l can do by-an'-by."
She had something of childish air as
she stood there. She was slender, and SC
short that she was almost dwarfed; her
shoulders were curved little by spinal
disease. She had a small round face, and
a mouth which widened out innOcently
into smiles as she talked. Her ewes looked
out directly at one, like a child's; over
them loomed high forehead with bulging
temples covered with deep wrinkles.
You have always been very fond OF
mathematics, haven't you, Mrs. Torryli
i said the minister, in his slow retreat.
''Lor, yes. l can't remember the time
when want crazy to cipher.
Arithmetic is q very fascinating study,
/ think" !" remarked the minister, trying, to
slide easily of the subject and down the
porch steps.
"'Tis to me. An there's somethin' |
was thinkin' about this very forenoon
seein' all them leaves on the ground made
me, s'pose. It's always been a sight OF
comfort to me to count. When l was a
little girl I'd most rather count than play.
used to sit down an count by the hour
together. l remember little pewter por-
ringer had, that 1 used to fill up with
beans an count 'em. Well, it come into
fOrpnnnn hat saj
privilege it would be to count up all the
beautiful things in this creation. Just
think of countin' all them red an gold col
'ored leaves, an all the grapes an apples
in the fall; an when it come to the
winter, all the fakes of snow an the
sparkles of frost; an when it come to the
spring, all the flowers, and blades of grass,
an the little new light green leaves.
don't know but you'll think it amt exactly
Teverent, but it does seem to me that I'd
rather do that than sing in the other
world. Mebbe somebody does have to dc
the countin'; mebbe it's siRgin' for some. y
She stared up into the warm blue air, in
which the bare branches of the trees glist-
ened, with a sweet, solemn wonder in hel
old face.
The minister in bewildered way pom.
dered all the old woman had said, as ht
Tustled down the street. Later, Mr.. Plain
field (the young high-school teacher) anC
ne WoUlu nave ulSCuSSlOu over III. 1uel
often talked over Mrs. Wilson TORY
After her caller had gone, the old woman
entered the house. On the left OF the LITTLE
entry was the best room, where she hac
been entertaining the minister; on th
right, the kitchen. A young girl was il
there eating an apple. She looked NJ
when Mrs. TORY stood in the door.
He's gone, amt he?" said she.
''Why, Lefty, when did you come"
ga few minutes ago. Schools just out
i came in the back door ani heard hin
talking, so kept still"
"Why didn't you come in an see him!'
"Oh, didn't want to see him. Wha
you got there, grandmaw
"Nothin' but sum the minister brou gh
me - do. He an Mr.. Plainfield have beel
-workiu' over it."
''Couldn't they do it,"
"Well, he said they hadn't neither o
1em done it yet"
as it awful hard."
81 don't know. I 'ain't looked at
yet"
"Let me see. He didn't get it out Of an
of our books. know. We never had any
thing like this"