The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-05-02
AN OBJECT OF LOVE.
The One Great Trial Of q Patient,
Thankful Woman.

The One Great Trial Of a Patient.
Thankful Woman.
There were no clouds In the whole sky
except few bleak violet-colored ones in
the west. Between them the sky showed q
clear, cold yellow. The air was very still,
and the trees stood out distinctly.
s'Thar's goin' to be heavy frost, sure
enough said Ann Millet. an hev to git
the squashes in"
She stood in the door, surveying the look
outside, as she said this. Then she went in,
and presently emerged with a little black
shawl pinned closely over her head, and
began work.
This was a tiny white-painted house.
with door and one window in front, and
little piazza, over which the roof jutted,
and on which the kitchen door opened on
the rear corner. The squashes were piled
up on this piazza in great yellow and
green heap.
"a splendid lot they air." said Ann. "rd
orter be thankful" Ann always spoke of
her obligation to duty, and never seemed
to think Of herself as performing the duty
itself. "I'd 0rter be thankful" said she
always.
Her shawl, pinned closely over her hair
and ears, showed the small oval of her face.
The greater part of it seemed to be taken
up by heavy forehead, from under which
her deep-set blue eyes looked with a
strange, solemn expression. She looked
alike at everything, the clear cold sky and
the squashes, soberly and solemnly.
This expression, taken in connection with
her little delicate old face, had something
almost uncanny about it. Some people
.Iosv If
ooked at them
s.Thar's Mis- Stone COMM" said she.
"Hope to goodness she won't stop an
hender me! Lor' sakesl I'd orter hev more
patience"
A tall, STOPPING figure came up the street,
and paused at her gate hesitatingly.
sGood-evenin', Ann"
"Good-evenin', Mis- Stone. Come in,
won't yer"
Mrs. Stone came in the gate, and walked
up to the piazza, and stopped.
"Gettin' in your squashes, amt your"
eyes. / didn't dare resk 'em out to-
night, it's so cold. left 'em out last year,
an they got touched, an it about spoilt
'em."
"Well, should be kinder afraid to resk
'em; it's good deal colder than he'd any
idea of when l come out. / thought I'd
run over to Mis- Maxwell's a minute, SO
Jest clapped on this head-tie am this little
u
clean through. i don't know but I've TUX
cold. Yes; I'd take 'em in. We got ourn
in last week, such as they was. We amt
got more'n half as many as you hev.
shouldn't think you could use 'em all,
Ann.n
swell, 1 do. alters liked squashes, an
Willy likes 'em, too. You'd orter see him
brush round me, a-roundin' up his back
an purrin' when Pm a-scrapin' of 'em out
OF the shell. He likes 'em better'n fresh
meat"
.'Seems queer for a cat to like seen
things. Ourn won't touch 'em; he's awful
dainty. How nice an big your cat looks
a-settin' thar in the window!n
Hes a-watchin' of me. He jumped up
thar jest the minute come out.n
Hes good deal of company fur you,
"Yes, he is. What on airth 1 should do
this long winter that's comm, without him,
I dom know. Everybody wants somethin'
that's alive In the house,"
THAT'S so. 1t must be pretty lonesome
for You anyway. Ruth an me often speak
of 1t, when we look over here, specially in
the winter season, some of them awful
stormy nights we hev."
"Well, don't mean to complain, any,
way. I'd orter be thankful. I've got nv
Bible an Willy, an a roof over my head.
an enough to eat an wear; an a good
many folks hev 10 be alone, as fur as other
folks Is concerned on this airth. An p'haps
some other woman amt lonesome because
am, an may be she'd be one OF the kind
that didn't like cats, an wouldn't hev got
along half as well as me. No; I've got a
good many mercies to be thankful fur
more'n kin count, an more'n deserve 1
never orter complain"
swell, IL all Of us looked at our mercies
more'n our trials, we'd be a good deal
happier. But, sakes! must be goin'. I'm
catchin' cold, an Pm henderin' you. It's
supper time, too. You've got somethin'
cookln' in the house that smells good.v
Yes; it's some stewed temarter. alters
like somethin' / kin eat butter am pepper
on sech a night as this.n
wen, somethin' Of that kind is good.
Goodnight, Ann"
Goodnight, Mis- Stone. Coin to meetin'
"I'm goin' of Ruth don't. One of ma has
night.n
Mrs. Stone had spoken in a very birb.
pitched tone all the while. Ann was soms.
what deaf. She had spoken loudly and
snriiiy, too; so now there was q sudden
hull, and one could hear cricket chirping
somewhere about the door.
Mrs. Stone, pulling her tiny drab cape
tighter across her STOPPING, rounded shoul-
ders, hitched rapidly down the street to
her own home, which stood ON the opposite
side. little below AIMS, and Ann went
on tugging In her squashes.
I'm glad she's gone" she muttered,
looking after Hrs. Stones retreating figure.