West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-09-11


rubbing her nose,
What nonseneel as much grass as
there is In the world! An | won't have
a sarsy young one here" But as hei
shoes trod energetically over the short,
crisp moss and crushed the fragran,
pennyroyal, she found herself wonder.
ing vaguely how it would seem if this
were the first time.
No one but herself and her God knew
OF the warfare that went on down i'm the
southwest pasture that afternoon, but
Calista knew who had the victory whom
they sat down TO their five o'clock sup
per But she said nothing. And even
after the dishes were washed and the
milk put away, and Miss Jane tied on
an ancient black straw "hackorney"
and said, aftor n little hesitation. that
she guessed she'd run over To the min.
istcr's and tell him If he can ketch
hold OF n likely little girl, wen try an
git along with hor two wecks"-even
then Calista only said: "Wel, would.
sister A little girl wouldn't be so
much trouble for you as boy, most
likely
But after Miss Jane had gone on her
errand Calista went into her bedroom
and shut the door. She had entered
into her closet
What Miss Jane said TO herself as she
trudged away was: "lf I'm selfish
pig, Lord, help me not To squeal and
knock over my vittles every time can't
have 'em TO suit me-" And she backed
up her prayers by her deeds.
Twenty years ago Calista had closed
the eyes of her husband, young Lieu
tenant John Emmons. in a Southern
hosp tai She stayed with the sick and
wounded two years longer and then
came home with the malaria that made
her an invalid for life
Jane Sewall had heard. as her neigh
bors had, that Alexander Merrill was
shot through the head rs ne flung him
self IN desperation across the fatal dead
line of the pen at AnderSonville but
there had been no engagement an
nounccd between them.
He had whispered to her under the
blooming apple trees the night before
MS regiment went away. and asked if
she would wait until he came back, and
after his death 1t was whispered about
that he had been kind o shinin' up TO
Jane Sewall, and the postmaster was
sure "he had wrote to her" but the
modesty of the New EnglanI village
would have been shocked if she had
presumed to openly mourn for him.
And so the sorrow that flowed from
Calistas wound, leaving it sweet and
ready for healing, had cankered in
Jane 5 heart, and formed a crust that
few broke through
She and Calista lived comfortably on
the old place with little money and
Calsta pension; and though their lives
might not lie in the sunshine, and the
light was Subdued. ID was tender. not
gloomy. and the only real shadow that
darkened the path was the dread that
sometimes thrust itself forward that
one might be left alone.
The fatal Tuesday, as Miss Jane
would have expressed il, came and
found Miss Jane FRYING so many dough-
nuts that Calista said, laughingly She
must be expecting a hoy. after all; but
they were both surprised when the min
ister stopped at the door with boy in
his wagon.
IL said GIRL" said Miss Jane, en-
phatically, meeting the minister on the
doorstep.
II know you did. Miss Sewan. |
know you did" said the rood man.
but now I'll tell you just how it is.
This hoy has brought dog with him"
Miss James face was gorgon-like in
its stoninesS and nobody wants him.
lie brought the dog aboard the boat in
that pasiebOard box, and there he's
kept him till somebody caught him put
ting in part of his luncheon for the lit.
tie creature TO eat He cut holes in the
box so the dog could breathe. and told
him to keep still, and the knowing lit
Ito thing hasn't made a soupd since
they started last night. The boy said
he was afraid TO leave him for fear he
would be abused or lost"
MIR. Chandler paused, aud looked nj
Miss James face. He read nothing
there.
81 can't say blame you, though.
for not wanting a boy" he continued.
land I'll see if we can't stow him away
somewhere with ours"
Miss Jane caught a glimpse of
Catista 3 face. You pig. Jane Sewall.
now kick over the whole trough be-
cause you cant have everything your
way, said she TO herself, and "Ston,"
said she to the minister; "bring him
in"
81 hope you'I never regret it," said
the minister, shaking hands when he
went away
81 hope ! sha'n't" responded Miss
Jane. in a tone that said 81 know / |
shall;'' but Mr. Chandler was used to a !
lack OF faith. and he rode away. leaving
the boy, with tho box under his arm.
standing on the broad, fat door stone. |
IN the morning sunshine
Miss Jane said she never did see
such fool for a boy that seemed 10
have wit, too. as the DAYS wore away;
and he asked her what held up the I
stone WALL that fenced the pasture
across the road. or wondered that ra.p. /
berries grew on bushes. or puzzled M /
the connection between the hen or the .
nest and the cg found bro there after /
ward. Miss Jane was. as She said. I.
really ''nonplussed at such iguoranre .
The dog. snap. proved TO ic "a harm
less little ragged-haIred thing. who pa d .
great respect 90 the enormous yellow
and white cat Sarah, and mo.lH Ell her
mistress by catching the rat fho lazy
Sarah had allowed 90 gambol ab0u.
ih' barn almost under her nose
Quite O friendship grew between
CalIsta and Jack, for be- loved 10 l-trn
~ her stories Of the war, though he
never hcsiiated tO tell her when be-
thought she left The s'raighthiyhway of
fact and sirayed into ihe fields of mag
nation
After awhile they found. in addition
70 snap. he had brought with him an
old fageolct, ou which Doc played. If not
scientifically. at least in q way pleasing
to these lonely women