The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-10-01

was jest as patient as a lamb about It; said
she'd rather. hey crackers an, milk b
anything else. ., dear! dear!"
"Don't cry, Mis- Tory"
81 can't help it. 1t don't make no differ
ence what folks are born with Q faculty
for-whether it's cipherin', or siIgin', or
writin' poetry-the love that's betwixt hui
man beings an the help that's betwixt 'em
time, but Eve gone agin it, en' now I've
got my pay. What shall / do?" e
Mrs. Bascom remained with her all night,
but she could not pacify her in the least.
She was nearly distracted herself. She
was fearful that her Lizzie might be
blamed.
The next day people iocked to the house
to inquire If there was any news from
Lefty, and to comfort her grandmother.
Sympathy seemed fairly dripping lii
hearts; but the poor old woman got no re-
freshing influence from it. She kept on
her old strain in their ears. She had lost
Lefty, and it was all her own fault, and
what should she do! Mr.. Plainffeld "
not come home. The minister took his
place in school. Nothing was heard until
noon; then a telegram from the teacher
came. He thought he was on Letty's track,
he said; they should hear again.
Next day there was a second message;
LoGGy was SaIes COulluS uOulc do ooOA Ia
possible. The following day passed then,
and not another word came. The old
grandmother's faith land hope seemed to
have deserted her. She knew Lefty was
not found: she never would be found. She
apd Mr.. Plainfield were both lost now.
Something dreadful had happened to both
of them.
"The worst of it is" she told Mrs. Bas-
com one afternoon, with a fierce indigna-
ton at herself, 81 can't help thinkin' about
n e- Ill hafya haN-
pened. Them figgers keep troopin' into
my head right in the midst of my thinkin'
about Lefty. It's all I can do to let that
| slate alone, IN not take it off the bureau.
But I won'tI won't if it kills me not to-"
On the fourth day. after Letty's disap-
the evening, Mrs. TORY was sitting alone
in her kitchen. The last sv~mpathizer had
gone home to eat her supper.
The distressed old woman had drank a
cup of tea; that was all she would touch.
The pot was still o. the sSoTe. There was
a soft yellow light from the lamp over the
room. The warm air was full Of b fra
GRANGE of boiling tea.
Mrs. TORY sat looking over at the
bureau. She would lave looked the same
way if she had been starving and seen food
80" she whispered, eff could-only
work on that sum a little while, it does
seem as if 'twould comfort me more'n any
| GQlQ2t " LOTu. i WOuu0T IL L was " Uldulc
twas the way l was made, an couldn't
help that. P,rhaps I should hev let Lefty
gone, am she'd been lost, anyway. ]
wonder if I hev lost my faculty."
She sat there looking over at the slate.
At last she rose and started to cross the
room. Midway she stopped.
go, what am I doin'? Letty's lost, AM
come in am ketch me? She'd be so hurt
she'd never get over it. She wouldn't
think 1 cared anything about her."
She stood looking at the slate and
thinking for a moment. Then her face
settled into a hard calm.
Lefty won't come back-she WON'T
never come back. I might as well cipher
as anything else"
She went across the room, got the slate
and pencil, and returned to her seat. She
when q sound outside caused her to star
and stop. She sat with mouth open anG
chin trembling, listening The sound cam'
nearer; it was at the door. OF all tn,
sweet sounds which had smote that ole
! woman's ears since her ~birth-songs o
birds, choral hymns, Sabbath bells-ther'
had been none so sweet as this. 1t wa
Letty's thin girlish treble which she heart
just outside the door.
Fol a second, as she sat listening, he
face was rapt, angelic; in spite of it
sallowness and wrinkles it might hav
figured in an a~ltar-piece. Then it changed
The slate was in her lap. What woul,
Lefty think?
latch ratified, she slipped the slate unde
her Bingham apron, and sat still.
SO, poor grandma" cried Lefty, run
ming in; "you've been frightened most t
death about me, haven't your" She ben
over her grandmother and laid her sof
pretty cheek against hers.
SO, Lefty I didn't think you'd ever com
back"
81 have; but I did have tho dreadfules
time. 1 got carried way out West on a
express train. Just think of it'll 1 got o
the wrong train while l was waiting fo
, Lizzie. Twas frightened almost to deatl
. But Mr.. Plainfield tslegraphed ahead. 81
> found out where l was going, the
took me to a hotel; and then he came fo
me. You haven't aid anything to MI
I. Plainfield, grandma"
The young man ~was.standing smiling be
hind Lefty. She looked astonished whe
her grandmother did not rise to speak I
him, but sat perfectly still as she uttere
some broke thanks.
"Why,. grandma, you amt sick, al
your" said she.
"No-I amt SICK" said her grand
mother, with a meek tone.
When Mr.. Plainfield left, in a few me-
, ments, Lefty gave a half-defiant, hal
ashamed glance at her grandmother, an
, followed him out, closing the door.
= When she returned Mrs. TORY was stant
. ing by the table pouring out q cup of te
for her. The slate was in the usual pla,
u on the bureau.
"Grandma," said Lefty, blushing inn
: Gently, 81 thought I ought to say som.
n thing to Mr.. Plainfield, you know. 1 hadn'
: and 1 knew he heard what I said to Liz
g that day. 1 thought l ought to ask b
', pardon, when he'd done so much for m
n I've made up my mind that I do like hir
There's other things besides doing aritl
metic examples"
81 guess there is, child. Them things
- who hadn't got any special faculty, If
r was goin' to get married"
q "Nobody said anything about gettil
. married, grandma"
= Pretty soon Lefty went to bed. She w
worn out with her adventures.
70 "Ain't you going too, grandma" ask
: she, turning around, lamp in hand at Il
=, foot of the stairs.
10 "Pretty soon, child; pretty soon. T.
j., got a little somethin' I want to do first
y The grandmother sat up till nearly NOR
% ing working over the problem. Once in
climb upstairs and peep into Letty's lit
g peaceful girl-chamber to see if she w
'u safe.
eff 1 have got that dear child safe, a
faint lost my faculty, it's more'n l deserve
l. muttered she, as she took her slate the ls
time.
At Thu next evening the minister cal
ID over. $50 Letty's come" he said, VIII
ID Mrs. TORY opened the door.
pr "Yes, Lstty's come, and-pve got tn
9. sum, you gave me, done."-HdrperS' Mag
~, zine.
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