The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-12-05

enough to inquire if they had put in anv pickles, the party put on their stree, things and plunged into the wintrv nioh, on their errsnd of mercy.
 The three ladies hurried on through .h. darkness in silence. The tall and bonv 6gure of Mrs. Toles with the basket va. in the van, Mrs. Crowfdt came next. and pudgy Miriam trotted at her heels. The night was starless, but, as is often ,hs case just preceding a snowfall, ooiec,s could be seen at a considerable distance though indistinctly as to detail. l Somewhere in the ribbed recesses ot
 Mrs. Toles' bosom there d~elt real gen. erosity and compassion, which led her to truly pity the lonely Widow Rosebush in her supposed destitu ion; and her Whole nature vas permeated with a rugged sense of justice, and scorn of convention. al shams. These things, md digestive system rendered permanently peevsh and ill-natured by lifelong diet of pie and cake and slops, ameliorated only bv occasional scraps of butchers mea, fired until it resembled leather chips, gave her conversation the sharply exlilarattng character which so often brought roses of anger to the cheeks aad dewdrops of nor. nhed self-esteem to the eyellds of her two friends, Mrs. Crowfut and Miss Miriam. Tne three had been com panic s for many years, and were indispensable to each other, and would have helped each other in case of need, to the fall ex ent of their abilities, though neither of the mar. ried ladies ever missed an opportunity tor sharply disagreeable speech to the other. Miriam was of an ardently affe,. tionate nature, and bore the scoffns of her elder friends without anger, upheld within by dream of ,ender love which | her life had llttle chance of realizing. At the corner of the stone wall where the Bemls road turned out of the hollow grew large maple which divided at the surface of the ground into many trunks, and within pace or two of the maple stood a willow of great size. As the three ladies rounded thls prom ,ntory, the sharp little eyes of Miss Miriam perceived three 6gures coming down the slope oi the Bemis road toward their own party. C Menl" she gasped in a bteathless whisper, and d uted into hiding behind the maple. Mrs Toles and Mrs. Crowiut gave one glance up the road aud followed her into seclusion, and stood hidden, striving with straining eye balls to iden- tify the passers, while the three deacons hastened by in silence. The obscurity was too great to permit recognition.
 My, ain't this awfui?' whispered Mi- riam when the masculine forms had been swallowed up in 4rkness.
 "l guess you ain hurt none, be you?" asked Mrs. Toles with her usual acri. mopy.
 "Saould think they'd be ash amed to look human bein' in the face" said Mrs. Crowtut.
 |" How do you know what they've been a doin'?" asked Mrs. Toles. "Some folks is allus dre fiji . certain t other folks is doin' sump'n out the way, seems to me-" she added.
 Well" returned Thyrra ] me, CT sh'd think yed stan' up fer the Wldder Rose bush after this, Mis- Toles. Might a. been our own husbands fer aueht we know," she whispered, as the party cau- 'iously swept out of hiding, and resumed their journey after a reful scrutiny of the landscape in every direction.
 "Well, dunno nothin' bout other wimmen's husban's," said Mrs. Toles, but I've got some confidence in mlue No 6NSSS AS . kOk SOou ICuCG SuOuRu ln me not 10 run no risks uv iettin' Hester Ann Toles ketch him goin' to see 10 Wilder Rosebushes this time O night. a woman hain't no control over her own household, she can't expect much anyway, from her husband nor no one else"
 !" never see you quite $ aggravatin' s y be to- night, Mus roles Ye may be sorry some time fer these things" said Mrs 'Crowtut with the whimper again.
 Then ensued a silence, which endured until the party stood a, the widows door, where Mrs. Toles broke it by shaIp rap of her knuckles on the panel.
 Once more, lamp in hand, the Widow k 'seoush opened her door to strangers on this momentus Thanksgiving eve. Without giving time for an invitati In Mrs. Ioies walked straight in, closely followed by Ter two friends.
 Pm Mis- Deacon Toles, Mis- Rose bush, and this is Nus Deacon Gro ~fut, and this is Miss Miriam Pyncheon, sister to Deacon Pyncheon. so you see we're all respectable, il we do come ru,her late"
 Pray be seated, la ies," said the widow, closing the door, disp sing of the lamp, and placing chairs for her visitors near the stove. @ lite chilly even- ing, is it notr'
 "'Taint no summer weather" said Mrs. Toles, placing the basket in her lap as she sat down, and dra wing a haudkerchief from her pocket and blowing a clarion blast on her prominent nose. "An' 'taint so cold nutheT but them | wants to can git out. Me an Mis- Gro wfut thought beias t'morrers Thanksgivin' we'd jest bring few things round ye might use if you min to. Miriam she come long fer company D'no's we'd come if wed kno"ed y had visitors, though" ," and Mrs. Toles fixed her sharp eyes on the widows pre- ty face, which fished as she replie l, although her voice was calm.
 do not think quae understand you, Mrs. Toles. If you and your tr,ends," said Mrs Roseoush, with a ,light bow to AA s(