Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1885-10-01

He'll find her. She can't be very far of.
You'll see her walking in here first thing
you know. He's got real fast team. an
he's started for Ellsworth now. He went
past me like streak when was coming
up the road. He'll have her back safe and
sound before morning"
so, Lefty! Lefty. 0, what shall I do?
It's my own fault, every mite Of it's my
own fault. IT'S: you don't know nothin'
about it. The minister brought me a sum,
he an Mr.. Plainfield had been workin' on,
to do, yesterday afternoon, an Jest sat
an ciphered half the night, an all day. I
didn't know no more what Lefty asked
me, when she came in from school, than
nothin' at all. didn't know nothin' but
them figgers, an now Letty's lost, an it's
my fault"
"Why, you might have let her gone if
you'd known"
Il guess shouldn't let her gone all alone
with your Lizzie, to come home after dark
in the last train, little delicate thing as she
was. l guess 1 shouldn't; an guess I
should have started up an done some-
at train time. l didn't get the sum done,
an Pm glad of it; it seems to me jest as
if l was Iosin' my faculty as Pm growin'
older, an hope ! am"
snow don't talk so, Mis- TORY. Sit
down an try to be calm. You'll be sick"
81 guess there amt much bein' calm.
tell you what tits, Mis- Bascom, I've
been a wicked woman. I've been
thinkin' SO much of this faculty
it afore everything-I hev. Only yester-
day that poor child didn't hev any dinner
but crackers an milk, cause l was SO took
up with the sum that l forgot it. AM she
was jest as patient as lamb about it; said
she'd rather hev crackers an milk than
anything else. o, dear! dear"
"Don't cry, Mis- Tory"
81 can't help it. 1t don't make no differ
ence what folks are born with a faculty
for-whether it's cipherin', or singin', or
writin' poetry-the love that's betwixt hui
man beings an the help that's betwixt 'em
ought to come first. I've known it all the
time, but I've gone agin it, an now Pye
got my pay What shall l do?''
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 flocked to the house
to inquire if there was any news from
Lefty, and to comfort her grandmother
Sympathy seemed fairly dripping like
fragrant oil from these simple, honest
hearts; but the poor old woman got no re-
freshing influence from it. She kept on
Lefty, and it was all her own fault, and
what should she do! Mr.. Plainfield did
not come home. The minister took his
place in school. Nothing was heard until
noon; then 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;
Lefty was safe; coming home as soon as
possible. The following day passed then,
mn nj
grandmother's faith fand hope seemed to
have deserted her. She knew Lefty was
not found: she never would be found. She
and Mr.. Plainiield were both lost now.
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, Il can't help thinkin' about
that awful sum now after all that's hap
pened. Them figgers keep troopin' into
nv head right in the midst of my thinkin'
about Lefty. It's all can do to let that
slate alone, an not take it off the bureau.
But won't-I won't if it kills me not to-"
On the fourth day after Letty's disap-
pearance, between six and seven O'Clock in
the evening, Mrs. TORY was sitting alone
in her kitchen. The last svmpathizer 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 on the stove. There was
4 soft yellow light from the lamp over the
room. The warm air was full of the fra
GRANGE of boiling tea.
Mrs. TORY sat looking over at the
bureau. She would have looked the same
way if sne had been starving and seen food
there.
60" she whispered. eff could-only
work on that sum little while, it does
seem as if 'twould comfort me more'n any,
hing! o Lord! / wonder if | was to blame?
Twas the way | was made, an couldn't
help that. P'rhaps l should hev let Lefty
gone, an she'd been lost, anyway. l
wonder if hev lost my faculty."
She sat there looking over az the slate.
At last she rose and started to cross the
room. Midway she stopped.
20, what am doin'? Letty's lost, an
Pm goiu' to cipherin'! S'pose she should
come in am ketch me? She'd be SO hurt
she'd never get over it. She wouldn't
,hink l cared anything about her."
She stood looking at the slate and
thinking for a moment. Then her face
settled into hard calm.
Lefty won't come back-she won't
never come back. l might as well cipher
Is anything else"
She went across the room. got the slate
md pencil, and returned to her seat. She
lad been ciphering for minute or So
when sound outside caused her to start
md stop. She sat with mouth open and
hin trembling, listening. The sound came
learer; it was at the door. OF all the
weet sounds which had smote that old
ears since her birth-songs o.
birds, choral hymns, Sabbath bells-there
lad been none SO sweet as this. 1t was
.etty's thin girlish treble which she heard
ust outside the door.
For second, as she sat listening, her
ace was rapt, angelic; in spite of its
allowness and wrinkles it might have
gured in an altar-piece. Then it changed
he slate was in her lap. What would
city think:
1t was all passing swiftly; the door
atch ratified, she slipped the slate under
er gingham apron, and sat still.
so. poor grandmav cried Lefty, run
ing in; ''you've been frightened most to
cath about me, haven't you:" She bent |
yer her grandmother and laid her soft |
retty cheek against hers.
ack"
me. / got carried way out West ON an |
xpress train. Just think of it. 1 got on |
ne wrong train while was waiting for |
lizzie. l was frightened almost to death. |
ut Mr.. Plainfield tslegraphed ahead He |
1und out where l was going, and they |
ook me to a hotel; and then he came for |
lie. You haven't said anything to Mr.. |
grandma"
The young man outstanding smiling be-
ind Lefty. She looked astonished when
er grandmother did not rise to speak to
i'm, but sat perfectly still as she uttered
)me broken thanks.
"Why, grandma, you amt sick, are
said she.
mol amt SICK" said her grand
lother. with a meek tone.
When Mr.. Plainfield left, in few mo-
tents, Lefty gave a half-defiant, half
slammed glance at her grandmother, and
'llowed him out, closing the door.
When she returned Mrs. TORY was stand
e by the table pouring out a cup of tea