The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-10-03
LOST HER FACULTY.
The Minister and the Arithmetic
cian-Letty's Escapade.

A strong soft south wind had been blow
ing and the trees had dropped nearly all
their leaves. There were left only a few
brownish- gold ones dangling on the elms
and hardly any at all on the naples. There
were many trees on the street, and the
fallen leaves were heaped high. Mrs
~ ifiison forry7s IftJTe door Y ard was ankle
deep with them. The air was full of their
9dor, which could affect the spirit like a
song, and mingled with ii was the scent of
grapes.
The minister had been calling on Mrs.
Iorry that afternoon, and now he stood
facing her on the porch, taking leave. He
was very young, and this was his first
parish. He was small and light and mild
looking still he had considerable nervous
volubility. The simple village women
never found him hard to entertain.
Now, all at once, he made an exclama-
ton, and fumbled in his pocket for folded
paper. There" said he, Il nearly FORGOT
this. Mr.. Plainfeld requested me to hand
tins to you, Mrs TORY. 1t is a problem
which he has been working over: he gave
1t to me to try, and wanted me to propose,
when | called, that you should see what
you could do with it.'
She seized it eagerly. "Well, l'll see
what l can do; but you am he mustn't make
no great calculations on me. You know |
don't know anything about the 'rithmetic
books an the rules they hev nowadays:
but Pm willin' to try"
'Oh, you'll have it done while Mr.. Plain
field and | are thinking of it, Mrs. Tory"
'A on faint neither of you done it, them"
'He had not at last accounts, and-I
nave not" replied the young man, laugh
ing, but coloring a little.
The old lady's eyes cleaned as she looked
at MN, then at the paper Il dare say l
can't make head or tail of it." said she
''but I'll see what | can do by-an'-by.r
She had something of a childish air as
she stood there. She was slender and so
short that she was almost dwarfed; her
shoulders We're curved a little by spinal
disease. She had small round face, and
a mouth which widened out inn0centlv
into smiles as she talked. Her eyes looked
out directly at one, like a child's; over
them doomed high forehead with bulging
temples covered with deep wrinkles
"Y GU have always been very fond OF
mathematics, haven't you, Mrs. TORY:
L said the minister, in his slow retreat.
"Lor, yes. | can't remember the time
when ! want crazy to cipher.
'Arithmetic is very fascinating study,
: ehink," remarked the minister, trying to
slide easily off the subject and down the
porch steps.
''Tis to me. An there's somethin' |
was thinkin' about this very forenoon
SEEM all them leaves ON the ground made
me, s'pose. It's always been a sight of
comfort to me to count. When | was a
little girl I'd most rather count than play.
i used to sit down am count by the hour
together. | remember a little pewter por-
ringer | had, that l used to fill up with
beans an count 'em. Well, it come into
my head this forenoon what "a blessed
privilege it would be to count up all the
beautiful things in this creation Just
think OF countin' all them red an gold col
ored leaves, an all the grapes an apples
in the fall; an when it come to the
winter, all the flakes of snow an the
spar.des of frOs5; an when it come to the
spring, all the flowers, and blades of grass,
am the little new LIGHT green leaves.
don't know but you'll think it amt exactly
reverent, but it does seem TO me that I'd
rather do that than sing in the other
world. Mebbe somebody does have to do
the countin'; mebbe it's singin' for some"
She stared up into the warm blue air, in
which the bare branches of the trees glist-
ened with sweet, solemn wonder in her
old face.
The minister in bewildered way pom
dered all the old woman had said, as he
rusted down the street. Later, MIR. Plain
field (the young high-school teacher) and
he would have discussion over it. They
often talked over Mrs. Wilson Tory
After her caller had gone, the old woman
entered the house. On the left of the little
entry was the best room, where she had
been entertaining the ministers on the
right, the kitchen. A young girl was in
there eating an apple. She looked up
when Mrs. TORY stood in the door.