The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-07-10

thing, asking no questions after the fs,
evening, but kept an observant eye on ali
Both Lucas and Armida had loved him
since their earliest remembrance, and M
tanned their ed sondness for him now h
was a welcome guest on either side of hs
kitchen, and though wh6I he announcedoi
an evening that he was going visiting and
stepped across the line to the other side al
the half from where he had been sitting
the owner of the side he honored feli
pleased by the distinction, yet those on de
opposite side, though no longer (accordinp
to an understood law joined in the con
versation, still had the benefit of Theodore,
narratives. He was busy, too, in his way
He was interchangeable in erry-picking and
herb gathering, selling what Armida and
Lucas did not wish, and showing not liz
tie shrewdness. When he had laid a little
money together he bought still and dis
| titled essences of peppermint, wintergresn
and other sweetsmelling herbs and roots
and when store was accumulated he filed
a basket and departed on a peddling ex.
petition, returning with money in bis
purse and a handkerchief or ribbon h,
Armida. Once he bought her a stuff gown
which she came near running by weepns
over it, it was such delight.
Lucas demonstrated. Il think your.
foolish, Theodore. Why don't you spend
your money on yourself You'd a sighi
better get you coat"
"I'd rather see Armida crying over tia,
stuff" said Theodore, than have donr
coats. Nobody knows Armida's good Look
ing, because she's no good clothes. Bat
she is, and when she gets that dress made
| up and puts it on with that pink ribbon
bought her last time, she'll look pretty AZ
pink"
Not so great success were the Venetar
blinds that he bought second-handed and
| gave to Armida to hang in the sitting
room. They proved to be in sorry c,r'
| dition, and Theodore was much Ed5fS1
Being handy creature, he managaSs
| patch them up so that though they cou1
not be rolled up, they looked very vel
from the outside, and, as he philosophialy
remarked :
What more do you want, Armidx A
room you never sit in, you don't wan any
| light in"
There was one thing that THEODORE
would not do. He would not, as b said,
fellowship with Jerry, Armida's hroand.
Tell you, Armidy," he would sy, 81
| can't put up with a man like him .
Some folks call you shifless, THEODORE "
Armida retorted with bitterness.
"Well, l am" he allowed, 'but u differ
| ence is, I'm lazy and work my faslon, but
he's lazy and don't work at all"
Though he disdained Jerry, would
rather do his tasks than see Arnda's in
| terests suffer, and when he was pt occu-
pied with his still or peddling 3 busted
himself on her side of the farm Lucas
| would at any time give him shelping
hand rather than see Theodore nrt him
self, and so Armida's fences weremended
and sundry repairs on her barns nd out
houses made. Lucas was still a. stiff as
ever and the help was alwayso oblige
Theodore, who laughed to himselbut said
nothing.
He once attempted to wheedle Icas into
painting, at least all of the frop of the
house, but Lucas was not to b, moved
Disappointed in that, Theodore brought
home pot of yellow paint who return
ing from his next expedition, al painted
his sisters half of the kitchen floor, in
spite of her demonstrating tat Lucas
wouldn't like it, though she Acknowledged
it looked pretty, and of Lucass vexation
at finding the room ridiculous.
mo more ridiculous than it WIS before, ,
Theodore assured him; 1T cmldn't be.
Besides" he added as an aferthought
''Ill bring it plump up to the middle, and
neither of you will be trespasin' on the
others side. noticed one of YOUR chairs
was a leetle grain onto Armidas side the
other night, and that amt right
In the middle of an afternoon, as Lucas
was blowing out his corn, he heard 6
'hello ~ to which, when it had been two OF
three times repeated. he replied, though
without looking around. Presently ht
heard some one coming, in sort OF scuf
fling run and bre athing heavily, and looket
over his shoulder to see Theodore, who
dropped into a walk as he spied him. ant
gasped: Lucas! Say Stop Look hers =
"WellP' said Lucas, and pulled up hi
horse.
''Im too old to run like this that's
fact, said Theodore, hopping his face an
leaning up against the pillow. There's
queer piece of work for us to do, Luca.
Armidy's all smashed up on the road RICH
down here on that second dip, and l CUES
jerry is stone dead, and we must fetch lei
up just as soon as we CAM
Lucas made no comment, but mechanic
ally unfastened the horse and turne
toward the house, his brother stumbling
behind quite exhausted by the hurry an
fatigue of the hour.
AS they went Lucas said: How did yo
come to know of it?n
"Well, it was curious" said Theodore
you know | had old Sam this morning
bringing in little jag OF wood for Armid
and heightened out the traces to fit the oil
Vaughn. Well, all know about it is wha
guess. | see from the looks they must q
concluded to go to the village with som
eggs and so on, cause you can see in tn
road where they smashed when the baske
flew out; and Jerry didn't know no NOR
than TO hitch up into the buggy withou
shortenin' the traces and you know hoy
that would work. Well, the Gurus thing is
that was out in the paster mowin' som
brakes-(here let me hitch up this sid
while you do tho other heard some
body or somethin' comm slam bang and
looked up-I want near enough so as &
see who it was nor any thin'-and locke
up and see 'em comm lills hudy down on
of them pitches. Thinks said we'll, there
hitch-up that's goin' to flinders-and jus
then the forward wheel struck a big ston
and | see the woman and man and all fl
inter the air and come down agin and tn
boss WENT
"Where's the boss nowr said Lucas.
81 don't know and don't care. Tell We
best put a feather bed in the bottom of thi
Vaughn, because her arms broke for Gel
tain and don't know what else. III fetc
tiff --ou've got some spirits.n
Yes" said Lucas, 'Ill fetch some;" an
both hurried into the house and soon cam
out again and hastened or.
How did you know who 'twas!" Luca
inquired with solemn curiosity fitting tn
occasion.
"Why, didn't but | knew when the
didn't offer to git up, whoever twas wante
help, and | put across the lot to 'em, an
sure enough twas Armidy and Jerry.
looked her over, and see by the way Sd
lay that one of her arms was broke an
way, and stepped over to where jerry wa
and, sir, he was dead as Moses! Hea
struck right on a big stone and broke b.
neck-his head hung down like that,n le
ting his hand fall Imply from the wrist.
"Does she lUnown said Lucas.
"No and hone she won't for snel