The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-12-18

Yes, ma'am."
THAT Buston looks as if he drank"
well"
"DoeS hes"
''Yes-like fish"
"Doesl Why l shouldn't think they
would have him in college Well, the first
thing in the morning we'll bring down the
feather bed that is in the red cedar chest.
empty it into the barrel and wash the
tick"
The brief remnant of the summer night
Lucia was allowed to sleep in peace. When
she awoke tho old lady was up dressed
| and standing over pile of soiled white
clothes she had collected
81 shouldn't think you would need any
| more sleep for fortnight" was her first
greeting. II never saw such dead-head
am going to have you wash to-day, Luz
cia."
"Why, you know never did a washing
in my life, grandma"
well, l suppose you aren't so mighty
| fine and delicate you can't do one!n
Get the Irish woman to wash"
''rhe Irish women are all driven to dea th
washing for city boarders"
I'D rather pay something extra, grand
ma, than undertake to do it myself
Pay extra - yourself Anybody'd
| think you had mint of money back of
your
But, grandma, papa would rather pay
| it for me-"
'Papa Your father is poorer than a
wharf-rat; he don't have practice enough
! to pay for his own washing let alone
mine!n
At nine o'clock, Lucia, with grandma's
| old gingham sun. bonnet on her head<r
| out at the back door where grandma< pert
| sisted in setting the washbench, her sleeves
| rolled to the elbow, while her bare knuckles
ratified over the uncovered board Two
hunters came over the hill-at least they
| carried guns and had shot a chipmunk
Lucia drew deep within the sun-bonnet and
! escaped verbal recognition from either the
professor or the cousin.
Just as the last tub was emptied, grand
| ma came out knitting eXcitedly.
John says he don't believe word about
that Biston's drinking; and he thinks as
like as not he's worth something. He's
| boarding at the hotel"
90 grandma, did you tell Uncle John
that: How could you'll | never thought
/ OF his taking any personal interest"
personal impudence! Now l want yos
| to run down to Mr. Green's store aud get
me some bleached muslin for square piller-
cases"
Mr. Green's store is renowned beyond
| the limits of Berkshire Mr. Green has
| kept it forty years. The stock includes
| a we'll preserved specimen of every thing
| that has been in fashion and out of fash
ion in dry goods, groceries. hardware,
/ anu DOOts anu SuO6S during UnoSe Two
| SCORE changing years. The stock is packed
| through three stories and an attic and over
| flows to the barn. The lower floor has a
main deile something less than three feet
| in width through the goods; various
| alley ways and crossroads reach out
into the back departments Custom
| ers wait on the piazza and go up to
the counter one by one as if through the
straits of ThermopylR. Mr.. Green keeps
no clerk. When he wishes to leave the
store he locks the door and goes and Gus
toners wait on the piazza. The probabili-
ties are they can get just what they want
| nowhere else in the county, and Mr.. Green
has them at an advantage. The old man
is deaf and he beat forward and curved his
hand around his ear as he this morning
addressed Lucia.
You want bleached muslinl Pretty
good quality Or that that faint quite so
good; yes; yes!-You're she-that-was
Lucy Maria Hayden's giri-yes; yes:
thought so. Well, you don't look much
like your mother She was pretty good
looking grl-your mother was-yes; yes
Well, you're up taking care of the old lady
-curis, how sharp, she is-faculties hold
out wonderful-curis You want bleached
muslin-yes; yes! This ERE Wamasutta-
best kind made-costyou 1851 cents--ought
to charge Is for it--best kind in the market
this is-yes; yesl How many yards did
you sayI''
Grandma insisted that the seams in her
pillow-cases should be sewed cover and
over" Lucia put on her cream-colored
bunting with bunch of grapdma's great
purple panSies in her IF SD YOU" and went
out to sit under the apple trees The
boughs of the apple-trees grew down
like canopy until they touche |
ground on the street side. Lucia had
a novel with her. She sewed an inch
or two ''over and over" and then read a
few pages; then sewed another inch. When
she saw the old lady looking out of the
window she generally sewed. Presently
the odor OF cigar smoke was perceptible.
Two gentlemen, who had strolled up the
hill, paused just outside the appie-trees,
and leaned their backs against the stone
wall. Lucia could easily have thrust her
hand through the apple boughs and touched
their shoulders.
"She is here taking care of her grand
mother" said the cousin.
"She's grown fearfully plain since | saw
her last, said the professor.
Lucia mustn't listen she sprang to her
feet; her book fell and struck the corner of
her chair, and her scissors struck the book.
Both gentlemen turned. Their eyes were
not two feet from Lucias throu gh the green
lace work. She stepped out-her cheeks
flushed and the purple panSies quivering
on her bosom. The cousin lifted his hat,
reached his hand across the wall and intro
duced anew the professor. The professor,
in some agitation, put his cigar in his
pocket, and said he already had the pleas
ure of acquaintance. The old lady came
tripping down from the house, her head q
trifie unsteady, but her undimmed blue
gray eyes sharply peering ahead.
"My grandmother-Mr. Phillips-Pro-
fessor Biscoe.n
well, | declare Did you ever see a
woman most hundred before I've got
more snap than half the girls now, though
do say it that shouldn't. / set Lucia to
filling pillerS yesterday and it tired her all
out. Girls aren't good for any thing now
adays Walk in, gentlemen, and see my
old-fashioned mahogany furniture. Most
of the boarders are crazy to get it, but they
can't-not while | live. | can afford to keep
it much better than three-fourths of them
could afford to bay it-walk right in, Pro-
fessor Brassco.n
Professor Biscoe remained through the
months of August ard September. He called
often, and the old lady addressed him by
every name beginning with b known to the
English directory.
Six months later DR.. Hayden was saying
to his daughter: Il suppose you'll be want
ing some money pretty soon to buy clothes
and furniture, LuciaW
Il suppose So"
"How much.n
30, can't say how much-as much as
you feel able to give me, papa"
II shall give you all / can afford. |
hoped your grandmother might do some
thing for you-you've always been her
favorite; but when ! mentioned the sub
ject to her, she took offense and said she
thought her children aud grandchildren
might be willing to wait until she was dead