The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-23

hard side to his character and he could not for
give his sisters interference He would not
even give Armida advice. but allowed her cows
to break into her cornied and her sheep TO stray
away without warning her, though ALI the while
his heart pricked him at sight of her distress.
Still all he would do to suggest that she get
q hired man
Accordingly Armida in despair, hired an easy
going good-natured creature that offered his
services. He did very well and Armida got on
better-and took courage.
But there was a dreadful blow in store for her.
Lucas brought gang of carpenters to the farm.
who instituted repairs on his half of the house.
he even went so far as to commit the extrava-
gance of having blinds hung for his sitting room
and front chamber windows, and his half OF the
front porch was trimmed with brackets, and then
the whole of his half of the house painted white,
so that his neighbors rallied him on being proud
Only" as one said, "why don't you extend
your improvements right along across the house,
Lucasf 1t looks sorter queer to see one-haif so
fine and the other so slack
''Armidas free to do as she's mind to-" said
Lucas. IF she wants to fix up her side, she
can. don't hinder her
Nor you don't help her, neither, as see. I"
said the other.
II believe in tendin' to your own affairs and
not interfern with other folks Lucas rejoined
Armida was made very unhappy by these
changes and the comments of the neighbors, and
would gladly have beautifed her half also, but
had no money to spend. The farm had fallen
behind and she was pinched for means She did
what she could. taking more care than usual OF
vines and flowers. and even had an
extra bed dug under her front windows
where she had many bright-hued flowers,
but as she arose from digging around her plants
and surveyed the house-Lucass side, with the
new green blinds and the clapboards shining
with paint, hers with its stained, weather beaten
appearance and it's staring windows-she felt
ashamed and discouraged.
She feared her hired man was slack and neg
1an ed >wfv h.
and afterward compromised the matter by Of
fering to stay II she'd marry him, at a loss what
to do. and partly because she was lonely, she
married him. He was respectable man, whose
only fault was laziness, and she hoped that now
he would take an interest When Armida and
her husband came back from the minister's and
announced to Lucas that they were married, his
only comment was, well, q slack help will make
shif'less husband"
Years went by aud Armida's side Of the house
fell more and more into ruin, while Lucas, with
what Armida considered cruel carefulness kept
his in excellent repair and occasionally renewed
the paint. The contrast was so great that pass
ersby stopped their horses that they might look
and wonder at their leisure. Every glance was
like blow to Armida, SO that she avoided her
sitting room and kept herself in the uncomfort-
able kitchen that divided by an imaginary
line directly through the middle, line never
crossed by her brother, her husband or herself
1t would have looked absurd enough to a
stranger to see this divided room with the broth
er clumsy carrying on his household affairs on
one side and the sister doing her work on the
other, with often not a word exchanged between
them for days together. Absurd it might be, but
it was certainly wretched Armida grew old
rapidly. Her husband was q poor stick, and
when, as years passed, touch of rheumatism
gave him real excuse for laziness, he did little
more than sit by the fire and smoke.
AS Armida sat on the bench under the old
russett apple tree by the back door. one day. re-
GREETING her evil fate, she heard footsteps ap-
preaching, and pushing back her old sun bonnet
looked up to see shabby, sbamblng, oldish man
coming around the side of the house and gazing
in at the windows. What ye doin' thereg" said
Armida, sharply.
The man turned, surveyed her with a SMILE
then said with drawl she remembered: 81
haint been gone SO long but that l know ye,
Armida Don't you remember met"
Theodore Huxter! Is that you9 Well"
and she hurried up to him and shook hands
violently
II heard only last week that father was dead"
he explained. II see from this way and
he said he was gone. How long sincel"
More than ten years ago."
''Well thought I'd come and see ye"
'Tm glad you did," she said. But come right
in" and she led the way into the kitchen.
He leaned up against the door and surveyed
the room. 81 should a 'sposed I'd have remem-
bered this room. but what We done to it2 What
hev You got two stoves and two tables and all
that for, Armdyg
Armida told HIM all, winding up her story
with few tears.
"That accounts for the looks of the outside.
s'pose," was his only comment II thought it
was about the queerest ever see. Its redicu-
lous! Why haven't you and Lucas Strengthened
out affairs before this?"
II can't and he can't s'pose," she said hope
lessly; land everything makes 1t worse. 1
wouldn't care so much if he hadn't fixed up the
outside the way he did"
"Oh, well, now, don't you fret If l had
money-but then l haven't"
"How have you lived since you left homer
Armida inquired.
''Why, I've had still and made essence and
peddled it out, but sold the still to get money
to come here, and it took all had"
well now, Theodore wish you'd stay here.
now you've got round again." said Armida, with
great earnestness. I've worried about you
sight. I'd be glad to have you, and Lucas would,
/ know"
To spare possible rebuff for Theodore, she
ran out as she saw Lucas coming to the house to
get his supper, and apprlsed him of his brothers
arrival, glad to find he shared her pleasure in it,
AS Lucas entered the room he shook hands with
Theodore, saying. How are yel" to which Theo-
dore responded with How are you, Lucas2'
Theodore was relief and pleasure to all the
family. He observed strict impartiality. If
| he split some kindling wood for Armida he
churned for Lucas. If he took Armda's old
horse to be shod he helped Lucas wash his sheep
He accepted everything, asking questions
after the first evening, but kept an observant
eye on all.
Both Lucas and Armida had loved him since
their earliest remembrance and retained their
old fondness for him now He was welcome
guest on either side Of the kitchen, and, though
when he announced of an evening that he was
going visiting and stepped across the line to the
other side OF the half from where he had been
sitting, the owner of the side he honored felt
pleased by the distinction, yet those the oppo-
site side, though no longer according to I'M
derstood law joining in the conversation, still
had the benefit of Theodore's narratives.
He was busy. too, in his way He was indie
fatigable in berry-picking and herb-gathering
selling what Armida and Lucas did not wish, and
showing not little shrewdness. When he had
laid little money together he bought still and
distilled essences of peppermint, winterereen
and other understanding herbs and roots and
when store was accumulated he filed basket
and departed on peddling expedition, return
ing with money in mis- purse and a handkerchief