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

Lucas would ut any time give him a helping hand
rather than Theodore hurt himself, and 80
Armidas fences were mendec and sundry re-
| pairs on her barns and out-houses made. Lucas
was still as stiff ever and the help gi-en was
always to obge Theodore, who laughed to him
| self but said nothing
He once attempted to wheedle Lucas into
painting at least all of the front of the house.
| but Lucas was not 20 be moved. Disappointed
| IL that. Theodore brought home pot of yellow
| paint when returning from his next expedition,
| and painted his sisters half of the kitchen floor,
| in spite of her demonstrating that Lucas wouldn't
| like it. though she acknowledged it looked pref
ty. and of Lucas's vexation at finding the room
| ridiculous.
mo more ridiculous than it was before, "Theo-
| dore assured him; it couldn't be. Besides" he
| added as an afterthought, 'I'll bring it plumb
up to the middle and neither of you will be tres
passin' on the others side. noticed one OF your
| chairs was leetle grain onto Armida's side the
| other night, and that amt right"
In the middle of afternoon, as Lucas was
| blowing out his corn, he heard 'helo!" to
which, when it had been two or three times re-
peated he replied, though without looking
around. Presently he heard some one coming,
in sort of scuffiing run and breathing heavily,
and looked over his shoulder to Theodore,
who dropped into walk as he spied him, and
gasped: Lucas! Say! Stop! Look here!"
>"Wellr said Lucas and pulled up his horse
I'm too old to run like this, that's fact"
said Theodore, hopping his face and leaning up
against the pillow. There's a queer piece of
work for us to do, Lucas. Armidy's all smashed
up on the road, right down here on the second
dip, and l guess Jerry is stone dead. and we
must fetch 'em up just as soon as we can"
Lucas made no comment but mechanically I'M
fastened the horse and turned toward the house,
! his brother stumbling behind, quite exhausted
by the hurry and fatigue of the hour.
AS they went Lucas said: How did you come
to know of it2'
"Well. it was curious" said Theodore. "You
know had old Sam this morning, bringing in
little jag of wood for Armda, and engthened out
the traces to fit the old Vaughn. Well, all
know about it is what / guess.
see from the looks that they must a.
| concluded to 90 to the village with some eggs
| and so on, cause you see in the road where
they smashed when the basket flew out; and
Jerry didn't know no more than to hitch up into
the buggy without shortenin' the traces, and
you know how that would work. Well, the
| Gurus thing is, that was out in the paster
mowin' some brakes-(here let me hitch up
this side while you do the other)-and heard
somebody or somethin' comm slam bang and l
looked up-I want near enough SO as to see
who twas anythin'-and l looked up and
see 'em comm like hudy, down of them
pitches. Thinks said I, WE'LL there's a hitch-up
that's gon to Understand just then the for
ward wheel struck big stone and see the
woman and man and all fly inter the air and
come down agin and the boss went
where's the horse nowf' said Lucas.
81 don't know and don't care. Tell ye-best
put feather-bed in the bottom of this waegn
because her arms broke for certain, and don't
know what else I'll fetch tiff you've got some
spirits"
Eyes" said Lucas, an fetch some" and both
hurried into the house and soon came out again
and fastened off.
"How did you know who 'twasg' Lucas in
quired, with solemn curiosity fitting the occa-
sion.
"Why, didn't, but knew when they didn't
offer to git up, whoever twas wanted help. and
/ put across the lot to em, and sure enough
twas Armidy and Jerry. / looked her over and
see by the way she lay that one of her arms was
broke anyway, and stepped over to where Jerry
was, and sir! he was as dead as Moses! Head
struck right on big stone and broke his neck
his head hung down like that" letting his hand
fall Imply from the wrist
docs she known said Lucas.
mo, and l hope she won't for spell. She
hadn't come to when left her"
Lucas struck the horse with the end of the
relns to urge him on.
There, now you can see en-" said Theodore
rising in his seat and pointing down the road
Lucas followed his example. and looking before
them they could see both husband and wife lying
motionless in the road.
Between them they soon lifted poor Armida
into the wagon and laid Ler on the bed as ten
derly as might be, eliciting groan by the oper-
alton.
BEST give her somep said Lucas. bringing
bottle of brandy from out his pocket. Come
to think of it, best not. She won't sense it SO
much if she don't realize"
A brief examination of Jerry was sufficient
The brothers exchanged chances and shakes of
the head. "And to think" said Theodore,
they regarded the body that it was only this
morning said to Armidy, there one tramp
too many in the house, meaning me, and now to
have my words brought before me like this!
'Twasn't anything but a joke, but l hope she
won't remember it against me-"
well, first thing we've got to do is to get her
to the house," said Lucas.
Armida having been made az comfortable az
| the present would allow, and Jerry having been
brought up and consigned tC the best chamber,
as beftted his state Lucas FASTENED after the
doctor and Aunt Polly Slater The doctor found
Armida in sad case. Though I don't think"
he assured the brothers, if she isn't worried she
will be hard sick. She's naturally rugged, and
it's merely simple fracture of the forearm. The
sprained ankle will be the most tedious thing,
but must charge you to keep her in ignorance
of her husbands DEATH"
Theodore spelled Aunt Polly in caring for
Armida, and never was woman more tenderly
| cared for. Many were the lies he was forced to
tell as Armida was first surprised, then indig-
nant at Jerrys apparent neglect.
Even Lucas has come to the door and looked
at me-, /" she complained. "and Jerry Amt so much
as been near me-"
Theodore was fain to concoct a story about a
strained back that would not allow Jerry to rise
from the bed. When it was deemed prudent to
tell her. the task fell to Theodore, who was very
tender of his sister. remembering that though
he considered Jerry shftless, poor shack of
creature, Armida probably had affection for him.
She took her loss very quietly.
He was always good to me-" she said, 'and
he cared for me when no one else did"
You're wrong there" Theodore demonstrated.
81 used to tell myself l was" she replied
sadly. II knew l gave the first ofense, but
Lucas never would a. done as he did by the house
if he'd cared for me-"
Lucas heard the reproach where he stood out
of sight in the little entry that led to Armida's
1fc+n fhn o1e+A
talked together within. He often fingered there,
wishing to enter, but not daring to; longing to
satone for the unhappiness he had caused his sis
ter, but not knowing now to set about it. His
was one of those dumb natures which have no
language, and it was an impossibility that he
should frankly own his fault and ask forgiveness,
but he could act and Armidas complaint, over
heard by him. showed him what to do.