The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1886-07-07

blinds that he bought second-handed and
gave to Armida to hang in the sitting
room. They, proved to be in q sorry con
Being q handy creature, he managed TO
patch them up SO that though they could
not be rolled up, they looked very we'll
from the outside, and, as he philosophically
what more do you want, Armidy, A
room you never sitin, you don't want any
There was one thing that Theodore
would not do. He would not, a, he said
can't put up with q man like him.
Some folks call you shif'less, Theodore"
Armida retorted with bitterness.
"Well, am," he allowed, ''but the differ
sy M % and lay ayu and IOf wSrs fashion, but
Though he disdained Jerry, he would
| rather do his tasks than see Armida's in
terests suffer, and when he was not occr.
pied with his still or peddling he busted
himself on her side Of the farm. Lucas
would at any time give him helping
! hand rather than see Theodore hurt him
self, and SO Armida's fences were mended
and sundry repairs on her barns and out
| houses made. Lucas was still as stih As
Theodore, who laughed to himself but said
| nothing.
He once attempted to wheedle Lucas into
painting, at least all.of the front of the
house, but Lucas was not to be moved.
Disappointed in that Theodore brought
home a pot Of yellow paint when return.
| ing 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 pretty, and of Lucas's vexation
at finding the room ridiculous.
"No more ridiculous than it was before, !"
Theodore assured him. sit couldn't be.
Besides" he added as an afterthought,
"ril bring it plump up to the middle, and
others side. noticed one of your chairs
was a leetle grain onto Armida's side the
other night, and that amt right"
In the middle of an afternoon, IS Lucas
was blowing out his corn, he heard a
''hello!" to which, when it had been two or
three times repeated, he replied, though
without looking around. Presently he
heard some one coming, in q sort of scuf-
fling run and breathing heavily, and looked
over his shoulder. to see Theodore, who
gasped: Lucas! Say Stop! Look here ~
| "Wellw said Lucas, and pulled up his
horse.
"pm too old to run like this, that's .
fact" said Theodore, mopPing his face and
queer piece Of work for us to do, Lucas
Armidy's all smashed up on the road, right
down here ON that second dip, and guess
Jerry is stone dead, and we must fetch 'em
| up just as soon as we can"
Lucas made no comment, but mechanic
ally unfastened the horse and turned
| toward the house, his brother stumbling
behind, quite exhausted by the hurry and
fatigue Of the hour.
AS they wSRt Il FUSS sad How did you
"Well, it was curious" said Theodore.
| "You know had old Sam this morning
bringing in little jag Of wood for Armida
| and heightened out the traces to fit the old
| guess. l see from the looks they must "a
concluded to go to the village with some
eggs and so on, cause you can 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
that would work. Well, the Gurus thing is,
that l was out in the paster mowin some
brakes-(here, let me hitch up this side
while you do the other)-and heard some
body or somethin' comm slam bang and l
looked up-I want near enough SO as to
see who 1t was nor any thin'-and looked
up and see 'em comm like hudy down one
Of them pitches. Thinks, said l, we'll, there's
q hitch-up that's gein' to understand just
then the forward wheel struck big stone
and see tho woman and man and all fly
inter the air and come down agin and the
boss went"
where's the hoss nowr said Lucas.
II don't know and don't care. Tell ye-
waggin, because her arms broke for GER
tain and don't know what else. I'll fetch
tiff you've got some spirits."
Yes said Lucas, IN fetch some;" and
out again aud hastened OF.
"How did you know who 'twasf' Lucas
inquired with solemn curiosity fitting the
"Why, I didn't but 1 know when they
Ssn s0d 0er to git up So I've
| sure enough twas Armidy and Jerry.
looked her over, and see by the way she
lay that one of her arms was broke any
way, and stepped over to where Jerry was,
struck right on big stone aud broke his
neck-his hoad hung down like that let
ting his hand fall Imply from the wrist
'Does she know!" said Lucas.
"No. and hope she won't for q SPELL
She hadn't como to when left herr
the reins to urge him on.
There, now you eau see 'em, said Theo-
dors, 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 her on the
bed as tenderly as might be, eliciting
groan by the operation.
"Best give her sonnet" said Lucas, bring
ing bottle of brandy from out his pocket.
''Come to think Of it. best not. She won't
sense it 80 much il she don't realize"
A brief examination Of Jerry was SUM-
cient. The brothers exchanged glances and
shakes Of the head. "And to Think said
Theodore, as they regarded the body, "that
it was only this morning said to Arnidy,
there was one tramp too many in the
house, meaning me, and now to have my
words brought before me like this! 'Twan't
any thing but a joke, but ! 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 as comforta-
BILE as the present would allow, and Jerry
having been brought up and consigned to
the best chamber as befltted his state,
Lucas hastened after the doctor and Aunt
Polly Slater The doctor found Armida In
q sad state. Though / don't think" he
assured tn brothers, "if she isn't worried
she will be hard sick. She's naturally rug.
ged, and it's merely . simple fracture Of
the most tedious thing, but I must charge
you to keep her in ignorance Of her hus-
bands 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 sur
prised, then indignant, at Jerry's apparent
neglect.
looked at me-" she complained. land Jerry
Amt SO much as been near me-"
Theodore was fain to concoct a story
about q strained back that would not allow
Jerry to rise from the bad When IL was