Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-22
ess. he did little more than sit by the fire and

I day,
regretting her evil fate she heard footsteps APP
preaching, and pushing back her old sun-bou-
net, looked up TO see a shabby. stumbling,
oldish man coming around the side OF the house
and gazing In at the windows. "What we doin'
| there?" said Armida sharply.
then said with drawl she remembered: al
hain't been gone long but that know We,
Armida. Don't you remember me?
| Theodore Huxter Is that you? Wen,"-
and she hurried up to him and shook hands
violently.
~ heard only last week that father was
| dead" he explained. II see man from this
| SINGER"
"More than 10 years ago"
We'll, thought I'd come and see ye."
| I'm 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. al should "a sposed I'd have re-
m Mem, this room, but what ye done to IL?
| and all that for, Armdy?'
Armida told him all, winding up her story
| with few tears.
| THAT accounts for the looks of the outside, 1
| spose, was his only comment. II thought ir
| was about the queerest l ever see. It's ridicu-
lous! Why haven't you and Lucas Strengthened
| out affairs before this?
| Il can't and he can't / s'pose," she said
| hopelessly; land everything makes it worse.
| wOuldn l care so much if he hadn't fixed up
| the outside theway he did"
"Oh, well now, don't you fret. If had money
but then havnt."
| chow have you lived sence YOU left home:''
| ArmIda inquired.
"Why, I've had still and made essence and
peddled it out, but sold the still to git money
| to come here, and it took all had "
| well now, Theodore, L wish you'd stay here
now you've got round again" said Armida
/ with great earneStneSS. I've worried about
you sight. I'd Toe glad to have you, and Lucas
would L KNOW"
TO spare possible rebuff for Theodore, she
ran outas she saw Lucas coming TO the house
TO get his supper, and apprised him of his
/ brothers arrival, glad to lind he shared her
| pleasure in il. As Lucas entered the room he
shook hands with Theodore, saying, How are
ye? to which Theodore responded with How
/ are you, Lucas?"
Theodore was a relief and pleasure to all the
| family He observed a strict impartiality. If
he split some kindling-wood for Armida he
churned Tor Lucas If he took Armida's old
| morse 10 be shod he helped Lucas wash his
| sheep. He accepted every thing, asking no
! questions after the first evening, but kept an
oDservant eye on all.
Both Lucas and Arinida had loved him since
their earliest remembrance, and retained their
ola Loneliness 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
| oeeh sitting, the owner of the side he honored
ielt pleased 10y the distinction. yet those on the
| opposite side, though no longer according to
an understood law Joining in the conv ers.ilIon,
| still had the benefit of Theodores narratives.
| lie was busy, too, IN his way. He was indie
| fatigable in berry picking and herb-gatherine
| selling what ArInida and Lucas did not wish,
anu showing not a little shreWdness. When he
mad lald a little money together he bought Il
4
| tergreen and other sweet smelling herbs and
| roots, and when store accumulated he
| filled basket and departed ON pedding eX-
pedition, returning with money in his purse
/ and handkerchief ribbon for Armida
| once he bought her a stuff gown, which she
came near running by weeping over 1t, il was
| such a delight.
Lucas demonstrated. 81 think you're foolish
Theodore. by don't you spent your money
coat
I'D rather see Armida crying over that stuff"
said Theodore, than have Il dozen coats No
Dody KNOWS ArmidaS good looking, because
shes no good clothes. But she is and when she
gets that dress made up and puts il on with that
pink ribbon bought her last time, she'll look
Us pretty Us pink"
Not 50 great success were the Venetian
blinds that he bought second handed and gave
To Armlda to hang in the Sittng-room. They
proved to be i'll sorry condition, and Theodore
was much mortified. Being handy creature
he managed to patch them up SO that though
they could not be rolled up, they looked very
wei from the outside and as lie philosOphically
remarked
Nv hat more do you want, Armidy? A room
you never set in, you don't want any light ill., -
There was one thing that Theodore would not
do. He would not, he said, fellowship with
Jerry. Armida husband. "Iell you. Armidv.'
ne would say, Il can't put up with d man like
him.
''oome folks call yOu shifless, Theodore Ar
mida retOrted with bitterness.
w ell, am, lie allowed. but the difference
is, Pm lazy but work, my fashion but he's law
and don't work at all
Though he disdained Jerry he would rather
do his tasks THAN see Arnldas interests suffer
and wnen he was not occupied with his still or
peddlInS he busted himself her side OF the
farm. Lucas would at any time give him q
helping hand rather than Theodore hurt
himself, and so Arnida'S fences were mended
ana sundy repairs on her barns and out-hOuses
made. Lucas was still us stiff us ever and the
| help given was always to obiige Theodore, who
/ laughed To himself but said nothing
lie once attempted To wheedle Lucas into
painting at least all of the front OF the
house, but Lucas was not to be moved Dis
appointed III That, Theodore brought home a
pot vi yellow paint when returning from his
next expedition and painted his sister half of
the Kitchen floor, in spite of her demonstrating
that Lucas wouldn't like ii, though she ac-
knOwledged il looked pretty, aud of Lucas's
vexatIon at finding the room ridiculous
NO more ridiculous than it was before"
Theodore assured him; lit couldn't be- Be
sides, he added, as an after thought "IIl
bring IT plumb up to the middle and neither of
you Will tie trepasSin on the others side I
noticed one oil your chairs was u lettle grain
onto ArInidas side the other night, and that
ain right
In The middle of afternoon, as Lucas was
ploWluS out his corn, he heard u "hcIlor' to
winch, When II had been two or three times re
pes,ted, he replied, though without lookin.
around Presently ne heard some one coming
Ia a 3ors Oh scuIhihS run ana breathing heavily,
and looked over his shoulder 10 see Theodore
VINO dropped into Il walk Us he spied him. and
sasped: Lucas. Say. Stop. Look here!'
~ ell? said Lucas, aud pulled up his horse
II III 100 old 10 run ike this that's "a fact"
said Theodore, Lnopping his lace and leaning
work Tor Us 10 do, Lucas. Armidy's all smashed
up on the road, right down here Oh that second
dip, and guess Jerry Is stone dead and we
must fetch EN- up just as soon a We can"
Lucas made no comment but mechanically
uuIastened the horse and turned toward rhe
house, ms brother stumbIin. behind quite ey-
hausted by the hurry ana fatigue OF the. hour
As they went Lucas said: How did you come
to huow of it?'
Well, ii was curious" said Theodore "You
know mad old sam This morning bringing in
little Jag OF wood IOr Arnids: and leusi hened
out the traces to mt the old Wasgiu. ell all I
| 7
looks they must "a concluded To 90 to the vii
Rage with some eggs and SD on, cause Won ca m
see In the road where they smashed when the
basket new out; and Jerry didn't know no more
than To hItCn up into the buggy without short
enIn the traces, and you know how that would
work. Yell, the cur Us thing is, that WAS ont
III the paster moWin' some brakes-(ber, iet
me nltch up this sIde, While you do the otherl-
and L heard somebody sOmethin' comm
siam bang, and, looked up-I want near
enough 80 as To see who twas nor auythin'-
aud looked up and see EN- COMM Iik, hudy
down one OF them pitches. Thinks sand l. we'll
there's a hitch-up that's goin' to finders-an2
( just then the forward wheel struck Z. big Stone
and see the woman and man and all fy infer
the AR ana come down agin and the boss
/ went
~ heres the horse now?" said Lucas
II don't know and don't care. Tell ye-best
/ pun "a leather bed IN the bottom of this WAGON
because her arms broke for certain and don I
know what else. Ill fetch lit you've got some
/ spirits
YES, said Lucas, "IIl fetch some and both
hurried into the house and soon came out again
| ana hastened oil.
| How did you know who 'twas?' Lucas in.
| sion.
| why, didn't but knew when they didn't