The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-12-04
A PATIENT WAITER.
Poor Aunt Fidelia who Never
"Gave It Up"

"Be sure you sweep it clean, Lily"
''Yes, 'em. amt leaving single stone
on it,"
'Im most afraid TO trust you. 1 think
likely as not he may come today, an not
wait to write It's so pleasant, / feel just
as if somebody was COMM"
Ppm a-sweepin' it real clean, Aunt FL
delian
'Well, be pertickler An you'd better
sweep the sidewalk little ways in front
of the yard. see bit of loose stones on it
yesterday"
Eyes, m"
The broom was taller than the child, but
she was sturdy and she welded it with a
joyful vigor. Down the narrow path be-
tween the rows of dahlias she went. Her
smooth, yellow head shone in the sun. Her
long, blue gingham apron whisked about
her legs as she swept. The dahlias were in
full bloom, and they nodded their golden
and red balls gently when the child jostled
them. Beyond the dahliaS on either side
were zinnias and candy -tuft and marigolds
The house was very small. There was only
one window at the side of the front door,
A curved green trellis stood against the
little space of house wall on the other side,
and yellow honeysuckie climbed on it.
Fldeila Amy stood in the door with a
cloth in her hand. She had been busting
the outside of the door and the threshold,
rubbing off every speck punctiiiously. Fl
della stood there in the morning light with
her head nodding like flower in a wind.
1t nodded so all the time. She had dis
ease of the nerves. Her yellow-gray hair
was crimped and put up carefully in a little
coil with two long curls on either side
Her long, delicate face, which always had
downward droop as it nodded, had a soft
polish like ivory. When Lily Almy, who
uo Eidaliafc I1ap nil ba
bringing up, had reached the gate with her
broom, she peered down the road then she
ran back eagerly.
30, Aunt Fidelia," she said, in precise,
slow voice which was copied from her
aunts, there's man comm. Do you
s'pose it's him2''
What kind of a lookin' man?" Fidelia's
head nodded faster; a bright red spot
CLEANED out on either cheek
"a real handsome man. He's tall and
he's got reddish whiskers. And he's got
carpet bag"
That's the way he looks"
hima"
"Tain't very likely to be-"
Fidelia ran into the house and knelt
down at the parlor window, Just peering
over the sill Her whole body seemed
wavering like her head; her breath came
in great gasps. The man, who was young
and handsome, walked past
Lily ran in. '''Twa'n't him, was it!'
said she.
II didn't much expect it was. I've
always thought he'd come on a Tuesday.
I've dreamed bout his comm Tuesday
more times than | can tell. Now Pm goin'
to fix the flowers in the vases, an then Pm
goin' down to the post-otlice. feel just as
il might git letter to-day. There was
one in the candle last night"
Fidelia moved, nOddinp among her
flowers in her front yard She gathered up
her purple calico apron, and cut the flowers
into it.
You run out into the garden an git
some sparrow-grass for green" she told
Lily, AN pick some of that striped grass
under the parlor window, an some of them
spider-liles by the fence"
The little white painted mantel-shelf in
Fidelias parlor was like an altar, upon
which she daily heaped floral offerings.
And who knows what fair deity in bright
clouds she saw when she made her sacri-
ficesl
Fidelia had only two vases, tall gilt and
white china ones with scrolling tops; these
stood finely in the center, holding their
dropping nosegays. Beside these were
broken china bowls, cream jugs without
handles, tumblers, wineglasses, saucers
and one smart china mug with "Friend-
ships Offering" in gold letters. Slightly
withered flowers were in all of them Eide
ia luIoW Iu6in OUT, ana Hlleu all Tue vessels
with fresh ones. The green asparagus
sprays brushed the shelf, the striped grass
overtopped the gay flowers.
"rhere !" said Fide.a. "Now Pm goin'
to the post-office."
''If anybody comes, I'll ask him in here
an tell him you'll be right back sha'n't
IL" said Lily.
Tell him I'll be back in jest few
minutes, an give him the big rockin'-
chair"
The post-ofTice was mile away, in the
corner of country store Twice a day,
year out and year in, Fidelia journeyed
thither.
cts only Fidelia Amy people said.
looking out of their windows, as the poor
solitary figure with its nodding head went
by through summer suns and winter winds.
Once in while they hailed her. see if
there's any thing for me, won't you
Fidelia9"
At last it was an understood thing that
F1delia should carry the mail to the dozen
families between her house and the post
office. She often had her black worked bag
flied up with letters but there was never
one OF her own. Fidelia Almy never had
letter.
That woman's been comm here the last
thirty years" the postmaster told a
stranger one day, IAN she 'ain't never had
letter sence Ive been here, an don't be-
lieve she ever did before.n
Fidelia used TO come in little before the
mail was distributed, and sit on an old
settee near the door, waiting. Her face at
those times had wild, strained look; but
after the letters were all in the boxes, it
settled back into its old expression, and she
Travelled away with her bag Of other peo-
Pies letters, nodding patiently.