, 1886-09-05

herself to-morrow. But she's comm to
live with Silas an me. She's welcome
to a nome with us jest as long as she
lives. Sho aren't fit to live alone any
way. We knew when her father died
she'd run the place out in no time. Well,
she's takin' on so, I shell have to go in.
/ don't like to leave her a minute. Don't
you mind anything slS said
Contrary to Mrs. Wings expectations
Elsie Mills was not disposed to retract
her words. The next day, when she was
p~eceafully domiciled in her brothers
house, and seemed a little calmer, her
s~ister-in-law opened on the subject.
what in creation made you talk so to
William Havers last night" said she.
Not one man in a hundred would have
made you the offer hat he did after he'd
bought a place"
Elsie fired up at once. II guess l
know why" said she. "Luciny gave him
it to show out
why, Elsie Mills, are you in your
right mind27
"Yes, | am. He acted awful cut up.
He never got over it. He always meant
to pay us back. Now he's bought the
place an invited me to live on him, he'll
feel better"
well, ] never!"
Mrs. Wing repeated the conversation
to her husband, and told him. that she
was really scared about Elsie: she did
not act with any reason.
Silas Wing laughed. Don't you
.,1~~,. Nfarta - catd ha AEIuta alxVaya
had that notion. never really believed
hat Lucipy give Havers the mitten my
self, but she did. an she always went on
the notion that he was dreadful upset
over it. Elsie's queer. She's mighty
meek an yieldin' generally; she seemst to
be kinder goin' sideways at things fur
the most part; but if she ever does git
p'inted straight at anything, thar amt
no turnin' her.
"Do you remember anything about
William Havers waitin' on Luciny?'
"Yes. He was round some two years
before she died. / didn't think much
about it. Luciny was always havin'
beaux. An no wonder; thar want
many girls like her. Lord! l kin see
her now. Jest how she used to look. Poor
Elsie want much beside her. but | don't
believe she ever give that a thought. She
thought Luciny was beautiful, an thar
want anything too good fur her. She'd
slave herself most to death to save her.
No; don't you worry, Maria. Elsie's al
ways run on that notion"
S.las Wing was Elsie Mills half
brother; the dead Lucina had been her
$3.50. .;,..r Tbo l..,,. ..l,,l, Lol ,,ot
been sold was her inheritance from her
father.
Silas Wing was an easy, prosperous
man, with a shrewd streak in his char
acter. His sisters property was sadly
~deteriorated, and a poor investment.
He had no idea of sinking money to
secure it for her, but he was perfectly
willing to provide for her, and gave her
a most cordial invitation to his home.
He gave her a front chamber in his
large square white house, and furnished
it with her own things, to make it seem
like home.
Thar amt any reason why Elsie
shouldn't be as happy as a queen here
as long as she lives" he told his wife.
Thar amt many Won fare any bet
ter. She amt much over forty. She'd
hev to work hard if she was in some
places, an she amt fit to. Now she'll
jest hev to help you round a little, an
live jest as comfortable rs can be-"
Elsie's chamber commanded n good
view of her old home, which was m the
down. She could see the yard full of
cinnamon roses, and the blue front door,
which stood out bravely. That blue
door was due to her; she had painted it
herself. Silas had some blue paint left
after painting his farm wagon, and she
had begged it. Then she had stood on a
chair--a small, lean figure in clinging
calico-and plastered the brilliant blue
thickly over the front door, welding the
brush stiHiy in her little knotty hand,
stretching herself up on her slight. long
limbs.
One svening Elsie, at her open cham
Der window. overheard a conversation
between her brother and his wife. They
were sitting on the doorstep.
"Havers came over tonight said 81
las. al see him out at the gate as come
along. He's goin' to let his other house
and live here. he says. | declare I'd
hardly think he'd want to, this is so
much further from town. But the other1l
let better. l s'pose. Reckon that's the
reason
as he goin' to fix this one up?r asked
Mrs. Wing.
Yes; he's goin' to paint it up some.
an hev the roof shingled. He was
kinder laughin' about that blue door, but
he didn't seem to think he'd hev it al
tered afterward. | told him how poor
Elsie painted it herself"
Lord | shouldn't think heidi want to
keep that blue door"
ale seemed to think it wouldn't look
bad if the house was painted new to GO
with it. He's goin' to cut down all them
cinnamon roses in the front yard to-mor-
row. He's brought over his sickle to-
night"
That was all Elsie heard. She did not
know how long they talked after that.
lie was going to cut down Lucina's Gin
anon roses'
She kept saying il over to herself, as il
il were Il task she had to learn, and she
could not easily understand. "Lucina's
cinnamon roses. He's goin' to cut down
all Luciny's cinnamon roses to morrow"
1t was IL o'clock that night when Elsie
crept down the stairs and ont the front
door. There was nc sound in the house ex-
cept her brothers heavy breathing. He
and his wife had been asleep three hours.
Elsie sidlcd out of the yard. keeping or
the grass. then sped across the road and
down it a little way to her old home
There We're only these two houses for o
long way; there was no alight visible in
either. No II would be passing at thi.
time OF night; there was no danger OF