The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-08-10

under her eyes like the sickly haze
that encircles a storm-touched moon.
Sleepless nights paid ghostly tribute to
her troubled days; but she never spoke
of these; 50 long as Adkins peaceful
snore indicated the FESTIVE condition of,
his mind and body, she was well con-.
tent to lie by the hour watching the.
darkness rush about her as if it were
full of seething atoms. Sometimes the.
ceaseless motion of the gloom waxed.
intolerable to her; and it was in one Of.
these moments that she got up and
went out in the kitchen to sit by .
window that fronted east.
1t was still dark, though the smoky
dusk of the sky had faint suggestions
of gray in it, as if daylight hung far
up behind the lower vapors. After
little the waning night took on sort
OF dim transparency, in which objects
were plainly visible. As Ellen sat
looking toward the east, with a hope
that it would soon Tighten for dawn,
her eyes caught a movement in the
yard which held them strained with
fear. She knew presently that a figure
was crossing the garden, and almost at
one with this perception came the
knowledge that it was the sturdily built
form of Liza Ann.
Over the dark stretch OF grass the
figure went, on toward the looming
blackness of the single fir, beside which
it stopped with a wooden stiffness, as of
rigid joints; one hand thrust aside the
dragging branches, and in the out
stretched palm of the other Ellen saw
the round wilderness of an egg. Liza
Ann got stiff1y on her feet again, and
began to recross the yard, her square
outline growing momently clearer in
the lifting gloom. She was walking
smartly past the kitchen window, when
it fell by chance that she caught q
glimpse Of the pale face on the pane.
She put forward, with an idea of whisk-
ing by before she should be recognized,
but before she could reach the door it
was opened, and Ellen stood on the
threshold
"What r. you-'n's dom in my yard,
Liza Ann Clinkenbeard?" she asked,
in a rather strained voice.
The other woman laughed shortly,
and finding she had to stop, stood in a
defiant way, her arms rolled in her
apron and crossed on her breast.
EIpao1>o,o r ho1,,,'4
grass none," she said, as if at loss to
give a reason for her presence in her
sisters domain. '.I-hed occasion to
cross thoo hyere," she pursued, after
a little pause, and then made as if to
push forward on her way. Ellen came
down the step and laid hold of her arm
with thin, hot hand.
eliza Ann-yoo ben a-puttin' them
eggs onder tibet tree-them eggs tibet l
ben a-stealin'. What did yeh do it
ferp"
Liza Ann saw there was nothing for
it but the truth. "Well, I see yeh
take tibet first one," she admitted, with
evident reluctance. II he'd my eye on
tibet white hen, fer l knowed by the
sassy look on her face tibet she wuz 60
in to steal nest off som'eres. She's
too smart to hev feathers, tibet white
hen is I wuz lookin out my back
winder, an I see yeh r'ach in an git
the egg, an sensed right off tibet yeh
must be in a tight place count O. Adj
kins hevin' he'd pore health. l
knowed y'all wouldn't hev nothin'
from me no way l cud fix it, an
Well, the white hen wouldn't 60 back
thar no more; reckon she wuz sort O.
put out when she see yeh take her egg.
Hens are awful sensible critters; some
O mine come mighty near bein' folks.
She was talking at random to hide
her embarrassment, but she broke off
suddenly when Ellen sat down on the
step in a weak way, as if her strength
had spent its last effort. Liza Ann
helped her into the house with speed
of movement largely dashed with fear.
"You got to set down in this rocker
18th a piller back O. your head, while
turn in an put the kittle over an bile
yeh good cup O. right strong Coffee"
she declared, as she struck match
and proceeded to light candle.
go, Liza Ann! them fence palm s."
"Shooksr' commented Mrs. Clinken-
beard, looking at the candles hollow
cone of flame with wrinkled brows, as
if it had suddenly presented itself as an
interesting study. "I'n hev old man
Smith put 'em On to-day
"No, yeh won't, Liza Ann; II
"He owes me little bill anyhow"
interrupted the other, can I may ez
well take it out in carpenterin' I'll
never git it out of him no other way.
Them Smiths are all mean, no. count
set. Don't yeh mind Rosanna Smith,
EllenP-her tibet ulster let on like she
wuz sick, so she'd git to lay in bedp'
eliza Ann" said Ellen, without
heed to the subject of the Smith fam
lily, which her sister had brought up
for the purpose of diverting attention
from the more embarrassing question
of the fence, 81 whist yeh'd do some
thin fer me. I whist yeh'd leave the
fence like it is; I'm kinder int rested in
tibet white hen, she's so kind O. human
lookin'-an' then the gap I'll be right
handy fer you an me to crawl throo
goin' back an forf.'' She spoke loudly;
Adkins was stirring in the next room,
doubtlessly aroused by their talking,
| and she wanted him to know that the
breach had not been repaired by an adj
vance ON the part of Liza Ann Her
devotion to him was none the less that
it was now in some measure balanced
with renewed affection for her sister,
which no word of his could ever again
disturb.
| "We'll let the fence stay like it is,
Ellen" said Liza Ann. Her voice was
a little thick, for she had been blowing
| the fire, and the smoke had made her
ewes wet.-Eyn Wilder McGInsso9z N,