The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-01-19

an be done with it." she said rs they
sat down.
Afterward they washed the dishes.
fastened the windows. each with a nail
fitted into a hole over the lower sash,
and went up the steep, narrow stairs to
bed. The blinds were carefully drawn.
and night toilets made; each washed
her face in buttermilk, and fastened a
net over her crop of wasted ringlets.
Then they lay stifiy down side by
side, with the window slightly open by
way of compromise.
1t was day when Serena awoke from
a nap which had only fallen upon her
weary brain toward morning; she saw
that Mary Bell was sleeping quietly,
so she moved softly to the window and
sat awhile looking out, and wondering
dimly if any other place would ever
wear so sweetly familiar an aspect
The clear morning air revealed things
in broad masses of light and shade;
over the bit of grass the fence cast its
semblance in long. distinct lines, and
the naked branches were, every twig
of them, half black, half white.
Very soon after breakfast the neigh
bors began to arrive, for an auction
was not an event to be lightly consid-
cred in so small place. They were
mostly women who had come to get a
piece of furniture that might ''go
cheap" or some of the china dishes
which the Hughes girls were known to
have; later on, when the house itself
was to be sold, the men of the town
would attend.
Mary Bell and Serena, in their best
gowns of thin crinkled black silk, re-
ceived the people with the subdued air
of mourners in a house of death. Each
of them held starched white hand
kerchief in her folded hands. They
had not spoken to each other since
getting up, but they stood close to-
gether, lest any one should imagine
there was any i'll feeling animating
them.
Presently a little woman with pale
eyes and light red hair fluttered up.
How de do, Miss Hughes?" she said.
shrilly. "Pears like you-all are goin'
ter hev a pretty day fer the sale.
sez ter Ames this mo'nln': 'Ames,' l
seq, I'm goin' ter pick up an so ter
the auction. an I'll buy some o them
jells you set sech heap by never
wuz raised ter do sech-all things my
self; bein's ez our folks he'd niggers, /
never ez much ez turned my han ter
do a lick till L got married. An'-oh
yes! l reckon I'll hev ter bid on tibet
blush teapot yander; a-course faint
stable 'nough fer my family, but my
Johnny he don't gi' me no rest apes
term fer a savin' s-bank-he's a likely
one fer four year-an' 1 tole him this
mo'nin': You, John, eff you'll hesh
that mouth O. yourn, I'll look 'roun'
ter the Hughes fer ole-style tea-caddy
er somethin' tibet amt much count an
fetch yer it fer bank.
Serena swallowed a gulp of indigna-
ton; Mary Bell, with the odd jerking
at her lips, said that it was not likely
that a china tea pot would 90 for moth
ing.
Then Squire Tolliver, the auctioneer.
came in, red-faced and clustering, and
inclined to be very humorous.
"H'y're We, Miss Hughes-purty live
ly this mo nin'?" he asked genially.
Serena raised her gray head with a
movement which set the little curls
twitching like coils of fine wire.
Folks don't genully feel over-lively at
SALE" she said, coldly.
"Law, now, Miss Sereny. l didn't 90
ter hurt your feelin's nohow; jes my
way o. speakin'. Blame # l don't
hate ter do this hyere business-feel
middlin' like an undertaken; you-a1l
hev lived right cheer ever sence l wuz
knee-high ter duck. an 'spise on
the face o the yearth to sell you out
blame # don't"
Serena accepted his apologies in
chilling silence.
He began operations in the kitchen,
and the sisters could hear eager voices
bidding on the tinware they had pol
ished for years. Then Mr.. Tolliver an
nouneed that while he had his hand in
he would put up the dishes, and "get
shet O. tibet business"
"Hyere now's a thing tibet you
ladies will 'preciate-a rale chiny tea
pot made in the celebrated factories o
the Hesperides- How much am l bid
fer this article which cheers but not in
ebriates, ez the bard hez it? Twenty
cents?-no, m; I'm sellin' the teapot,
not the lid on'y. Thirty cents l am
bid-thirty fve-make it forty, MIS-
Ames. Thet's right; forty-forty-
forty"
In the front room Serena sat listen
ing; her face seemed older by years
since the sale had begun. When the
teapot became the object of barter she
pressed closed hand against her lips
and stole cautious glance at her sis
ter. The stiff handkerchief had fallen
from Mary Bells hand, and she sat
gazing into the kitchen with strained,
vacant eyes.
May Bell!'' said Serena, suddenly.
''shell our maw's teapot go fer forty
cents ter be play-toy fer the Ames
young uns?"
Mary Bells head fell limp forward.
"No, no." she said. TREMENDOUSLY. %
can't get up-my knees er give way
like. but you bid it in. Sereney. l feel
like I'd die eff these-all folks don't