The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-08-15
"MISSUS"
BY KATE 4. nRAnLrY.

"a say, Missus, dye want onythin'
from the storel Pm goin to town to cit
tn mare shod agin the plowin' temorrer. II
'Nlissus" looked scornrully over the
washtub at the shifty, uneasy figure in
the doorway.
"rhe mare! She's gone with only one
shoe good three months, an nov she
must be shod agin the plowin'! But
thet's only an excuse to git with yer low
cronies in town, an ye mought rs well
take thet as anuther, fer We wilrgo, spite
of all thet kin say. Yes" she snapped
as an after-thought, "you kin bring me
yard of eight cent cotton -unblcached
mind. Now git out, an spend the rest
o. yer mornin' loafn' round some bar
ROOM
Mrs. Loud, or, as she was more generally
called by her husband and few scattered
neighbors, "Nlissus, watched him drive
slowly oil down the road behind the
patient mare without taking her arms
from the suds.
Poor, shiftless creetur "she muttered
"nuthin' buta nuisance ennyway. Amt
no more use than a last years birds nest.
Whatever kun to marry him fer don't
see"
She wiped the suds off either arm with
her thumb and fore finger.
"Sam Loud " she called, opening the
door sharply, ''ef you amt back fer yer
dinner you don't git emmy here, that's
ALL"
Thar" she exclaimed after a few
moments of steady rub-rubbing up and
down over the board, the rhythmic mo-
tion keeping time to "On .lordans
Etormy Banks Stand" which was run
ming through her mind, "That lazy
mortars clean forgot the pail o. water /
told him to git half an hour ago. IF he
never kun back 'twould be 'tarnal
marcy"
Sam did not turn his head as NIissus
launched after him her parting threat,
but logged slowly on, musing to him
self.
"Ef Missus 'ud only give a fcller a
chance! sartin the mare needs shoein'
bad; an mans got to see how things
is in town omctimes--though | can't
never make her see it that way, some
how.
"a yard o. eight,cent cotto,," he re-
peated aloud, to fix II more firmly in his
unstable memory. "An' mebbe | kin
find some little thing to sort o. pac'fy
Ter, CT so bet as how can git the mare
shod afore noon. An | declar' fort eff
l didn't furgit ihet pail o. waterp
man, stranger to Sam, was walk
ing along the road little way ahead.
At this point he stopped and looked in-
tently up and down the broad, straight
highway, stretching in sight for miles
either way.
Good dry, my man." he said, as Sam
came up to him; ''can you give me a
lift, as we both seem to be going the
same wayp
"Reckon l kin, fyou amt tew hefty, "
returned Sam, cheerlully, pulling up his
horse; 'fur spell, IS fur S 90. -
The man, from his clothes and man
ner evidently gentleman, climbed to a
place beside Sam and listened silently to
that worthy's garrulons conversation.
"Thet little red buildin' on yer lef',
stranger he was Just saying, twas
whar fust larned ter stick pins in the
schoolmarster's cheer, and ter Here
the man broke in suddenly. "Tell me,
isn't that wagon on the road a mile or
two backp
''Thet speck way back by Tim Slo-
GUMS place. It's a wagin, sure 'nuiT,
but it's good five miles away. You
kin see it so plain kase thecr's hill
thar
isn't this branch road we are Just
coming to the road to Kingslow?n the
stranger asked.
"Spect it be, drawled Sam, regard
ing him with slow surprise.
"My man, said his companion, hur-
riedly, ''if you will drive with all your
might to Kingslow, I'll give you twenty
dollars if you get me there in time"
Sam made no reply.
"If twenty isn't enough, I'll make it
FORTY said the man, watching Sans
face anXiously.
"Oh, 'tain't the money" said Sam at
last, leisurely, though I'll allow I'll,
some endorsement to man who's got a
wife to hum. 'Tain't thet-it's why
you're in secha 'mazin' hurry all OF a
suddint. No, stranger, l don't b'leeve /
kin stand the racket. The hoss's only got
one shoe on, an promised Missus ter
be hum fer dinner.
DO you see that speck back there on
the road" asked the man, quietly.
"Well, that speck is a buggy containing
two constables, They are after me for
--peyer mind what, Now, my man, if