West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1888-01-19

as we'd better leave some one 10 hum 10
keep house; and she didn't seem pa
ticN lery anxious e. come
should hev' thou't she'd wanted 10
Get acquainted with the young folks,
said Mrs Tackaberry.
Mrs. Perkins SIN led and smoothed
down the Hounoes OF her dress. "She'l
get acquainted before long, guess, said
she, calmly.
Not very young, Is'pose'' said Miss
Tackaberry.
about sixteen" answered Mrs. Per
kins, with suppressed triumph
"Wel, / never said Miss Tacka-
berry. "She must find it awful dull
herct'
''Not so very, returned Mrs. Perkins
Been here long,"
"a week -
'Me and sister Typhosa N call to.
morrow said Miss rackabcrry. Il
was always one to believe in sociabiitv."
But here Mrs Parsons feebly an
nounced that "suppcr was ready. " and in
the blind rush that ensued. Mrs. Perkins
and Miss Tackaterry cot separated
At the "DJuation Party everybody
ate as much as they possibly could, and
nearly everybody put something in his
or her pockets FOR the children at home.
Gallons of scaldiug tea and lukewarm
coffee vanished tons OF indigcstible cake
disappeared as if by magic; monster
dishes of sticky preserves were ever and
anon renewed; relays of hot biscuits
arrived every five minutes from the
stovc-oyens, and still the cry was "morc ~
But the meal was, luckily for Mrs.
Parsons's eluanimity, drawing 10 close.
when Joel Fullerton, a handsome.
Swarthy- -browed young giant, popped
his head in at the door and looked
around.
Deacon Perkins's folks horcg" said
he.
That's me, " said Mr.. Perkins. with
his moath full of biscuit and honey.
"Dld horse amt got loose has he? /
tied him close to the
"No, il amt the horse, - said Joel
'Jest step ont here. want to speak to
you a minute"
Mrs Perkins uttered a shrill little
Shrek
II knowed it, said she-"I knowed
1t perfectly well. Somcthin's happened.
The new Alderncy COW is lamed, or else
the house is too( on fire, and the insur-
ance run out only yesterday"
''somerhing's happened" said Joel,
with an anxious look, Though / don't
rightly know how nor what. Mother
She just came across lots TO your house
TO get the receipt for maxim soft soap, and
although She could sec your niece asset
tin by the fire. she couldn't make her
hear though she knocked fit to rattle
The side Of ths old house down. And -
don't be scarcd-she, sort o thinkin'
Mis- Chatty's in fl or hurt or su'thin'.
. d.. IL
while she stayed by the door to sort o.
keep guard
Jerusalem ~ muttcred Mr.. Perkins.
fumbling TO unite the horse. "Why
didn't you kick in the door. or smash
the wndow-panes, or su'thin'"
CAS- for the door, / tried my level
best" said joel" but them timbers
would stand an earthquake. And
mother she wouldn't let me break the
window, for fear the fyin' glass should
hurt your niece
"Gitin, mOthcrw said Perkins, hoaese-
ly. "Quck There amt no time to
lose! ! dunno what on nirth shall saw
70 Brother Clayton, down in York. il
anything has happened 10 the gal that 8
all he's got in the world"
81 Enowcd it.-I was SIRE on'tl"
shriily walled poor Mrs Perkins, rocking.
herself back and forth "She's been
mWd ercd by a slungshot by some o.
them misCr'blc crectcrs as got loose from
D.iktOwn Jail. We never oughtcr a.
left her there alone m
"Don't mother don'tw said Perkins.
family, ducking his head as ifhcr words
were "a shower of hailStoncs. "P'raps
things ain't SO very bad ortcr ALL P'raps
shcs asleep
"Not very likely" ssid Joel trotting
alongside OF the wagon ON Specklc- back.
stout four-ycar-o'd colt. Nobody
could ha' slept much with mother hol-
lsrin' aud rappin' ON the glass like mad
and ma a-tickin' ot the door 20 that the
very clock tumblcd or the shelf"
~ YOU ketch hold o. my arm that
way, mother said poor Perkins, de
spairiugIy, II can't drive ward furder. &"
Even iu that solitary and thinly pco-
pied ncighborhood a little group had
already collected around tho windows Of
Deacon pcrkiuss house, pecring through
the tang,c OF tail lilac bushes and dense
growing cinnamon roses 10 get % glimpse
into The tiny-paued easements, and a
line of curiously minded people had fol-
lowed from the Catlield parsonage, under
thc vague impression that "somcthing
WIS wrong at Asa Pcrkius's place
'lust look for YOURSELF" SAID Joel
Fullerton
"I can't" muttcred Perkins. passing
hi- hand a.ro his forehead. as if there
was some uuwontcd pressure there.
sect mc screw driver. fomcfhinv.
outen the back shed Ill get in here. or
I'll know the reason why"
'Fathcr.' squcakcd bis wife; "thcre
ain't NO need for mo- scrcw-drivor. The
buitery windows wide open. with
nothn' but % few mcshcs o. mosquito
ucttiu' over it. IOu can scrnmblc in
There as easy as not, and open the front
door from insidc'
Tho suggestion was instantly carried
ont, aud in 90 moment ns it were. ihc
crowd was inside The door staring in %
terrified way at the figure wrapped in
shlwis, which had fallen tp one side iu
thc o.d ro king CHAIR with its face
ayertcl 40 one had courage to stcp
forward and solve the mystery. There
was @ second of appalling suspense
when suddenly th back door was flung
open, and iu rushed Chatty CLAYTON her.
eclf with bright eyes. checks flushed
litc twin roses, oni her apron full Of
brilliant blue astcrs and yellow frngcd
golden rod.
"What IS tho matter. Aunt Mntildal"
She cried "B1ck SD soont WHY. /
didn't oxurrf Won until off.r JarLf Il