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

of her face lacking in her sisters.
This black curran' jell l reckon
Mis- Ames II buy she said. placing
| some jars on the table. "She never
he'd no luck doin' up fruit an her
folks goes heap on :p'sarves- I'd
ruther some un else d get EN-. fer L
never he'd no use fer Mis- Ames; she
wuz Hines, an the Hinses WIZ the
no. countes' folks I most ever see"
Mary Bell sighed. when we ergreed
ter break up an 60 ter boardin', 1 he'd
no idee that ev'ything d hev ter be sold;
don't see yit why we couldn't ha' d.
vided 'em."
The other turned on her almost
fiercely. Things er already divided. "
she said, steErly; ga house divided
amongst itse'f kin not stand; we hev
Scripture fer tibet They's on'y QUE
bedroom in this house, an we can't
both sleep in it with our idees on VEN
tillation diff rim ez they do; we can't
one of us move out, 'cuz folks d talk
we went over tibet long ago; so the
on'ies' thing ter do is whit we're goin'
ter do-sell the house an ev'y thing
in it. an each of US go whur she feels
like"
Mary Bells face grew harder as her
sister spoke; she sat down in stiff
backed wooden rocker with a rheumat-
ic jerk. "Thet's one comfort Ser
eny," she said, with quivering at one
corner of her mouth; Il want ter go
whur l don't hev ter take no orders
off II nobody, an whur kin go ter bed
at night with the winder shet, an no
fear O. burglars er pinch-bugs er ketch-
in cold ter ha mt me"
Serena laughed shortly. '.An' gettin'
all sorts O. diseases from breathin'
back your own p'isinous breath! Gil
me open winder the year roun' an
plenty O fresh air a-streamin' in; but
fer the laws sake don't let's get ter
goin' over tibet ground agin'!' she ex-
claimed, as Mary Bell essayed to speak.
You're goin' ter board with Green
Clay Adkins folks, an I'm goin' ter
stop a spell at Cousin Sary Hender-
sons down ter Frankfort, an we kin
do ez we please. Let's get to work
now"
You'd better pack these p'sarves in
the settin' room awhile, May Bell, fer
they'll be passels ter do in the mornin';
the auctioneer'l be hyere at eight
o'clock p'cise."
Mary Bell got up slowly and began
to arrange the glasses in rows on the
high, black mantel-piece; she was ac-
customed to obey Serena, and did not
think of rebelling in small matters.
For wentyyears, since their mothers
death, the sisters had lived harmo-
niously together; then a book agent
had induced them to buy book of
hygiene, which he said contained rules
of health which, if followed, would
prolong human life indefinitely. Mary
Bell found nothing of interest in this
volume, but the older sister pored over
it as she had never done over the week
ly paper or family Bible, and she fol-
lowed its dictates, to the sacrifice of
her own and her sisters comfort.
The book in its crimson binding lay
on the photograph album in the front
room, and seemed to tiaunt itself in
Mary Bells face every time she
brought in a lew supply of jars.
whoever buys it Ihope IL get good
of it." she thought; Il never set
nothin' by it, an amt a-goin' ter
risk my life trifin' with its fool no.
tons ter please no one" Then she
said to Serena: You're goin' ter let
the Home Doctor 60 long o the rest,
are you Sereny?"
II amt goin' ter keep nothin'." de-
clared Serena with emphasis-'not
one thing, though thar's things hyere
1 shell hate ter see go out o the fam
'ly; hyere's this blue chiny teapot o
mothers now-I min we'll the las
time ever she used it! 'Seren,' she
seq, put the kettle over, an when the
water bilcS make me dish O. tea in
the chiny teapot your paw gin me
when we furs went ter house-keepin'
down in Rowan County; eff thar any
thing kin put ter my mouth afore l
die, it'll be some tea brewed in tibet
pot"
Serena's voice had grown husky. and
the little nervous tremor quivered
again about Mary Bells lips
"But it'll have ter CO." resumed
Serena, clearing her throat, "fer Meth
er on us hez any more right to it than
the other. 1 kinder hope Mis- Ames
won't get hor of it; she's mighty pore
house-keeper, an them boys o'hern'd
break it up in no time; they'd wan ter
han'le it 'cuz it hez Chinee men on it,
an mighty pale-complected they look,
too-an' no wonder. fer the Home Doc
tor seq the Chinee people sleep ez many
ez forty in a cubby-hole, an not a
smitch O. air"
TOO much air is heap worse'n
none, bout reckon" responded Mary
Bell, with toss of her head; and over
the tenderer memories arose the sha-
dow of their arrangement
Serena shut the closet door with q
snap like closing jaws. and Mary Bell
went to the front door again, though
this time she did not touch the pla-
card.
| 1t had rained at intervals during the
day, and some few drops were glesm-
ing slantwise in the air; the sky had
been gray and dark. but it was of a
| warmer tint now. as if cheered by a