The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-01-13


Scripture fer tibet. They's only one
bedroom in this house, an we cans
both sleep in it with our idees on ven.
tillation dif'rin' ez they do; we cant
one of us move out, 'cuz folks d talk
we went over thet long ago; so the
on les thing ter do is whit we re goin'
ter do-sell the house an ey'y thing
in it, an each of US 60 Whur she feels
like.
Mary Bells face grew harder as hel
sister spoke; she sat down in a stiff
backed wooden rocker with arheumat-
ic jerk '.Thet's one comfort, Ser
eny," she said, with quivering at one
corner of her mouth; II want ter &C
Whur 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'nt me. !"
Serena laughed shortly. can 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'r' 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"
u You'd better pack these p'sarves in
the settin' room awhile, May Bell, fer
they'll be passels ter doin the mornin'
the auctioneer'll 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.
Fortwentyyears, since their mother s
death, the sisters had lived harmo-
niously together; then book agent
had induced them to buy a 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 it's crimson binding lay
on the photograph album in the front
room, and seemed to Haunt itself in
Mary Bells face every time she
brought in new supply of jars.
"Whoever buys it I hope IL get good
of it," she thought; II never set
nothin' by it, an amt a-goin' ter
risk my life tridin' with its fool no.
tions ter please no one" Then she
said to Serena: you're goin' ter let
the Home Doctor go long O the rest,
are you Sereny?"
II amt goin' ter keep nothin'," de-
clared Serena, with emphasizing
one thing, though thar's things hyere
| shell hate ter see 90 out O the fam
'lyi hyere's this blue chiny teapot O
mothers, now-I min we'll the las
time ever she used it! 'Seren, she
SEE, put the kettle over, an. when the
water biles, 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's any
thing kin put ter my mouth afore
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 60" resumed
Serena, clearing her throat ''fer neith-
er on us hez any more right to it than
the other. l 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 'euz 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 q 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 estrangement.
Serena shut the closet door with a
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 gleam-
ing slantwise in the air; the sky had
been gray and dark, but it was of a
warmer tint now, as if cheered by q
prophecy of setting sunlight. Far of
the low hills rose, dim, misty and vary
ing in hue so little from the sky itsel1
as to look like q great earth-born cloud
merging upward; here and there OIL
the bare branches of the poplars were
strong white lights where the glance
of the departing day fell on them
Some shining little pools fickered il
depressions of the worn pavement.
And now, as the yellow tone faded
from the sky, lights began to show
lurid haze-encircled radiance from
the houses; and mingling with the drol
and tinkle OF the slight rain were heard
voices of the twilight--mothers calling
their little ones, children responding
with shrill halloes, and the stronger
tones of men jesting with each other as
they hurried home from work.
There was a lump in Mary Bells
throat as she turned back into til,
house, lighter with its single candl,
than the world outside, for night ha(
breathed upon the distant dwelling
now and filmed them in an unfathom'
able blue-gray mist
Serena was arranging the evening
meal on the kitchen table. II jedget
we might ez we'll hey soon supper
| ~ h. lo,,o With - - Che co;J &c +ba,