Afro-independent. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1888-1???, 1888-09-22

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wrought again at the coarse mesh, but
there was a lurking trouble in her
face. II wonder ef she could "a met
Uncle Henryg she was thinking. He
told me not to say a word of whut he
KEN for, but | can't keep any thing;
it's just on the end o. my tongue now.
Oh dearln
Mrs. Giltner lowered herself into a
chair with wary caution OF her joints;
she undid her bonnet strings, and gave
several long breaths before she spoke.
Yes, I'm back, Verandy; you kin
see for yourself that I'm nigh Almost
give out; them steps II lay me In my
grave yit."
They do beat the bugs" assented
Veranda, with easy sympathy; her
voice was at once slow and shrill.
III never tell you how I've stood
'em all these years. pursued the old
woman, ENORMOUSLY; 81 he'd my five
boys to raise. an till ev'y last one of
'em wuz growed clean out o. dresses
into long pants never knowed
whut peace meant. III one Of
'em give a cry ] jest churned right
sick a-wondrin' which one he'd bruk his
neck head over heels down them stone
steers" She rambled on, with "A kind
OF pleasure In her dreary memories.
Veranda gave patient ear, though she
had heard II almost daily since child
hood. She was tho orphan daughter
OF Mrs. Gitner's oldest son, and the
old woman had reared her, petting her
ms she never had her sturdy boys.
three OF whom were now owners OF
bluegrass farms hard upon the viii
lage.
"Ain't you goin' to tell person
whar you've been, gra'maw9" asked
Veranda, with kindly regard 10 the
fact that her grandmother was waiting
for the query.
81 wuz down TO Smiths fer SPELL"
said the old woman when she had come
at easy speech after her mournful dis
course, ''you must go and see their
new baby, Verandy; it's mighty cute;
the very spit N image of its paw.
Smith he wants TO call 1t Sary Jane,
after his mother, but Mis- Smith won't
hyear 10 nothln' but Stuller May"
The last trace OF uneasiness was
blotted from Veranda's face by a smile
OF pleased interest.
"Stuller May" she echoed; II won
der whar Hetty Smith got hold Of tibet
name; IL sounds kind of booky. Ef
'twuz my child I'd ruther hey II Gladys
or Blantche, believe"
Mrs. Giltner's upper lip fell visibly.
when | think o. you-'ns marryin'-
we'll, pears like can't ha'bor the idee
no ways. Seem the house an ev'y
thing In 10 II be yourn, 'cept tibet lawg-
cabin quilt | pieced last spring fer
Johns Marthy. it's more'n likely you'd
live yere arter you wuz married; you
haven't the peth in you tibet | he'd
when l wuz young, an when study
bout you worryin' over them mean
steps like I've done. an a-strivin' to
keep your chillern fom KILN their
SETS on 'em, churn right sick"
That her granddaughter was young
and well-favored OF nature was Mrs.
Giltner's firm belief; that Veranda
would marry seemed TO the old woman
deplorable, but none the less inevi-
table. circumstance Of the future.
Veranda had never in her life had a
lover, yet there were chests full OF bed
and table linen marked with her name
against the time she should need them
In her husbands household; she spent
her spare time in making lace that
was boarded away to deck her bridal
flnery. Perhaps II was because she
seemed youthful to herself by
comparison with her grandmoth-
er's eighty years that these
preparations never appeared futile
TO her; her poor little womanly
instincts BURT q nest OF hopes in the
green paper boxes where she kept her
yards OF rickrack and feather trim
ming, aud though she wrought from a
curiously blind impulse, its mere pres
ence made her happy, as 1t makes the
bird who weaves nest when Hedging
time Is past
"Now OF could live to hep you
raise your family, I'd feel different"
went on Mrs. Giltner. viewing the mat
ter from another standpoint; "but
I'm gittin' old, Verandy; thar's crick
In my back most o. the time. an I'm
awful short-winded; | dun know but
whut my legs are some stitfer'n they
wuz last year; I'm failin' fast"
"Lawsl no, you amt gra'maw," ex-
postulated Veranda very seriously.
She knew the old woman's complaints
OF her health led by design to forci-
BILE contradiction. Uncle Henry wuz
yere while you wuz cut an he lowed
you wuz pearter-lookin' this summer
n you'd been fer right smart
why, you never told me Henry wuz
yerem cried Mrs. Giltner.
II knowed I'd LET It out" breathed
Veranda, in whisper. YES. he wuz
yere. He he'd business down street,
but he lowed he'd be In TO sec you
right som. Oh. laws, gra'mawl I'm
goin' TO say whut he wanted me to
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