Griggs courier., 1888-01-20

Serena swallowed a gulp Of indigna-
ton; Mary Bell. with he odd jerking
at her lips, said that it sas not likely
that china tea pot wooAo 80 for moth
'ng asn Squire Tolliver. tho .uaioueer,
came ia. red-faced and clustering. aud
incline u to be very humorous.
"Hy|re ye. Miss Hughes. purty live
ly this n'o'nin'a" he asked genially.
Serena raised her gray head with .
movement which set tie little curls
twitching like coiA Of fine wire.
Folks don't genut;5r feel over-lively at
sale" stsesaid, coldly.
Law, now. Miss Sereny. l didn't go
" hurt your feelin's nohow; jes my
y o speakin'. Blame Z l don't
10 ter do tniS hyere business-feel
ddlin' like a londertaker; you-all
lived right cheer ever sence wuz
-high ter duck, an l 'spise on
ace o the yearth to sell you out
Q Il don't.'
"a accepted his apologies in
silence.
began operations in the kitchen,
the sisters could hear eager voices
ling on the tinware they had pol.
d for years. Then Mr.. Tollivcr an
hnced that while he had his hand in
would put up the dishes. and "get
bet o. thet business"
"Hyere now's thing thet you
ldies will 'preciate-a rale chiny tea
pt made in the celebrated factories %
e Hesperides. How much am l bid
this article which cheers but not in
'iates, ez the bard hez it? Twenty
ceAts?-no, m; I'm sellin' the teapot,
not the lid on'y. Thirty cents l am
bid-thirty tive-make it forty. MIS-
Ames. Thet's right; forty-forty-
forty"
! In the front room Serena sat listcn-
ing; her face seemed older by years
since the sale had begun. When the
teapot became the object of barter she
pressed closed hand against her lips
and stole cautious glance at her Sis
ter. The stiff handkerchief had fallen
from Mary Bells hand. and she sat
I Gazing into the kitchen with strained.
vacant eyes.
MAY Belly" said Serena, suddenly,
''shell our maw's teapot so fer forty
cents ter be Il playtoy Ter the Ames
young uns9'
Mary Bells head fell limp forward.
"No, no." she said. tremulously. II
can't get up-my knees er give way
like, but you bid it in, Serency. l feel
like I'd die eff these-all folks don't
go way, Sem 'em way, Sereny-
they's on'y you m me lei', two pore
helpless ole women-an' I'll do whut-
ever you say, sereny."
Coin fer forty cents to Mis- ~
"'Tain't goin' fer thet, Squire Tolli-
ver," said Serena, walking quietly into
the kitchen. II don't like the price
things re bringin', an we've decided
not ter sell"
"But my dear Miss Hughes, we can't
do business that a-way."
"Tll pay fer your trouble; a-course
don't want you ter be nothin' out; but
l reckon no one kin sell these things
without tho owners say-so."
1t was some time before the sur
prised throng wholly withdrew. but at
last the sisters were alone.
MAY Bcll!'
"Ycs. sis sereny."
"Wc'll jes take off these gownds, an
put on our dark blue calcoes, an
pitch in an rid up this house. I'll get
the red bucket full O water. an take
the oldes' scrubbin' brush, an wash
down that notice right off. l feel ez
excited cz ef it wuz house-clcanin'
time-don't you?"
"'Deed do; I'm jes sick ter get
hol' of a broom. But first off, sis
Screny. We'll hist the upstairs winder
an air the room; likely it's rale close
up there. bein' shet up so. shouldn't
wonder eff more fresh arid do me
right smart O. good. reckon I'll like
it passel arter get used ter it ~
Serena bent on her sister look OF
tenderness. "You see thet Home Doc
tor, May Bell? Well. I'm goin' ter
kindlc fire onter it and burn it
hide'n' hair. Min, don't say ventil-
alton amt o good thing--a mighty
good thing-but it's better ter hev a
easy mind than a healthy body, ef you
hev ter pick an choose bctwixt 'em. +"
-Eca Wlller Nc G!osson, in Rarper's $
Weekly
4