Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-10-04
AN "INCUM'RANCE."
David's Little Bequest to his Next
of Kin.

The slant rays of the afternoon sun.
low down in the west, lighted the
windows of the plain farmhouse,
gilded the worn dOor-stOne and
crowned even the faded little knot of
hair on Nancy's head, as she stood by
the pump. In her hand was shining
teakettle, to be filled for supper, and
on her lips was song which was
somewhat impeded in its flow by the
discovery of chickens in the flower
bed: o
"'rm pilgrim, and I'm a.
''ShOo! shoe! shOO!
81 can tarry, can tarry'-
"Shoo! Get out of them Chiny-as-
ters!''
-"'But night
81 do b'lieve I'll have that old
speckle's head cut off IN the mornin'.
She's forever in the fiowers?''
The last sentence was addressed to
Marcia, who had just entered the gate.
Marcia laughed, whisked her white
apron at the refractory fowls, and
sent them skurrying to the barn.
Then she turned toward the house,
swinging on her fingers the key that
was her badge of Office as teacher
janitor also-of the schools at the
CROSSROADS.
1t was large key for so small
building, but it meant great things
to the young teacher. 1t unlocked not
only the dingy school-room, but the
door of a host of pleasant possibili.
ties and golden dreams as veil; helI
for Uncle Seth, Improvement in the
house. books, an Overwhelming stream
of comfort. Even while she slipped
the clumsy brass ring from her finge,
and hung it on its appointed nail, she
was mentally rearranging the stiff
back chairs and weighty mahogany
table of the best room, to make room
for the piano that might come some
day.
Nancy fingered to gather up the
half-dozen blossoms snapped Off by
the feathered invaders, and, when hel
kettle had been placed on the stove
she carefully arranged them In a chin;
mug on the mantel.
Il s'pose faint right to blame ami
mails for their nature, SEEM I'll
nature, she said, not yet recovered
from her indignation; ''but it doe
seem rs if hens might have had a.
much as two grains of sense withou
huntin' 'em any. Wen you've sait
eggs, you've said all the good there i
to 'em. They've precious little gump
ton even in taking care of their Owl
chickens, and not mite of materna
affection.
Fact is there's nothin' human-lik,
about poultry. unless it's the way tn
old rooster calls up his whole broo,
whenever he finds any thing to eat
cackles and brags about what goot
pervider he is. an then swallers tn
heft of it himself. That is a goo,
deal like some men I've seen. If tina
back garden fence
"Yes, know. We must have new
one there this fall" interrupts
Marcia, with the tone of one to whom
all desirable things looked hopeful.
Nancy accepted the cheeriress Q
voice and promise with a suddeI
smoothing of her puckered brows.
"Well. faint no use to make noun;
aims out of mole-hills, any way" sh
said. falling back on the proverb tina
had smoothed many rough places
Your Uncle Seth he's gone up I
tow to-day"
This last remark had no connectio
with either mountains or mole-hills
and was merely intended to indicat
that she had buried her grievance. an
switched her train of thought to an
other track. Then, while she sprea
the tea-table, her high-pitched voic
cnce more took up the statement tbs
she was a pilgrim and a stranger.
A hOmely picture it was, that plat
old kitchen with its Anticipated furn
ture; but it seemed a very coy and il
viting one to the man who paused 70
a moment in the doorway, and SUI
veyed 1t with his slow, quiet smile bt
fore entering. He felt its pleasantnes