, 1888-12-16
PARD0N'S GOOD LUCK.

OF toward the sunset, his chair tipped
back on its two hind legs, his hands
thrust aimlessly into his trousers pockets.
1t was cold enough to justify the fire
Of beech logs that was blazing ON the
hearth In ther Don inside, where Pardon
was lacking up the red moreen curtains
that she had just sponged and mended
neatly; but 1t was no an easy thing for
MI. Darwin to ~relinquish the habit of
outdoor lounging that had chung to him
all the summer through.
What is it, father said Pardon, COM
ing briskly to the door, with q tack ham
mer in one hand and a paper of tacks in
the other.
Jones has just gone by" said Mr..
Darwin. III says the old COW has got
out on the railroad track again"
Pardon bit her red under lip.
81 told you she would, father" said
she, IF you didn't have those bars re-
paired"
And she's got run over" dolefully
added Darwin. I'm sure l don't know
what we're to do without a COW. We've
always put a lot of dependence on Il
milk. But l might have expected it.
Luck has been sheer against me ever
since John James died. A man with q
house full Of gals can't expect to make
no Roadway in tho world"
Pardon colored up.
o didn't expect your girls to mend
the bars, did you, fatherT' asked she, n
little bitterly.
Il was calculatin' to speak to Tim Par
sons about gettin' a new pair O. posts put
up" sighed the farmer.
Wouldn't it have been a safer way to
put them up yourself, father"
81 amt as young as l used to be" said
Darwin, evasively. land the rheuma-
tics is twistin' me powerful these first
cool days"
''Then," said Pardon, with a certain
touch of daughterly authority in her
voice, you should come into the house,
and not sit there, getting chilled through,
and then find fault with your luckl'
Mr.. Darwin slowly roso and shufled
into tho bright little keeping room, where
Pardon had spread a neatly braided rag
rug before the fire and placed a broken
spouted pitcher of yellow golden rod on
the table.
She looked after him with a sigh, half
OF impotence, half regret.
81 wish John James had livedr' said
Mr.. Darwin, feebly.
$50 do /" assented Pardon.
"Aint supper most ready said the
farmer, looking discontentedly around.
1T will be in a minute" SAID Pardon.
II had 70 split tho k%indlings myself for
tho kitchen fire, and Fanny has run to
Mrs. .Merritt's for n little meal to mako
some hot corn bread"
At the same moment Fanny returned
"a slight, overgrown girl of 14-breath-
less with tho haste she had made.
Mrs. Merritt is very sorry" said she,
but she hasn't any cornmeal in the
house"
That's enoughr' said Pardon, glowing
scarlet to h roots of her hair. q don't
blame her for getting tired OF lending
things to usi'
But" added Fanny, "she sends q pail
of Graham flour to make gems. In
deed, indeed, Pardon, she's us kind as
she can bel'
Pardon laughed Historically.
I'm getting as hard and bitter as u
sour persimmon," said she. Eyes, I'm
very glad of the Graham flour. Father
can't make out his supper without some
thing hot for n relish. Perhaps some
day wo can return Mrs. Merritt's kind
nesses. But, oh, Fanny, have you heard?
The red COW got out of the pasture this
afternoon and Is killed on the railroad
track"
Fanny burst into tears.
"Old PinkyI' she exclaimed. is
there no end to our back luckT"
Pardon stamped her pretty, i'll shod
foot impatiently on the floor.
"Luckp' she repeated. Don't use that
dreadful world / believe father would
be a better and happier man today if it
wasn't in the dictionary at all. There
isn't any such thing as luck. It's all bad
management, shiftlessness-the habit of
putting everything off until the last mo-
ment."
And then she cried, too, poor little
overburdened Pardon.
She was tall and slender, with large,
glittering hazel eyes, red brown hair,
and one of those delicate compilations
where h sun lays its touch in the shape
Of here and there a cluster of freckles.
Fanny was dark, with Spanish eyes,
fringed with long lashes, and hair as
black and lustrous as jet. Whatever
else fate had denied the Darwin girls, it
had beer generous to them in the matter
of personal attributes. ID.
They made their frugal supper of Graz
ham gems, q very little butter, the weak
est brewing of tea, and no milk at all,
and then Pardon built up the fire, got
her father the last weeks newspaper,
which good HRS. Merritt had sent over
with the Graham flour, and then sat
down in the bach kitchen with Fanny to
slice up n few late peaches for drying.
For we have got to look after things
very close this winter" said she. Faith
er seems to ave no energy at all since
John James died. I'm afraid it will end
in the farm being sold to clear off the
mortgage
Fanny opened her big, black eyes.
but we must live somewhere, Par
donl' said she.
"You and 1 can go out to SERVICE"
said Pardon. las for father, there Is
the poorhouse."
Fanny uttered avail of despair.
mo, no dear; don't look SO distressed"
said the elder sister, ~repenting the rash
ness of her speech. II don't really mean
it. I'm cross, that is all. It's hard doing
the work of hired Llan, servant girl and
housekeeper all in one. / shall feel bet
ter tomorrow after I've had a nights
sleep. l haven't got to get up early and
milk poor old Pink any more"
And once again the sisters mingled
their tears.
"lf father had only mended those
bars" said Fanny. sit was so UNI
lncky"-
But Pardon put her hand over her sis
ter's lips.
Mot that word. Fanny, said she, ire
uemb-r. it's forbidden"
The two aH!s were washing up the