Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-06-22

ooh, we'll; all right, Lecty; do .
you please"
"6 course Johanna II have to g
with me"
Gideon gave little start and openet
his mouth suddenly, but closed it with
out speaking, while his face flushed
scarlet, as Miss Electa noted, and ne
voice was less harsh as she said, ~
course she'll have to go with me; you
never in the world could do for her; bu
I amt going to say she shant come q
see You often, though never expect II
bother you none myself"
Cali right, 'Lecty," replied Gideon
for the third time. $50 ahead, an d.
as We please" and he he took the ak
he had been sharpening on the grind
stone behind the barn and walked away
while his sister went back to the house
her lips auivering little, and her head
.ess erect and defantly than when she
came out.
Johanna was the only child OF the
brother Elihu, who had died ten years
before. Her mother had died when 10.
hanna was born, and in the eleven years
that had elapsed since that sorrowful
day, Johanna had become very dear to
Uncle Gideon and Aunt Electa.
Gideon hardly dared think what the
house would be like without johanna,
and Miss Electa did not fully realize how
cruel she was in taking the little girl
away.
She thought more about it the first
night she and Johanna spent in their
new home. The child's questions trou-
bled her aunt. She and Gideon had
been wise and kind enough not to quar-
rel before Johanna, and the child could
not understand what had caused the
change in her uncle and aunt's at
fairs. 1t gave Miss Electa something of
a shock, when Johanna said as night
came on.
ssThere won't be anybody to get On
Gle Gideon's pipe for him tonight, will
there, Aunt Lecty? Don't you s'pose
he misses his little Joey dreadful2 And
what's he going to do without his sup
PERI"
He's got it himself many time when
I've been down with my rheumatic, an
I reckon he won't starye now" replied
Miss Electa.
"But Ialwayshelped him, said johann
ma. "You know you said he mussed
things up so if didn't help"
Although it was hers no longer, a Wis.,
ion of the probable unused up" condi
ton of things in the house she had left
so tidy troubled Miss Electa greatly.
There was lump in her throat, as she
said to herself while she made her own
kitchen tidy:
Things won't be fit to be seen in the
old house in two days. A mans as much
out of place in kitchen as bull in a
chany store. There if I didn't come
away and forget to leave any dish rags
out. He'll use corner of the table-cloth
or one of the best towels like as not,
And I don't s'pose he'll sweep under
the bed once month, and the milk-pans
IL get sour, and his bed IL never be air.
ed, and-I wish that roam colt was in
Guinea 7"
She rocked vigorously to and fro in her
creaking little rocking chair, and dashed
away a tear or two as she took down her
scanty, iron-gray hair, and began get
ting ready for bed.
The little house that Miss Electa now
lived in was on strip of meadow land
close to narrow, shallow river, while
Gideon S house stood on little hill nearly
a mile distant. The houses were in plain
sight of each other, and the occupants
Of each looked toward the other many
times every day, and always with more
or less longing for the peaceful days that
were gone. Each, however, was too
stubborn to make an advance toward q
and the breach between
them seemed growing as the days wore
on.
They had not met since the day Miss
Eiecta had left the old home; but they
heard often of each other, for Johanna
had worn path across the meadow, and
by the roadside between the two houses.
She went up to see Uncle Gideon every
day and often twice day. He was
shifting for himself" now, to Miss
Electa's distress and dissatisfaction.
81 reckoned that, of course, he'd get
D housekeeper right of, she said to
herself. "Things mnst be in purity
clutter up there
AhO ~ Polto D1Ch
this conviction.
ooh, aunty," said Johanna, one day,
''Uncle Gideon amt bit nice house.
keeper. Why don't you go and clean
things up for him! just think, he only
washes the dishes bout once q week,
and then he washes them in the big
wooden bread bowl"
"O-o-o-h my" exclaimed Miss Peak.
"And just think, he put crackers on
the table right in the bag, and molasses
In the jug, and he had fried potatoes the
other day in the big glass preserve dish
you kept for company, and to-day he
wiped the dishes on the table-cloth, and
the table-cloth was one of your linen
sheets!'
''Don't tell me any more, or shall
go raving crazy!" cried Miss Peak.
Uncle Gideon was also solicitous
about his sisters comfort.
SHOW does your Aunt 'Lecty git
alongl" he often asked of johanna.
"Who splits her wood for her and gifts
the Endlin' 81"