Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-05-09
ooh, well; all right, 'Lecty; do as

with me-"
Gideon gave little start and opened
his mouth suddenly, but closed 1t Win,
out speaking, while his face flushed
scarlet, as Miss Electa noted, and her
voice was less harsh as she said, vi
course she'll have to go with me; yon
never in the world could do for her; but
] ain going to say she shan't come to
see you often, though never expect to
bother you none myself.
"All right, 'Leciy," replied Gideon,
for the third time. eco ahead, an do
as We please, and he he took the axe
he had been sharpening on the grind
stone behind the barn and walked away,
while his sister went back to the house,
her lips quivering q little, and her head
ess erect and defiantly than when she
came out
johanna was the only child Of the
brother ElihE, who had died ten years
before. Her mother had died when Jo-
hanna was born, and in the eleven years
| that had elapsed since that solTowful
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 IL 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 af-
fairs. 1t gave Miss Electa somethingof
shock, when Johanna said as night
came ON.
''There won't be anybody to get I'm
Gle Gideon's pipe for him tonight, will
there, Aunt Lecty? Don't you s'pose
he misses his little joey dreadful And
what's he going to do without his sup
per 2"
He's got il himself many a time when
I've been down with my rheumatic, an
/ reckon he won't starye now" replied
Miss Electa.
"But 1 alwayshelped him, said johann
ma. ''You know you said he mussed
things up so if didn't help"
Although il was hers no longer, Wis
ion Of the probable unused up" condi-
ton Of things ia the house she had left
so tidy troubled Miss Electa greatly.
There was a lump in her throat, as she
said to herself while she made her own
kitchen tidy:
'EThings won't be fit to be seen in the
old house in two days. A mans as much
out of place in a kitchen rs a bull in
nt fIl..af - Is.l.afN
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 don't spose he'll sweep under
the bed once month, aud the milk-pans
II get sour, aud his bed II never be air /
ed, and-I wish that roam colt was in
Guinea !"
She rocked vigorously to and fro in her 4
crealing little rockingham, and dashed 4
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 4
close to narrow, shallow river, while .
Gideon 'shouse stood on a little hill nearly /
a mile distant. The houses We're in plain I
sight of each other, and the occupants 1
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 a
reconciliation, 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 a day. He was
shifting for himself now, to Miss
Electa's distress and dissatisfaction.
II reckoned that, of course, he'd get
n housekeeper right of, she said to
herself. Things mnst be in purity
clutter up there.
The reports Johanna brought back
this conviction.
"Oh, aunty," said Johanna, one day,
"UEcle Gideon amt bit nice house
keeper Why don't you so and clean
things up for him2 just think, he only
washes the dishes bout once q week,
anu tltl nc WHISTLES liicin III lut DlB
wooden bread bowl"
''O-o-o-h myl" 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 tabe-cloth, and
the table-cloth was one of your linen
sheets"
Don't tell me any more, or l shall
go raying crazyl" cried Miss Peak.
Uncle Gideon was also solicitous
lbout his sisters comfort.
GLOW does your Aunt Iecty git
along!" he often asked of Johanna
who splits her wood for her and gifts
lie kindlin's?"
''Oh, she splits most OF it herself, and ]
picks up good deal of drift-wood down ,
IN the river bank
"Humphl" said Uncle Gideon. "She1l
bring on her rheumatic if she goes to
-roi,,c;p' 't,o,pH on flat river l,otfo,,,