Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-12-05

| s'There-there, don't bother" said Uncla
| Aaron. suthoritatively, sboys is boys dom
| pester."
Mumbling with her mouth half full O.
| cakes, Aunt Kate's brow cleared and the
| breakfast was finished in peace and quiet
ness. "WeD, mother" said Uncle Aaron
putting on his hat and standing up great
and strong, ''Pll see to the askin' OF 'em
| and do you tend to the feeding"
.sNever fear" nodded his wife, confidently
'sI'I give 'em good square meal"
Catching up little Sallie, Uncle Aaron
kissed her on both her rosy cheeks ana put
her down again. Then he took up Tom, the
| wo-year-old baby, and, grading him mo
| ment in his great, strong arm, looked down
at him curiously ssPoor little chapi It's a
long world you've come to, do you know ita'
he whispered. The child's brown eyes
smiled back at him and the little face nestled
close. Resting his brown face over the wee
one for q moment, the mans heart heaved.
In another moment he put him down and
strobe out at the door.
Outside, mischievous Jacob, with tr1
umphant grim, was awaiting him. His father
smiled back ct him, and began to go down
the mountain. Jacob followed at his heels
"Where yer golng!" he said.
s'To Susan's and Ellerys and Dan'Ps to
see if they'll come over"
.'What to do?" said Jacob.
ga quiltin'-yer mother has wanted II
this good spell"
s'Lordyp cried the boy, his eyes spark
ling, twill yer femme sit up" .x.
behave yourself. See here" he said,
STOPPING. and picking out pale blue blossom
half hid at the root Of a tree, ''aintcthat-
prettyl"
eyes," said the boy, looking at it with In
terest, sit be-"
sit just bout matches the sky up yonder,
so pretty and so blue" caressing it softly
with one Of his huge fingers, sticking it care
fully into his trousers belt, half APOLOGIZE
cally. sit seems scrter too bad to leave it
die here, and no one to keer for II"
The boy nodded Understandings and
broke of a bit of birch bark and began to
chew on it. Both went rapidly down the
mountain side. Ttiey sooa came to the
house Of the "Ellery folks" Two little
mites, seeming to be all pink calico and big
sun-bonnets, were sitting In the dirt out
side. A woman was busy washing with a
big tub that stood in the doorway. Chill
dren and country folks take up the thread
CT existence just where they have dropped
it.
Mothers a-goin' to have her quiltin' to-
night, can you comet" said Uncle Aaron,
without ceremony.
Mrs. Ellery rested her soapy hands on the
edge Of the tub and answered.: ''Mebbe.
Who's comin'P'
''Most all the north side folks, reckon.
Sarah and Tom, and the babes, and Dun
ham and Susan-most everybody" said
Uncle Aaron, sweeping out his arm COM
prehensively.
eyes," said the woman, 'we'll come-but
tell Sarah not to expect much from me.
I'm tuckered out now, and hain't had no
time to do my own Sewing.n
'That's all right" said Uncle Aaron !;
"tell Tom to bring his fiddle with him."
eyes," nodded Mrs. Ellery, lifting her
head for moment, she'll fetch it.''
"Come Oh, jacob said his father, but IS
he strobe off he stopped long enough to drop q
lump of sugar into the laps of the pink calico
mites, who received this gift from the clouds
them, indeed, inspected hers very closely,
at which Uncle Aaron smiled and said
s'Shes q wise I'm, she is"
The two trudged along, crossing the long
stretches of distance that lay between the
various houses, with scarcely break in
their silence; and yet that walk was not a
lonely or a void one, either to the father
or to the son. The man saw more than the
boy, had lived more-had felt more-but
there was that in the lad of comprehension
by sympathy that's the next best thing to ex-
although great man, was half dumb him
self, not having the gift of expression, so he
did not speak words that went beyond the
boys understanding.
At last every body had been asked that
they wished to ask to come that night tc
the ''quiltin'." Finally they came back to
their original starting -point-the old log
house upon the ledge of the mountain.
"Well, mother" said Uncle Aaron, ''they
be all a comm, 80 do yer cleverest to-day
How many plates and mugs have yer!'
"Count 'em," said Aunt Kate, pounding
into batch of bread vigorously; 'al Of
'em's on the shelves thar"
few moments OF silence, wherein Aunt
Kate went on kneading up the loaves, anG
Uncle Aaron, with puckered-up brow an6
| much head-work, kept murmuring low
''That's thirteen, fourteen, hfteen-I tel
| you, mother, there's fifteen all told, countin
in them two ere tin ones you bought o. the
| peddler. What'n we do? There bees more'1
| that a. COMM"
| "They viii have to wait their turn, them
said Aunt Kate, cutting that knot of the
| difficulty with single stroke. ''Tha
makes no differ. We're not supposed tt
keep chimney store.''
The superior air Of wisdom with which
his wife said this was not without its eff
feet upon Uncle Aaron. He felt a sudder
| nuuDuuS eStlmaCe OF nlmSelI LnaG ne mac
often felt before in the presence of hi!
wife's practical remedy for an embarrass
ing situation. He stood big and awkward
| rubbing his cheek with one hand. sReckol
| I'll 60 and fetch in some of them ears o
dried corn, we'll want 'em tonight" b.
said, after vainly searching around TO
something that he could do to help alonl
the approaching celebration.
"You'd better fetch In some logs for tn
big chimney" said his wife, 1--WE hain't go
any,
"All right" answered Uncle Aaron
cheerfully, ''that's more in my ine-pl
fetch 'em," and picking up his hat OF tn
| floor, where he had thrown it, he went out
Aunt Kate went on pounding the bread
with a smile upon her face.
| CHAPTER II.
BY half-past three in the afternoon a.
was in readiness to receive the company
| The s'store stove'' shone with q brightness
| that did honor Amt Kata,S muSclo. an