The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-03-01
SELECT STORY.
PARD0N's GOOD LUCK

tuOuRuJ ulueTentiy.
"My luck, exactly" said he despair
ingly. 81 might have known just how
it::would be-"
He sat on the old stone porch star
ing out toward the sunset, his chair
tipped back ON its two hind legs, his
hands thrust into his trousers pockets.
1t was cold enough to justify the
fire OF beech logs that was blazing on
the hearth in the room inside, where
Pardon was tacking up the red moreen
curtains that she had Just sponged and
mended neatly; but it was not an easy
thing for Mr.. Darwin to relnquish the
habit of out.do lounging that had
clupg to him all the summer through.
"What is it, fatheri" said Pardon,
coming briskly to the door with tack
hammer in one hand and a paper of
tacks in the other.
"Joues has gone by" said Mr.. Oar
win. "He 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, eff you didn't have those bars re-
paired"
"And she's got run over" dolefully
added Darwin. "Tm sure l don't
know what we're going to do without
COW. We've always put lot of de-
pendence on our milk Luck has been
sheer against me every since John
James died. A man with ahouse full of
gals can't expect to make no headway
in the world"
Pardon colored 1p.
"You didn't expect your girls to
mend the bars, did you, father?" asked
she, little bitterly.
81 was calculatin' to speak to Tim
Parsons about gettin' new pair O
posts put up" sighed the farmer.
Wouldn't it have been safer way
to put them up yourself, father?'
81 amt as young as l used to be-
said Darwin, evasively. Sand the
rheumstics 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
luck!"
Mr.. Darwin slowly rose and shuffied
into the bright little keeping room,
where Pardon had spread a neatly
braided rug before the fire, and placed
la bioken-spouted pitcher of yellow
golden-rod on the table.
| She looked after him with a sigh,
half of impatience, half regret.
81 wish John James had l!ved!
said Mr.. Darwin, feebly.
| $50 do l." assented Pardon.
"Ain't supper most ready" said the
farmer, looking discontentedly around.
sit will be in minute" said Par
don. II had to split the kindling my.
sells for the kitchen fire, and Fanny
has run to Mrs. Merritt's for little
meal to make some corn bread"
| At the same moment Fanny return,
ed a slight, overgrown girl of IA
breathless with the haste she had
made.
"Mrs. Merritt is very sorry" said
she, 'but she hasn't any cornmeal in
the house"
"That's enough" said Pardon, glow
ing scarlet to the roots of her hair. 81
don't blame her for getting tired Of
lending things to us!'
"But,' added Fanny, "she sends a
pail of Graham flour to make gems
Indeed, indeed, Pardon she's as kind
as she can be!'
| Pardon laughed hysterically.
| "I'm getting as hard and bitter as a
sour persimmon,' said she. "Yes I'm
very glad of the Graham -four. Faith.
er can't make out his supper without
something hot for a relish. Perhaps
some day we can return Mrs. Merritt's
kindness. But oh, Fanny have you
heard? The red COW got out of the
pasture this afternoon and was killed
on the track"
| Fanny burst into tears.
| "Old Pinky!" she exclaimed. '1s
there no end of our bad luck?"
| Pardon stamped her pretty, ill-shod
foot impatiently on the floor.
"Luck!" she repeated. Don't use
that dreadful word! l believe father
would be better and happier man to,
day if it wasn't IN the dictionary al
all. There isn't any such thing as
luck. It's all bad management, shift.
lessness-the habit of putting every.
thing off until the last moment"
| And then she cried, too, poor little
over burdened Pardon.
She was tall ard slender, with large,
glittering hazel eyes, red-broWn hair
and one of those delicate complexions
where the sun lays ITS touch in the
shape of here and there a cluster oi
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 been generous to them in the
matter Of personal attributes.
They made their frugal supper oI
Graham gems, and very little butter
the weakest brewing of tea, aud nc
milk at sll, and then Pardoa built NJ
the fire, got her father the last week,
newspaper, which good Mrs. Merritt
had sent over with the Graham flour
and then set down in the back kitcher
with Fanny to slice up few peaches
for drying.
"For we have got TO look aftel
things verv close this winter" sh,
said. "Father seems to have no ener
gy at all since John James died. Tn
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
don" she SAID.
"You and l can go out to service,
said Pardon. "As for father, there Il
the poor house
Fanny uttered wall of despair.