The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-09-20


Patty. who. being The youngest Of the
three old maids. gave erselffr.yololss
airs. .'but as for the dear little chicks
in blue sashcs. wish l was boarding
In houseful."
This childishne~s was lenicntly
overlooked in Patty; what discretion
could one expect at forty,
Mr. Perinc stepped into his shining
drag al precisely nine o'clock. lie was
never quarter Of minute out OF the
way. and women along the road set
their cottage clocks By his appear
ance. IIc drove the two miles 10
his city Office in exactly seventeen
minutes. as he had done for twenty
five years. The ladies Perine bctook
themselves 10 their several feminine
occupations. for they were industrious
women, in a way. and quiet rcigned
in the hall and parlors. The few flies
that had bravcd an entrance through
the shaded windows felt lonely and
subducd. and mcckly promenaded the
ceiling. with no thought ~ buxzing.
The sound ofwhccls on the graycled
drive about noon brought three heads
instantly TO the oricl window of the
upper hall. and two woody ones up
pcared at the side porch.
who In the world i coming 10 see
us in hack exclaimed Miss Louisa.
in disgust.
"And such hack
"Extraordinary.r cried Miss Ger
trude. there Is trunk. aud the
wretch is throwing il on my grass a.
il il We're dirt road. Here. you fe.-
low, there j. some mistake; that trunk
does not belong here. especially on
the grass-here. listen"
But the slonchy hack-driver had
evidently gotten his fare. and paid no
attention to the shri.l. unintelligible
voice.
.'Sarvcn'. insists" the old gray
headed butler showed signs OF excite
ment about the whites OF his eyes;
'.dar l. young pusson in de parlor.
marin. melss bole to spose she axes
yo' comply"
rs il a lady. James,"
''Well now. insists. she monrht BE- a
lady. BY de look Of her. and den agen
she mUughtn't"
'.D.d she give her name?"
Lord love yer. mistis." cried the
old domestic. forgetting his decorum.
de po' thing cough 30 she amt go,
BRET to say muffin; pear like she gwine
faint away 10 she could get any word
outcn her monf, and tink bcs come
and lei on bout her"
Before the words were fairly uttered.
Miss Patty was at the parlor door
The poor young woman had indeed
tainted: the stained handkerchief. the
red line on her lips and her ghastiy
pallor telling tie pitiful story. Seat
ed on the rug at her feet was sturdy.
three year-old boy. in short skirts and
bare legs. lie was fearlessly investi-
eating the eyes and teeth Of the Loop
ards head. and evidently had no con-
seriousness OF any thing unusual in his
companion condition. Perhaps. alas.
il was 4 sight familiar to him All was
confusion and terror in the usually
still house These old maids had never
been sick in all their well-rcgulated
lives. and. except for a sort OF woman
" instinct. had little conception OF
what ought to be done A bed. a
spoonful OF brandy. a cool spray in her
face. doctor-and presently the sunk
en- dark eyes opened. but there was not
strength for a single word OF explana-
ton. and before SHUTDOWN another hem
orrhage carried of the feeble life that
had so Suddenly and strangely come
into the Burnside household that morn
ing.
The child was too young TO tell any
thing except that his name was
"Wim." lie pratiled OF too-too cars.
bridges. Of Mamma sick. OF litter b ack
doggic at ours home. of taniy in e
funk. and such objects OF baby in
terest- Fortunately he did not pine
long for his young mother. hidden
forever from his sight in "A hasty. I'M
wept grave. Doubtless she had been
too feeble to give the child much at
tention. and he seemed quite able to
bear the harden Of his own existence.
finding vivid amusement in every
thing around him. There was not the
faintest clew 20 the identity az the
dead woman. In her pocket was not
even purse. only coarse unmarked
handkerchief. The shabby little trunk
was almost empty. except for few
suits OF ncatly-made clothes for the
boy and few carefully darncd articles
Of female undertaking. not . letter.
not book. not scrap Of paper any
where.
1--WE will keep the child. brother"
said Miss Pcrinc. ..untii you ask adj
vice OF some experienced person As to
where to place him."