The Delta independent., 1889-01-01
PARDoN's GOOD LUCK.

thought differently.
? "Mylucky exactly" said he despair
ingly. II 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 it's two hind legs, his
hands thrust aimlessly 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.. OAR
win to relinuuish the habit Of out
d oor Founging that had clun9 to him
all the summer through.
~What is it father" said Pardon,
coming briskfy to the door, with a
tack hammer in one hand and . pa
per of tacks in the other.
Jones has just gone by" said Mr..
Darwin, "He says the old COW has
got out on the railroad track again. !"
Pardon bit her red under lip.
II told you she would. father" :"
said she, s'if you didn't have those
bars repaired"
"And she's got run over" dolefully
added Darwin, ''I'm sure l don't
know what we're to do without g
COW. We've always put lot of de-
pendence on our milk. But I might
have expected it. Luck has been
sheer against me ever since John
James died, A man with a house
full of gals can't expect to make no
headway in the world
Pardon colored up. -.-.
'You didn't expect your girls to
mend the bars did you, father?"
asked she, a little bitterly.
Twas 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 used to be-"
sold Darwin, evasively. "And the
,rheumatics is twistin' me powerful
these first cool days"
Then" said Pardon, with a GER
tain 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 q
neatly braided rag rug before the
fire and placed a broken spouted
pitcher of yellow golden rod on the
s9ble:
She looked after him with a sigh.
half OF impatience, half regret.
81 wish John James had livedl"
said Mr.. Darwin, feebly.
$50 do l." assented Pardon.
"Ain't supper most ready?" said
the farmer, looking discontentedly
around.
at will be in q minute" said Par
don. "I had to split the kindlines
myself for the kitchen fire, and Fanny
has run to Mrs. Merritt's for a little
meal to make some hot corn bread"
At the same emoment Fany returned
"a slight, overgrown girl of IL
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 enoughp said Pardon,
glowing scarlet to the roots of the
hair. II don't blame her for getting
tired of flending things to us!'
But, added Fanny, "she sends a
pail OF graham -four to make gems.
Indeed, indeed, Pardon she's as kind
as she can bel"
Pardon laughed Historically.
"Pm getting as hard and bitter as
a sour persimmon," said she. Eyes,
I'm very glad of the Graham -four.
Father can't make out his supper
without something hot for relish.
Perhaps some day wecan return Mrs.
Merritt's kindnesses But, oh, Fanny,
have you heard? The red COW got
out of the pasture this afternoon
and is killed on the railroad track"
Fanny burst into tears.
"Old Pinky" she exclaimed. s1s
there no end to our bad luck?'
Pardon stamped her pretty, i'll shod
foot impatiently on the floor.
Luck!" she repeated. Don't use
that dreadful word! l believe father
would be a better and happier man
today if it wasn't in the dictionary
at all. There isn't any such thing as
luck. It's all bad management,
shiftlessness-the habit of putting
everying off until the last moment" I"
8 And then she cried, too, poor little
overburdened Pardon.
She whe was tall and slender, with
large, glittering hazel eyes, red brown
, hair, and one of those delicate com
plexions where the sun lays it's touch
in the shape of here and there a clus-