The Iola register., 1889-11-22

ness. "Well, mother" said Uncle Aaron,
putting on his hat and standing UP great
and strong, "Tll see to the askin' of 'em,
and do you tend to the feeding"
''Never fear," nodded his wife, confidently;
"I'll give 'em a good square meal"
Catching up little Sallie, Uncle Aaron
kissed her on both her rosy cheeks and put
her down again. Then he took up Tom, the
two-year-old baby, and, grading him mo-
ment in his great, strong arm, looked down
at him curiously. "Poor little chapl It's a
long world you've come to, do you know its''
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 moment, the mans heart heaved.
In another moment he put him down and
strobe out at the door.
Outside, mischievous Jacob, with a tri-
umphant grin, was awaiting him. His father
smiled back at him, and began to 90 down
the mountain. Jacob followed at his heels.
"Where yer gong9n he said.
"To Susan's and Ellerys and Dan'Ps to
see if they'll come over"
'sWhat to do?" said Jacob.
"a quiltin'-yer mother has wanted 1t
this good spell"
''Lordyr cried the boy, his eyes spark
ling, twill yer lemme sit ups"
s'Oh, yes,, answered Uncle Aaron, ',if yer
behave yourself See here," he said.
STOPPING and picking out pale blue blossom
half hid at the root of a tree, ''aint-that-
prettyl"
"Yes," said the boy, looking at it with in
terest, ''it be-"
sit just bout matches the sky up yonder,
so pretty and so blue" caressing it softly
with one of his huge fingers, sticking itcare-
fully into his trousers belt, half apologeti-
cally. at seems scrter too bad to leave it
die here, and no one to keer for it."
The boy nodded understandingly and
broke off bit of birch bark and began to
chew on it. Both went rapidly down the
mountain side. T.ey soon came to the
house of the "Eilery 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
cf existence just where they have dropped
1t.
Mothers a goin' to have her auiltin' to-
night, can you come?n said Uncle Aaron,
without ceremony.
Mrs. EHery rested her soapy hands on the
edge of the tub and answered: "Mebbe.
Who's comin'r'
''Most all the north side folks, I reckon.
Sarah and Tom, and the babes, and Dun
ham and Susan-most everybodyn said
Uncle Aaron, sweeping out his arm COM
prehensively.
"Yes," 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"
"That's all right said Uncle Aaron
''tell Tom to bring his fiddle with him."
"Yes," nodded Mrs. Ellery, lifting her
head for moment, hell fetch it."
"Come Oh, jacob said his father, but as
he STROBE off he stopped long enough todrop a
lump of sugar into the laps of the pink calico
mites, who received this gift from the clouds
without a CLEAN of thankfulness. One oi
them, indeed, inspected hers very closely,
at which Uncle Aaron smiled and said
''She's wise un, she is"
The two trudged along, crossing the long
stretches of distance that lay between the
various houses, with scarcely a break In
their silence; and yet that walk was not a
lonely or void one, either to the father
or to the son. The man saw more than the
boy, had lived more-had felt more-but
by sympathy that is the next best thing to ex-
perience and knowledge. And then the man,
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 to
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 comm, so do yer cleverest to-day.
How many plates and mugs have yera"
"Count 'em," SAID Aunt Kate, pounding
into a batch of bread vigorously; "all of
'em's on the shelves thar"
A few moments of silence, wherein Aunt
Kate went on kneading up the loaves, and
Uncle Aaron, with puckered-up brow and
much head-work, kept murmuring low:
''That's thirteen, fourteen, fifteen-I tell
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'n
that a. comm"
"They will have to wait their turn, then, y
said Aunt Kate, cutting that knot of the
difficulty with a single stroke. THAT
makes no differ. We're not supposed to
keep a chiney store"
The superior air of wisdom with which
his wife said this was not without its eff
feet upon Uncle Aaron. He felt sudden
humbling estimate of himself that he had
often felt before in the presence OF his
wife's practical remedy for an embarrass
ing situation. He stood big and awkward.
rubbing his check with one hand. "Recko1
I'll 60 and fetch in some CT .hem ears OF
dried corn, We'll want 'em tonight" he
said, after vainly searching around fol-
something that he could do to help along
the approaching celebration.
you'd better fetch in some logs for the
big chimney" said his wife, 1--WE hain't got
any"
sAll right" answered Uncle Aaron
cheerfully, ''that's more in my line-rl
fetch 'eun," and picking up his hat off the
floor, where he had thrown it, he went out
Aunt Kate went on pounding the bread
with smile upon her face.
CHAPTER IL
BY half-past three in the afternoon al
was in readiness to receive the company
The ''store stove" shone with brightness
that did honor to Aunt Kate's muscle, and
still little later the children's rosy faces
| were bright through the same cause.
Big logs burned and cracked in the great
chimney; the wooden shelves glittered
| bright with polished tins; the box bed in
| the corner had on its best sun1oweI
spread, and Aunt Kate herself, resplen
! dent in solferinc-colored merino, stood in
| the center of her room, looking about heI
with pride. A large quilting frame resting
| upon four upright logs stood over at the
east side of the room. The first to arrive
was Mother Bansom, noted for being the
4 .'best quilter'' for miles around. Her vel
| come was cordial.
"Give me your bonnet. Cold weather fol
| Snrinr s.. II ar J, said Aunt Kate