Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21

| 1t on hook from the crane. Finally she drew
out the table. covered it with a clean crash
cloth, set 1t with white crockery ware and
placed upon 1t some cold corn-pone bread, a
plate OF butter and q dish of cold bacon, saying
| deprecatingly:
I'm down right mortified as vn'tnothink
better for you quality; but deed don't feel
that ekal to cook q hot support
Certainly you don't! and I feel almost
| ashamed to give you this much trouble" said
Aunt Sukey alphabetically.
ION, that amt nothink," again repeated the
woman; Il shill sleep like top when go to
bed agin."
1t was while she was making the tea when
we heard the footsteps of the man and boy
| ana the snort1ng and trampliRg OF the mare as
they came breaking through the brush. They
passed on around to the rear of the house,
where we heard them at work over the
| ''creetur."
When they came in the tea was ready to 20
on the table. And it may disgust you to hear
| what hearty meal We three made Of the
coarse fare, but a twenty-mile drive over rug
ged roads on keen winters day and fast Of
| eight hours or more are better appetizers than
any amount of bitters and sauces. So, in spite
| OF hidden anxieties We cleared the platters.
] Il reckon as how you quality would like to
go to bed now" suggested the sleepy woman,
yawnlng and gaping until she showed all her
teeth or want Of teeth, as We rose from the
table.
Aunt sukey thanked her and said that we
would. but looked around to see where our
bed was to be found.
Come along O me then" said our hostess as
she took up the candle and led the way to the
ladder and began to climb it slowly and care
| FULLY, holding on to the sides.
Good night, Tommy Sparksi 1forgive you!
| never let the sun go down on my wrath.
| (Aii Aunt Sukey's wrath had risen after the
sun had set, by the way.) Don't forget to say
| your prayers, Tommy Sparks! And, mind you,
be up early in the morning! Do you hear?''
| Yes, Aunt Drake! Good-nightr'
] fortlhed by this assurance, Amt Sukey
climbed slowly up the ladder. l. after bidding
my cousin goodnight, and wondering where
he was to sleep, followed my leaders.
! Emerging from the trap-door, we found our
! serves In a long. low loft, whose roof of rough
Pianks met on beam overhead aud sloped
| down TO the caves on either side, where the
| shrunken door let through lines of fire light
from the room below. From the beam dang led
| ropes of onions, dried apples sweet herbs and
In their midst smoked tongue and ham At
| the farther end, against the chimney. where
there was no fireplace, stood a low bedstead
neatly made up and covered with blue yarn
| spread. Against the sloping roof on the front
| stood large packing box turned upside down.
! and provided with stone pitcher. and tin
basin, which did duty as washstand There
the loft.
Now, I'll see if there's any water in the
pitcher. No, there amt. I'll go and fetch
| some, SAID the woman, she set the candle
on the washstand and took the pitcher and
| went down the ladder.
''Aunt!' L said in little tremor Il wonder
| where Cousin Tommy is going to sleep"
| Il don't know. l guess they will make him
pallet OH the floor down stairs" she replied in
| differently
| L wish he could be nearer to u.s." sighed,
] for was very uneasy scarcely knew WHY
What for! He couldn't be any protection to
US even II W wanted any, which we don't"
Il am notSo sure of that" sighed again.
talk
went and met her at the trap-door and took
the heavy pitcher from her hands
AR thar anythink else you waut!" our hostess
| inquired i'll tired voice.
| No, thank you! But we should like to know
where Mr.. Sparks Is going to sleep"
You mean tine young man down stairs?
| wen, hes gwlne to sleep out in the shed long
| o, the creetur."
But that is dreadful on such night as this
too" exclaimed Aunt Sukey, joining the con-
] Versatlon Tor the first time.
| Iheres plenty OF clean straw and thick
blankets. l do the best kin for you quality.
ma'am, and kin do no better no ways It's
DIS dolqS5! And without waiting for further
exposlulation she began to go backward down
tne ladder. with her hand stretched Up against
| the trap-door which she let fall slowly after
her.
Aunt and looked at each other Even stout
| hearted Mistress Drake seemed suspicious and
| apprehGnsive. And as for me, 1 shrunk in
doubt and fear Of that man at the first sight of
! MS evl. face and things that had happened in
the house since our entrance had increased my
] antipathy. Now my dread OF him almost
| amounted to horror
Aunt. what object can that old man have in
| sehuinS cousin Tommy out OF the house to
sIeep?' inquired.
The Lord Nnows! Come, Dolly! Sav your
| prayers and get ready Tor bedi 1 never was so
worn out In ali my life!'' said nv aunt with
catmhess that could not help thinking was
assumed to reasSure me.
A few minutes after I had blown ont thu
candle and crept into bed beside Aunt Sukev
| who was the first to lie down found her fast
asleep, by her deep breathing, not TO saw mild
snoring knew then that / must have been
mistaken III having supposed her to be uneasy
And wondered ii anything ON esssb could
frlghten our Aunt Drake.
could not sIeep. L did not even close my
| eyes. lay staring at the strange weird scene
around me-the rough floor with the red fire.
Hcht coming up from the room below and
snlhin5 through the gaps between the shrunken
ptanks and striking here and there upon the
punches OF coppery onions. red peppers and
green or gray herbs hanging from the rough
roof. The dried herbs were aromatic and filed
tue air OF the lott with an agreeable odor
Presently another odor not altogether un-
pleasant mingled with it. Our bed stood inn
mediately over the front OF the fireplace below
and with Its head az ainst the chimney Through
the CRACKS OF the door now came up the fumes
OF the good Maryland tobacco. BY this knew
the old man was sitting by the fire smoking his
pipe.
me hut was very still I could hear the
slightest sound below, as when the old man
moved his feet, knocked the ashes out of his
pipe or cleared his throat / thought the
woman must have retired but I was mistaken
for presently heard the man growl forth:
why the devil don't you go to bed, Peggy?
What are you sittin' up and waitin' fur? This
amt no work fur you, nc how! Go to bed"
"Oh. Luke, / couldn't compose myself now.
no how! feel sort o. reused up! And am
thot Uneasy bout the boys! They'll come to
harm some night! Now mind, tell you No,
l couldn't go to sleep nowi' answered the
woman in penetrating whisper.
'Couidn't, eh? Well Well see bout THAR
muttered the man, as he got up and shuff1 ed
across the floor, made q rafting noise on the
shelves and shuffied back, muttering:
Here! drink this! This will put you to
sleep sound enough, L bet you."
"Oh! amt 1t too much arter what I have
! tookI' she murmured doubtfully.
No! That's gone off! Drink this!"
Apparently the woman obeyed. for heard
her slight sigh mutfied movements and the
creak OF the bed as she dropped YEARLY upon
it, moaning and muttering mething inaiIdi-
BILE about This here business"
heard the old man sink upon his chair
which also creaked and then all was dead Al,
lence for some minutes that seemed hours to
me. What was the old villain waiting for?