Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-02-07
PARDON'S GOOD LUCK.


..My luck, exactly" said he despair
ingly. Il might have known just how
1t would be.n
ing out toward the sunset, his chair
tipped back on its two hind legs, his
hands thrust into his trousers peck
cts.
1t was cold enough to justify the fire
of beech logs that was blazing on the
hearth in the room inside, where Par
don was lacking up the red moreen
curtains that she had just sponged and
mended neatly; but it was not an easy
thing for Mr.. Darwin to relinquish the
habit of outdoor lounging that had
clung to him all the summer through.
"What is it, father?" said Pardon,
coming briskly to the door with tack
hammer in one hand and a paper of
tacks in the other.
"Jones 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.
Il 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. '1'm sure l don't
know what we're going to do without
q COW. We've always put a lot of de-
pendence on our milk. But | might
expected it. Luck has been sheer
against me ever since John James died.
A man with house full of gals can't
expect to make no Roadway in the
world"
Pardon colored up.
''You didn't expect your girls to
mend the bars, did you, fatherP" asked
she, little bitterly.
81 was calculatin' to speak to Tim
Parsons about gettin' a new pair O
posts put up" sighed the farmer.
''Wouldn't it have been a safer way
TO put them up yourself, father?"
II amt as Young as | used to be, y
said Darwin, evasively. And the
rheumatics is twistin' me powerful
these first cool days"
''Then," said Pardon, with 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
luckr'
Dir. Darwin slowly rose and shuffied
into the bright little keeping room,
where Pardon had spread a neatly
braided rug before the fire, and placed
a broken-spouted pitcher of yellow
golden-rod on the table.
She looked after him with a sigh,
half of Impotence, half regret.
81 wish John James had livedw said
Mr.. Darwin, feebly
$50 do l." assented Pardon.
''Ain't supper most readyP" said the
farmer, looking discontentedly around.
at will be in a minute" said Par
don. Il had to split the kindling my
self for the kitchen fire, and Fanny
has run to Mrs. Merritt's for a little
meal to make some corn bread
AT the same moment Fanny returned
slight, Overgrown girl of 14-breath-
less with the haste she has made.
"Mrs. Merritt is very sorry" said she,
''but she hasn't any cornmeal in the
house."
That's enoughI' 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 ber'
Pardon laughed Historically.
''I'm getting as hard and bitter as a
sour persimmon, said she. Eyes, I'm
very glad of the Graham flour. Father
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
heardP The red COW got out of the
pasture this afternoon and was killed
on the track"
Fanny burst into tears.
"Old Pinky" she exclaimed. "Is
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! / believe father
would be a better and happier man to-
day 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 everything off
until the last moment"
And then she cried, too, poor little
over burdened Pardon.
She was tall and slender, with large,
glittering hazel eyes, red-brown hair,
and one of those delicate complexiuns
where the sun lays its touch in the
shape of here and there cluster of
freckles.
Fanny was dark. with Spanish eyes,
funged with long lashes, and hair as
black and lustrous as jet. Whatever
else fate had denied the Darwin girls,
1t had been generous to them in the
matter of personal attributes.
They made their frugal supper of
Graham gems, and very little butter,
Che weakest brewing of tea, and no
milk at all, and then Pardon built up
the fire, got her father the last week 3
newspaper, which good Mrs Merritt
had sent over with the Graham flour,
and then sat down in the back kitchen
with Fanny to slice up few peaches
for drying.
''For we have got to look after things
very close this winter" she said. "Fa-
Their seems to have no energy at all
since John James died. I'm afraid it
will end in the farm being sold to clear
IF the mortgage"
Fanny opened her big, black eyes.
"But we must live somewhere, Par
DON" said she.
you and can go out to service"
said Pardon. LAS for father, there is
the poor Eouse."
Fanny Cttered a wall of despair.
mo, no. dear; don't look so dis
tressed, said the elder sister repent
ing the rashness of her speech. Il
don't really mean it. I'm cross, that