Wichita eagle., 1889-05-26


and in her excitement waved the pumpkin
butter-stirrer so theoretically and care
lessly as to bring the end of it uncomfort-
ably near Uncle Zekiers nose as he sat
warming his hands over the kitchen fire.
oval. wal, Manda.' Ezekiel said, don't go
ter gettin' riled erbout sutbin' that halnt
neither hyar nor thar to you; an do be er
beetle more keerful with that air paddle,
will We"
"Do you mean to STAN up an say" re-
piled Mrs. Gof. shat it hain't here ner
thar to me what them Martins does
toward Mary. Do you mean TO say it haln't
none o. my business, ner yourn, ner no.
body's?"
oval, Manda, yer know it's all in Their
family, an 1 don't rightly make it out as
how we've got any right to NEEDLE atwlxt
pemm
ssWhat eff Mary is the widow ov ole Squire
Martins son, is that any reason why eft the
Squire won't help FER none we shant"
ssNo, dunno es it is. Yit you know how
headstrong the Squire is, an how eff he gifts
his head sot on a thing they haint no reason
sn him don't Ike ter hev no trouble with
our neighbors, an the Squire bein' sorter
Guare, it mout be best fer us not ter go ter
mixin' erlong o. the affairs O. Their family. 1t
pears ter me like it 'ud be best to let 'em
alone an not say nothin one way or tother."
oval, it don't pear no SIGH way to me,
Zeke, and 1t haint right ter let 'em erlone
an leave pore Mary to suffer jest becase
ole Martin is too contrary an stlngy to help
her hisself, an TOO proud TO want others to
help Ter. Mary's jest es good es any Mar
tin tibet ever lived, AM a mighty sight bet
ter than the Squire, an WIZ er tttln' wife
fer his son eff she wasn't only school
teacher It amt no wise right tibet he
should let Ter suffer, an eff he won't do
nothin' TO help Ter along with them two
children he haint got no business ter stan
etwixt her an other folks whut would help
FER"
'sNo, be haint, Manda, thet's er TACK. But
it's best ter be er leetle keerful an not say
too much"
ezekiel, eff pretended to be er man I'd
be one. Wouldn't be erfeered to say my
souls my own. You kin do es yer like, but
yer mistaken eff you think Pm goin' ter
poke about 18th my fingers in my mouth an
let that child go on a sufferin' jest to keep
Martin in good humor."
''It's err monty bad thing ter git up bad
feelin's with Their neighbors."
AZ know that well ernuff, but it's a awful
sight worse to let the inherent suffer.
That's my way o. lookin' at it, and l feel es
If it wuz Their Christian way, too. To-
Ynorry I'm going ter git up wood-choppin'
for Mary, an I'm goin' TO send Tommy
Brown to invite all the men to come an
chop an haul wood to do FER all winter"
"You2" Ezekiel exclaimed.
eyes, me. If the men won't take aholt
and lead off, l will"
Ezekiel knew his wife too well, and was
too thoroughly aware of her determined
spirit, to stop for moment to doubt her in
tentions; and he had long since learned
that it was clear waste of time and breath
to engage in any attempt to dissuade her
from purpose, so without another word
he got up and went away about his duties.
Bob Martin had married Mary against his
fathers wishes, and the old Squire, being
one Of those firm, unrelentlng persons, had
renowned his son and vowed sup and
down" that never, for all time to come,
should Bob, his wife, or any of their off
spring have one cent of his money or any
assistance otherwise from him. When five
years later Bob died of consumption after
long and tedious illness, and left Mary al
most penniless with two children TO sup
port, people thought that the Squire would
relent for the children's sake, but in that
they were mistaken, for though Mary lived
but mile from him, the old Squire never
recognized her and seemed completely OBJ
1ivious of the existence Of herself and
children.
The neighbor men would have willingly
given the widowed mother assistance, but
they feared the Squire, and they knew that by
so doing they would gain his lasting enmity
and hatred. Thus it went on through the
eummer and autumn. and then. when cold