Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-10-03

to take sight of dyspepsy medicine"
Like enough. remarked Lucretia grim
| ly.
"And I'm sgoin' to run home or else
drownd myself in the pond. They don't
want me to home, so l guess twill be the
pond I'd rutber enough sight than to
have him ashamed of me. set by him
she turned an appealing, shame faced gaze
upon Lueretia-.I don't know how | come
to, and him such an old bach, but do.
And l amt fit for him. / can't do nothin
as he's used to havin' it; and can't stand
1t nohow to see him so mortified afore
folks. I'd ruther drownd myself, and |
will"
II guess you'll think better OF it when it
comes to the pint" said Lucretia, dryly.
You'll see!" flashed the girl. "And it'll
be all your fault, for / know you've got
some bread, or you could make some, or
show me how or something You're Jest
sour old maid, and you wanted Lorenzo. y
This taunt was flung through the aperture
in the fence, as the girl disappeared on the
other side.
Lucretia felt as if she had been beaten
with many stripes; but she went and got
a hammer and nails. and nailed the board
| on to the fence. She fancied that the re
sounding blows were echoed by moeking
| laughter from the direction of the pond
"Shes gone down that way, but che
won't drownd herself no more than shall,
said Lucretia to herself She sat on the
porch with her apron over her head in a
| dull misery that almost forbade her to
| think. The cries of the looms came desc
lately up from the pond.
II never heard em sound so much like
human creturs. Therel if that wasn't a
human voice! or maybe twas the wind.
| I'm terrible nervous tonight. That sound
keeps a-ringin' in my ears. can't set still
nohow."
| Lueretia went over the stubble pasture
where the burying- ground was set, and.
| down through a tangle of low bushes and
wet grass to the borders of the Pond. The
moon shown fitfully through heavy clouds,
a rising wind walled dolefully, and fitting
| shadows filled her with nervous tremors.
| She was near sighted and wandered into
miry places, and twice she STUN bled and
fell, but something that looked like light
dress on the very edge of the water drew
her on.
'I'm like crazy cretur," she said to
herself "She wouldn't drownd herself no
moren nothin at all. But yet them Town
Killers are such reckless fclksl don't ex-
pee. she'd so much as think of the ac-
count she's got to give. Gustavuss wife
has got terrible cock turkey, sneerin'
way with her I'd ought to like to see
that Scannell girl put down, after the way
she talked to me too, but somehow But
'tain't no use for me to be pokin' round
here. as if was possessed. | declare that
| Igh9 9-colored things a-movin'. Eldory!
Eld$ry"
Lucretias voice echoed through the
stiffness, but only looms mournful cry
answered her. She reached the light-c col
ed object which she had taken for Eldora's
moving figure, and found that it was the
moonlight on waving bireh-tree.
"There, I'm.a- goin' home. She wouldn't
even darst to come down here in the night
she'd be scairt to death"
But a sudden splash in the water made
her turn with a shiyer
II expect twan't nothing but duck or
a musk-rat, but can't take no rest till
| find out where that foolish creture is j."
She went across the pasture and hay
field and so stealthily to Lorenzo's back
! 1oor.
''Theres light in the back kitchen, and
! it's after tten o'clock; somethin' must be
| goin on, she said to herself. She stole on
tiptoe TO the window, and through chink
/ in the shade she saw Eldori standing by
| the table, with tear stained face. An
ancient cookery book was open before her.
and on the table were heaped flour and
potatoes and baking pans in confusion.
! Good land if she don't think she's
a-gon' to make bread cut Of potato yeast
/ that she hasn't set nor nothin' She's
a-makin' her yeast and her bread all TO
once! She'd better stick TO saleratus."
Lncretia stole softly away in the dark
ness and sought her own abode. She slept
soundly for the first time in many nights.
She was unconscious that the wind had
risen to gale, and loud crash under her
window only half awakened her. She arose
at the first gipse Of dawn TO attend TO
some bread which she had mixed aud set to
rise the night before.
~ calc'late that Gustavus's wife can't
find no fault with my riz biscuit" she said
TO herself complacently as shc took her
bread out of the oven.
She rolled the dclca:ely Drowned loaves
and the biscuit in her best tablc-cloth, and
set out for Lorenzo's. As she descended
the steps shc~saw for the first time what
the wind had wrought in the night. The
high board fence lay broken wreck upon
the ground.
~ expect her poundin' and mine begun
il, and the wind finished finished it;but it's
got meanin all the same for them that's
"A mind TO see it," she said TO herself
Lucrctia stepped over the ruins Of the
fence and climbed the stone wall. IL
would perhaps have been easier TO 90
around by the road, but she found n certain
satisfaction in this new route.
The door ~ Eldoras back kitchen was
ajar, and she slipped her bread on TO the
table beside soggy mass which had just
come from the oven, ovcrthrowing Eldora' S
fondly cherished hope that il would be
bread.
Some one came TO the door and looked
out, aud joyful exclamation reached
Lucretia's retreating ears
Lorenzo knocked ut the back door while
she was washing her breakfast dishes.
THAT was real kind Of you, Lucreshy,' >
he snid. "Eldory wanted me to come
over, because she said she was so sarcy To
you yesterday that she didn't darst to-"
IL was real hateful TO her" said
Lucretia, candidly.
you're n good woman, Lucreshy FL
dory says you're the best woman she ever
see"
81 amt said Lucretia; "but I'm in.
dulgin' hope. Nobody knows what that
is but them that's lost IL. Secn' that fence
has blew down, ] expect IL may as well
stay down, Lorenzo. And up there in the
buryin'- -ground-that fence hal ought 10
come down too. Mother and gran marin