The Opelousas courier., 1890-02-08
HER HUSBANDS NIECE.
BY FRANK H. sTAUFFER.

BY FRANK H. sTAUFFER.
"George, when did you get this let.
ter?" asked Matte Henderson,, as she
glanced into her husbands face.
son Wednesday," he said, with some
hesitation.
"And this is Friday" rebukingly re-
piled his wife. "You carried it about
in your pocket for at least two days. It
is from your niece, Fanny Atwood. She
left New York. yesterday and will be
here on the eight o'clock train this norm
ing, and it is half-past sever now. This
is a nice state of affairs, isn't it?"
at was careless in me, Matte" the
young farmer regretfully admitted.
He was a handsome, good-natured
fellow, sturdy in frame and pleasing in
speech. He had a whip in his hand, and
his wagon loaded with mich cans, was
standing at the gate.
"She says she'll get off at Forest sta
ton, where you are to meet her" Mrs.
Henderson said, her eyes once more on
the letter.
sob, pshaw, " cried the husband with
an Impotence unusual with him. 81
can't. I must have my milk at Beaver
station on time. Why didn't she come
over the road most convenient to me2"
Il suppose she'll have to walk here"
replied the young wife. "And as she
says that she intends to stay three weeks,
no doubt she has brought her trunk with
her-a trunk of no mean dimensions, I'll
venture to predict. / am a good deal
more put out about it than you are.
There's the butter to churn, the clothes
to iron, the currant jelly to make, and
goodness only knows what else. She'll
be too dainty to lay a hand to anything,
and will spend her time reading, sleeping
and lolling in the hammock. She might
have waited to be asked"
~ know it will prove an infection"
the husband consolingly said. "But I
guess there's nothing to do but to bear
it. Things may not turn out so bad as
you fancy they will"
He got into the wagon and drove off.
Mrs. Henderson walked into the spring
house to churn the butter. She was sell
dom peevish and rarely complained, but
the visit really seemed inopportune. She
was not very strong, and as she worked
early and late and took no recreation, it
was beginning to tell on her nerves.
The farm was not entirely paid for,
and they were not able to keep a girl.
She was a sensible little woman, and felt
that it was her duty to second her thrifty
husbands efforts. Leisure, If not COM
potency, would come by and by.
In DIES ding the steps of the spring
house, she fell and sprained her ankle,
the pain so great that she almost
tainted.
"'That means a week of enforced idle
ness" she despairingly thought. "Time
so precious, and that fashionably reared
niece Of Georges more of a hindrance
than a help. Oh, dear!"
After much painful effort she sue
ceeded in reaching the sitting room, and
threw herself upon the comfortable
lounge. She fell into a doze, and when
she opened her eyes there stood Fanny
Atwood, looking down into her face.
She had on a plain, sensible looking
travelling dress. Her figure was compact,
her complexion healthy, her air cheerful,
her demeanor self possessed. Her cheeks
were dimpled, her mouth indicated reso-
luton, her soft brown eyes offered con.
idence and invited it. She had walked
two miles through the hot sun, over
dusty road, but one would hardly have
thought so, she looked so neat, clean and
placid.
"You are my Aunt Matte, I suppose2'
she said, in a low, sweet voice, a smile
lurking among her dimples.
Eyes" Mrs. Henderson said with an
effort. "Your uncle forgot to give me
your letter until this morning. He could
not meet you because he had to deliver
the milk over at the other railroad at the
hour you named. I am sorry you had to
walk"
81 wasn't vexed about it," replied the
visitor. sNor am l in a hurry about my
trunk"
II sprained my ankle" Mrs. Hender'
son said, 81 am afraid l will not be about
for three OF four days"
ssThat is too bad" commiseratingly
rejoined Miss Atwood. 'sIt seems 1 was
just to come. / can do ever so many
things for YOU"
Eyes," grimly assen5ed Mrs. Hender.
son.
.'I'l fret look after that ankle" the
visitor said, briskly, cheerfully.
She removed her dainty-looking cuffs,
and then took off her aunt's shoe and
stocking.
ut is considerably swollen" she said.
81 am not surprised" replied Mrs.
Henderson. you'll find a bottle d
liniment in the cupboard, yonder."
Il wouldn't put liniment on it just
yet" advised Fanny. "Have you any
sugar Of lead2"
VERY likely. Look in that medicine
box in the cupboard. There's a little 81
everything there, almost
Fanny found the sugar Of lead, and
then som linen suitable for d bandage.
She put the sugar of lead in a basin,
added cold water, soaked the bandage
u IT and then wrapped it around the