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

how the tghtin' blood has riz right up in
me now. If there amt Mis- Isaiah a.
knockin' over there," Lucretia was peer
ing through her closed blinds at the neigh
boring house now. She could Just see
over the fence from her chamber window
But she won't find nobody in the house.
She's down in the field with him, rakin'
after; see her yeller hair a-blowin
There's pretty queer house keepin over
there, I'll warrant. now Abigail Dow has
cleared out in huff count of not bein'
told he was goin' to get merried. l don't
expect she can cook meals victuals half
decent, and how Lorenzoll get along with
his dyspepsy-but there | don't care if
she p'isons him l wisht she would.
Seems as if hadn't mite of grace left.
But mebbe she wouldn't have got round
him if he hadn't been mad with me about
that woodland. l hadn't ought to have
spoke right up and said l knew all the
time that it belonged to u.s. She was
hangin round him down to eampmeetin'
and to think he up and merried her before
he come home! 1t looked like spite"
Mis- Isaiah had not got in. She had
gone her way after walking around the
house and looking in at all the windows.
She had had a long walk in the heat all in
vain, but there was a certain mournful
consolation in the fact that she could
report that Lucretia was taking it hard.
She wished Lucretia WELL although she
had not let her in, but so great was the
social stagnation in Corinth that a ripple
must be made the most Of
A week went by, and Lucretia still re-
manned in her darkened house, and friends
besieged the door in vain. Glimpses of
her had been seen going about her ac-
customed vocations, bat even the minister,
who called to inquire the reason of her
absence from church and from prayer
meeting. where she was a bright and
shining light, was forced to knock in vain.
I've clean lost my hope" said Lucretia
to herself II expect was deluded ANY
how when you hate folks sos't you wish
EN- dead, you can't feel to go and testify.
When | was afraid wanted gran'marm to
die, use1 to wrastle and wrastle, but |
cant now"
One day Lorenzo came, looking sheepish
in spite OF manly effort He had cogi
tated upon what he should say all the way
along and in fact, for long time before
He would reproach her gently for not COM
ing to see Eldora; she was bashful, and the
village folks looked askance at her as
Town Hitler. He would refer to the fact
that, in spite Of family differences, Lucretia
and be had been 'almost like brother and
sister," and he would say that the fences
ought to come down. He felt n little
thrill Of relief as he reflected that She
couldn't think that meant anything par
ticular now. For long time, in fact ever
since he had begun to think that a long
courtship was tedious, and that Lucretia
was becoming middle-aged, he had taken
great pains to avoid saying anything 'par-
ticular;' and he congratulated himself upon
the prudent mind which had kept him from
any direct proposal Of marriage. He even
felt an unexpected sensation of gratitude
toward gran'marm and her threats of
ghostly vengeance. But the most prudent
mind will not prevent a man from looking
and feeling sheep, and Lorenzo, as he
walked away from Lucretia's closed door,
was conscious Of this infrmity.
Lucretia was touched by the sight of him
and gazed after him through sudden rain
of tears. "Lorenzo!" she called, patheti-
call b.r a. :.
ner of stage heroine; although perhaps
homcly old maid crying after her recreant
loyer would be found more laughable than
pathetic upon the stage, human sympathy
being so inevitably pictured to the false
key OF outward seeming. ~ can't sense il
anyhow" she murmured "Why, Lorenzo
and me bein' together ia just as natural as
breathin'. Twas all her. Men folks are
kind offeeble minded the best Of them, and
she got round him. Land sakcsl remem
bcr once when |. was ridin' with Lorenzo
he was fetchin' me home from the agri-
cnltOoral fair, and we had TO come round
by Town Hill for fear Guslayus would see
us-'twas when Gustayus was to home
and see that young one danglin' from
fence, and | says TO Lorenzo that she was
kind of pretty lookin'. Shed look better if
her face was washed, says Lorenzo
There amt nothin' pretty to me about
them Town Killers; they are a disgrace to
civilization Aud now, jest TO think What
a dretinl artful cretur she must bel And
how kind Of meachin he looked, and heart
broke tool Twas all her fault, and seems
as if something had ought to happen to her
for it,, but ] don't expect there will--not in
this world"
Lucretia was conscious of a certain grim
satisfaction in the thought that no Town
Hitler was likely TO be very well off in the
next world-people who never darkened
church door, and were notorious for rob
bing poultry houses and orchards
That night, in the late twilight, Lucreta
stole out into her gardent to water her plants
that were suffering from her neglect She
had her apron over her head, and she
meant TO turn her back if any one came
along the road.
81 don't know as ever | shall feel TO see
| folks again" she said to herself 81 thought
| had too much pride to be like 'Lzabuth
Oakes that was disappointed, but | didn't
know then"
No one did come along the road, but
there came a sudden pounding ON u loose
board in the high fence close beside her
IL was wrenched of with "A determined Of
fort, and first a yellow head came through
and then gaily attired young woman
alighted at Lucretia's very feet.
"Therc amt no sense in that fence" she
remarked. 81 want goin way round by
the road. Relations, tool It's orhe silly. |
should think an old maid aud AN old batch
| like you and him might have got along.
Say, I'm in an orlle lot of trouble" The
quick tears spraag 10 her eyes-a pair of
childish, soft blue eycs-which made Lu-
cretias heart grow harder and harder.
"lIaye you got loaf of breadl A lot Of
his folks have come"
"Gustavus'' Lucrctia's voice seemed TO
come from so far away that she wondered
vaguely how she found IL,
ayes, and his wife, aud lot of young
ones And Lorenzo he's ashamed of my
bread, and he saya IL lays hard ! don't
| see how / ever come 20 have an old bach.
\