Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1890-11-01
+, GRAY GOLD.

- J
One bright September morning small,
very neat old Lady might have been seen
busily engaged in locking the outer door
Of house in the somewhat retired village
Of Bilbury. The house, small and neat,
like it's mistress, looked primly forth
across tiny dooryard, gay with such
hardy and brilliant blooms as had re-
fused to yield to incipient frosts. On the
steps sat big gray cat, the Sits in his
cold green eyes dilated, even beyond
their early morning won't, with evident
wonder and dismay. Clearly that door
had not been locked from the outside
within the utmost stretch Of his memory.
What could it mean7
That it meant something serious was
evident, for, when his mistress turned
from her rather protracted wrestle with
the door, her sweet, puckered old face
expressed mixture Of anticipation and
regret, slightly tinged with timid awe,
but, withal, dominated by an evident de-
termination to carry her point, whatever
it might be, which must have struck any
bystander capable of being amused or
touched. Big Tom was capable Of neither;
he could only disapprove. Some people
and some cats are very much alike.
The old lady felt her pets mental at
titude, as evidenced by his bodily one.
She slipped the shiny, worn key beneath
the mat (every family in Bilbury was in
the habit Of secreting its door key under
it's door mat, and every other family
knew it), took up black leather satchel
that stood waiting beside her, and turned,
apologetically, to the man Of the house:
Tommy" she said, stroking his rough.
gray head in q deprecating way, I'm
sorry ter leave ye-Tm proper sorry ter
leave ye-but Isaac an me alwus said
we'd 60, an'-an' will"
The hand that had sought to pacify
Tom was suddenly withdrawn to seek a
pocket handkerchief; yet, even while its
owner dried her eyes, her little pointed
chin took on doubly resolved pucker.
"There's meat an milk in the shed for
ye, Tommy, plenty ont, an I'll be back
again Thursday evenin', If nothin' hap
pens. II ye want anything more, there's
that old rat in the cellar; ye ha'nt caught
him yet. Good-by, Tommy"
But Tommy would not say good-by.
He shook his tail, and turned off in a
huff; while the old lady, thus given the
cold shoulder, turned away, too, and
went slowly out at the white gate and
down the street. 1t was early; if any of
the neighbors were stirring they were
all in the kitchen end of their houses.
No one noticed or spoke to her till she
reached the dingy little flag station. from
which, three times a day, stray passen-
gers could be conveyed to the junction,
five miles away, there to make such con-
nection as they might with trains on the
main line. The station master, man
with just enough regular employment to
prevent his doing much Of anything,
opened his dull eyes almost as widely as
the cat had done.
"Goin' ter the city, Mis- Fosdick-all
alone?"
"Yes, SIR" replied the old lady with
reserve, ~ be-"
The man continued to eye her, steadily
and doubtfully, while he handed out
ticket and she paid for it. The withered
hand, in its black mitt, never trembled;
but, as it touched his, In making the OK
change, he felt it strangely cold.
"Ruther an unexpected start, amt it?"
he queried, cheerfully, shifting the bright
silver pieces she had given him from one
dirty palm to the other.
"No, SIR" she answered, as quietly a.
before, "I've been expectin' to 60 for
some time"
She turned away and he dropped the
money into drawer; but his face still
wore its doubtful look, and, presently, as
he stood beside her on the platform,
while the short freight train with its red
caboose steamed slowly up, he ventured
one last remark:
"Lemme see. Mis- Fosdick, ye ha'nt
never traviled on the cars afore, have
yer
His tone said, "Hadn't you better think
twice before you do it this timer But
the answer came as quietly as before:
"No, Mr.. Stephens, never have. Good
mornin', SIR" And she stepped toward the
train, which was coming to astandstill in
compliance with the request conveyed by
q very dilapidated flag
He could but help her up the high,
awkward steps and hand her satchel after
her; but the look Of doubt intensified to
one of disapproval as the red caboose dis
appeared among the pines at the river
bend, and he shook his head ~ much as
Tom had shaken his tail.
"Jake's folks don't know it, I'll bet =
cent. What in times Get the old woman
out ter sneak of that way?
Meantime the old woman. sitsing on