Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-10-31

tWas Llas hamsdell, that was under
witted. II they go to BLOWN horns for
you to go off in the boat to fetch Keziah
Plummer over TO see me, don't you take a
mite of notice"
But there were no horns blown. The
town, determined to do things handsome
ly, had provided boat, and Deacon Cyrus
Doane, the blandest of the select men, ac-
eompanied the visitor.
This is very interestin' occasion, Mis-
Baker" said Deacon Doane. rubbing his
hands in innocent satisfaction at being the
representative of the towns liberality.
Il don't see nothin' so drettul interestin'
about il" said grandma. She had declined
tie follow Rudolphus's suggestion that she
should have her best cap put on, and her
little withered face frowned at her visitors
under black silk skull-cap, whose severity
could not be said to be becoming.
Miss Plummer was little woman also
and her back was bent like bow, but her
head was so disproportionately large that
she looked like gnome in a picture book,
and her voice was so harsh and gruff that
it seemed remarkable that it could come
from so small a body. Her manner was
timid and deprecating, and she wiped her
eyes as she advanced to grandma's bedside
Land sakel what be you a-cryin' for,
rlezinh Plummerf" demanded grandma.
IL hain't seen you for more'p twenty
years, and the last time was to little
Phoebe James funeral" said Miss Plum
mer her harsh voice breaking.
'I've been to a sight of funerals" said
grandma, grimly, but the muscles of her
old face quivered "Pve got plenty of
troubles that amt dead and gone ones.
Where's that good for nothin niece of
yours, Aurilly Cleaves, traipsed off to with
out givin' me a mite of warninp
Girls will get married" said Miss Plum
mer, apologetically; "and she's got real
good chance"
"Get married. Who's she a-goin' to get
married tot" cried Grandma Baker.
"Hain't you heard that her old beau,
Smith Kingsbury, has got home-him that
she Wore mournin' bonnet fort"
"a mournin' bonnetf What do care
about her mournin' bonnetsf" cried grand
ma, shrilly. "She was keepin' company
with my grandson.
II expect she hadn't ought to-" said Miss
Plummer, mildly; "but seein' she'd wore a
mournin bonnet for him"
"She's terrible set up with the little
mite of proputty she's got. 'Tain't as if
Rudolphus couldn't look higher. There's
one of the first ladies in New Bedford
a tryin' her best to get him." (The outer
door was heard to close as Rudolphus
went out.)
Il haint mite of doubt of it," seid
Miss Plummer, pacifcally. 81 always
heard Rudolphds was real smart, and
thought Aurilly would be doing real well
to have him, but seems as if after she'd
wore mourning bonnet for the other
one
"You never heard that Rudolphus was
real smart; tain't no such a thing" said
Grandma Baker, sharply. "He's KEEP, his
head above water. because I've KEEP a-yan-
kim him, that's all the reason. He amt
much, hut he good enough for Aurilly
Cleaves."
II always said Aurilly couldn't do bet
bern to have him." repeated Miss Plum
mer, meekly.
you're dretful polite" said Grandma
Baker, sarcastically. when you're as old
as | be, you'll find out that talk don't go a
great ways. You amt day more'n
eighty five you be that"
Grandma Baker make this last remark
with such an air of direct attack that the
placid old blood arose to Miss Plummers
withered cheeks.
II shall be ninety come my next birth
day. I'm six weeks older'n what you be,
and always was" Miss Plummer arose
from her chair, and her little bent back
seemed to straighten. and the volume of
her voice was wonderful you're
terrible old woman, Grandmarm Baker,
and You always was! You've sot on all
your folks till you've sot the sperit clear'n
out of 'em. Where's your first husband,
young Lias Appleby, that you drove off to
Californy, and he got killed in the mines
before he was twentyfvei Where's your
boy Hiram, that run away to sea and got
drowndedf Where's Mary Ellen, that you
made her marry man she hated and died
broken-h heartfelt Where's your grand
daughter Lyddy, that had to wear clothes
Jest like an old woman, and never went
nowhere with the rest of the girls till she
run away with a scampf Where's Mary
Olive, that you made her keep school,
walkin' ten miles day, when she want
hardly fit to lift her hand, and died in
consumption Where's Rudolphuss father,
that you harried into his grave, because he
want so smart as sonnet You've had all
them folks. and here you be without no
body but Rudolphus, and folks do say
you've got every mite of spunk and sprawl
out of him. You've had all of 'em under
your thumb, but they'll rise up agin You at
the Judgment day. They II come a. -troopin'
up before the Lord, them that you've
ground down and harried out Of their lives,
and wherell you be thenf
Grandma Baker actually shrank back,
cowed and trembling, while Miss Plum
mer's withered forefnger was shaken in
her very face.
Ladies! ladies!" exclaimed poor Deacon
Doane, in great distress. at seems pity
that after the to WINS bein' so liberal, this
occasion shouldn't be more-propit-i-ous
Mebbe we'd better be a goin', Miss Plum
mer. Seems as if it had ought to tend to
edification when mothers in Isr'el meet,
but" The good deacon completed his
sentence by a mournful shaking of the
head.
Miss Plummer's dramatic vigor had given
way as suddenly as it arose. She was
weeping helplessly, and as she followed
Deacon Doane she looked a more bent and
shrunken little figure than ever.
Grandma Baker still sat up in bed, star
ing at the door by which her visitors had
gone out. When Rudolphus came in, he
thought her half delirious.
II never done what she said, did I, Ru-
dolphusi" she said, her old face working
pitifully. "She's lyin' old woman, amt
shef l couldn't have KEEP folks under my
thumb; it's such little mite of a one.'
She held up her small, withered thumb in
nroof of her iunocenre az done the fnr- hasr