The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-13

take care of the baby between
them, and between-times they do sew
Ing for their little pockets. I've got no
objections. just humor them. and tell
them to do just as they please. Would
you believe it, ma'am, they bought a
sewing-machine last year between them.
Sister Annie used to have an elegant
voice, ma'am, but I consider that she
has just coughed it away. She takes
after her ma in coughing, maam."
AS he talked, the mans eyes kept
continually glancing up the yellow
streaked road, and in the clear light,
under his beard. his long thin-lipped
mouth could be seen nervously biting
the postprandial tooth-pick. One would
have said that he was expecting the mes
senger who shortly afterward made his
appearance, waving yellow envelope
In his hand. He appropriated the mes
sage when it arrived without hesitation,
opening it, and reading it aloud:
"Sster Annie died during the night"
The messenger rode his horse quietly
away in the direction of the stable.
The professors food, for the moment,
disappeared from his eyes, and pre-
sumably rested easy on his stomach.
1T viii be heavy blow to Olympus
1t will be a mighty heavy blow to Olym-
pus, ma'am."
He got his huge frame doubled up into
his self-made attitude of sitting again,
but his foot remained quiet, and his
bony hands clasped the Geographic dis
patch instead of his knee.
81 don't know what the parson will
do without her. The parson will miss
her, ma'am, more than any one in Olym-
pus. L consider that she just founded
the church there; and as for the Sunday
schcol-there isn't child in the place
that wouldn't go to Sunday-school to
have Sister Annie for teacher. She
played the melodeon and taught them
hymns. and she was the organist of the
church. Then there's the prayer-meet-
ing Wednesday night, and the reading
every Friday evening. Sister Annie did
the reading. She got up a magazine
club, too. | consider Sister Annie
very accomplished woman, ma'am. She
was universally beloved" He pro-
nounced this slowly and impressiyelv.
as II he or Sister Annie were originating
the tlme-worn commentator.
She never used to complain, ma'am.
do not believe she knew how to COM
plain. If it had not been for the cough
Ing, like as not no one would have
known she was sick. When 1 told her
goodbye yesterday noon, she smiled
the moment she stopped coughing, and
pretended it was nothing. 1 told nv
wife not to mind me, just to go on and
look after her sister. She was most wor-
rled to death about my dyspepsia" He
paused, nlbbllng at his toothpick. II
10 not believe that that sulphur water
IS going to agree with me, or may be it
Is the Tried eggs. Of course, ma'am!
Certainly, if you have letters to write.D
statement and so she was forced to look
up at last.
His wife! That his wife! Twenty.
perhaps more. An oval face, black hair
in heavy mass at the back of her neck.
and eyes that would have been called
the most beautiful in the world if thew
had not to be called the most grief.
strlcken-eyes of supernatural beauty
and divine suffering. Her mouth!-ber
mouth was qutvering from lips to chin.
One of the two women had to leave the
table: she could not.
The professor came in to the break.
fast table the next morning alone. but
radiant
Il never slept better in my life, ma'am:
and no disturbance of the stomach. Did
you notice that I eat the fried mutton
last night, ma'am? Well, thought
would hear from that mutton before
morning; but / did not ma'am. All
quiet; all serene. My wife she did not
sleep so well-she is poor sleeper
and the baby did not sleep at all. she
says. She says she walked him up and
down the room pretty much all night
long. 1 told her not to mind me. to do
just exactly as she pleased; not to WORRY
about my breakfast and my dyspepsia.
had brought her here to have her pleas.
'ure and I could manage to get along.