Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1890-10-03
GOALS OF FIRE.
SOPHIE SWEET IL HARPER's WEEKLY

about that piece of woodland, and how
Lucreshy's father tried to cheat 'em ou'
of it, the minute Lucreshy came a-nigh
and the very last time that she ever got NJ
and prayed in meetin, she prayed that
them that had tried to get their own rela
tives' proputty away from 'em might BE-
brought to a better mind"
The latest news was being commented on
over the fence which divided Mis- Isaiah
Plummer's domain from that of Miss
Seliny Wingate, the milliner. That por-
ton of Miss Wingate's establishment which
fronted on the street was devoted to busi-
ness, but her back yard was sacred to
social intercourse and the exchange OF
strictly private opinions.
az should most think that Lucreshy
would have got right up and prayed back
at her said Miss Wingate. "Shes got
/ spunk enough"
'.The minister's wife said that Luereshy
was too good Christian for that but some
thought twas because she wanted Loren
TO- said Mis- Isaiah.
Like enough. There's good many
that wouldn't want him, though, he's such
a terrible old bach He won't let his hens
out no time but Saturday afternoon, and
he won't eat mite of victuals that amt
cooked jest so"
Good land, | guess he'll get broke of
that with that Scannel girl for wife" ex
ii.
cults, that's all there is to them scannells.
| shouldn't be a mite surprised if she didn't
know how to make nothin' but saleratus
bread"
II wonder how he come TO have herf
You'd most think Lucreshy would have
suited him better" said Miss wingate
refectiyely
''Oh; she got round him; men is men,
said Mis- Isaiah, sententiously. "She's
nineteen and pretty-lookin' and Lucreshy s
thirty five and plain. That tells the whole
story to them that knows men folks"
"He's real villain, amt hep said Miss
Wingate, with an appearance of satisfac-
| tion.
"Well, don't know now as we'd really
ought to say that" said Mis- Isaiah, with
the superior air of one who is capable Of
taking a broad view of things. ~ don't
expect he ever give his word to Lucreshy
'Twa'n't no more'n an understandin'. !
shouldn't wonder if it kind Of give a zest to
it when they was young that they was for
bid to speak to one another, and mebbe
Lorenzo had fcelin that 'twa'n't manly
to give in 10 gran'marm, and that made
him stick TO Lucreshy. Milkin' her COW,
and hoein' her garden sass, and shovellin'
her paths in winter is courtin', or it amt
jest as it happens. She nussed him with
the typhoid fever last winter, jest after
grammar died. but then they was second
cousins, and there want nobody else; and
they do soy he give her two loads of dress
in for her garden, and had his hired man
plant all her potatoes, so guess that made
'em about square. Some would say that
Lucreshy hadn't no great to complain Of
It's hard for n girl that lets herself get to
be an old maid depcndin' on some man
that don't mean nOthin'; bat very often she
hain't got nothin' but her own ioolishness
to blame. There's ono thing certain, if
Lorenzo has been TO blame, he is in "A fair
way to get his come-upance. | thought
mebbe I'd jest step up and see how Lu-
creshy was a-bearin' it, scein she want to
church nor to prayer:meetin' yesterday.
thought 'twouldn't be no more'n neighbor
ly'
Mis- Isaiah spoke with a certain hesi-
tation, which seemed 10 invite her neigh
boris view Of the matter.
you're one that could il anybody
could, said Miss Wingate "But ] don't
know as / should have the courage. Lu-
creshy amt like some that you can get a
ncarness to-
Il amt one to be scairt away from a
Christian 1uty by "A little oddity," said Mis-
Isaiah, firmly
jest step round to the fence when you
get back, said Miss Wingate, eagerly. 81
shall be real interested to hear how she
took it.
Half al hour later Mis- Isaiah was
knocking at the door of a little spruce
eum-coored house, which looked as if il
had been dropped by accident in the middle
Of a Struggling lane. There were patches
Of moss on the steeply sloping roof, and an
ancient well-swecp, which made the fresh
spruce gum paint look staring and friy-
clous. The house stood on hill half a
mile from the village, and its only ncighbor
was a large farmhouse, bleak, but thrifty
! looking IL was near neighbor with
top Of the orchard wall high board fence
had been built, with an evident view 10
rigid separation; and IN the middle Of a
family burying- ground in II stubbly pas.
tnre a similar high board fence arose. The
Phillipses and Parmcnters, near of kin, but
at war for generations, had not been will
ing 10 have their fcud ended even by the
great peace maker, death. The only sur.
yiyOrs OF the two families who had remain
ed upon the old places were now Lorenzo
Phillips and Lucretia Parnfenter and il
had been generally predicted that the feud
would end In wedding. Lorenzo and
Lucreta had made friends over their spell
ing books, and neither Gran 'marm Phillips's
lrown-an awesomc sight, for she was
! ninety, and her noge and chin mct-nor
the high board fence had ayailcd to keep
them apart. But IN the matter Of the wed
ding, fate had interposed fate in the per.
son Of Eldora Scanncll, from the Town
Hill Settlement, with pink checks and
yellow curls.
No one answered Mis- lsniah's knock
Lucrcta was in fact peeping through the
| blinds, but she would not open the door.
II amt n -goin' to let folks in, let 'em
say what they will. can't bear it, no.
how, she said to herself.
She was a small, trim woman, with an
energetic step. Mis- Isaiah could hear
her moving about: she could not keep
still
They'll say I'm all broke down, but ]
amt ] wisht ! was. I'm b'iln' with
hate. ! expect It's my Parmentcr blood.
And wouldn't believe Il was meme that
was always 50 forgyin'. / wisht / could
keep on feelin stunded, as / did at first.
And yet when he fetched over the deed of
that piece Of woodland aud wanted TO give
il to me for dollar, felt in my bones
that something was a-comn'. I'd ought