The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-07-17
MR.. WHYT'S
WIFE'S SISTER.
BY MARION HARLAND.
IcopYRIGHT, 1907
CHAPTER U.-CoNTINUEp.

lI-IONIINIEp.
He was on his way down to the kitch-'
On now to light the fire. Unless she
should interfere, he would cook break
fast, and serve it upon the table she had
cot over night, and sweep down the
stairs and scrub the front door-steps
while the family ate the morning
meal. lie called himself Tony" as
did all the family except Hctty and Mrs.
Wayt. The former had found Homer
1Smuh, H." written in q sprawling hand
upon the fiy-lcaf of song-book which
formed the waits entire library. Hctty
had notions native to her own small
head. One was that the-but for her
fricndlcss lad would respect himself the
more if he were not addressed by what
she called ga circus-monkeys name
For this reason he was Homer to her,
and her sister followed her example be-
cause she considered the factotum and
and that she had a right to designate
her chattel by whatever title she
pleased.
Tony had come TO the basement door
one snowy, blowy day of particularly
cruel winter. when Hetty was maid-of-
all-work. He stood knec-dcep in 4 drift
when she opened the grated door and
asked, hoarscly but without touch of
tho beggar's whine, for "a job to keep him
from starvin.' He was, as he ''gucsscd."
twenty wears Of age, emaciated from q
spell Of "newmoney." and SO nearly
blind that the suggestion of lob
was pitiably preposterous. lIetty took
him into her neat kitchen. made him
cup of tea and cut and piled him with
bread and butter until he asserted that
he was 'right-up-an'-d down chirpy, jes'
as strong's emmy man. Couldn't he rake
out the furnace. or saw wood. or clear
the stairs, or mend broken things, or
wash windows, or peel pertators, or
black stoves, or sir ashes. or red-np the
cellar or-or--somethin'. 20 pay for his
dinner?' Il amt no beggar, ma am
nor ncber will be-
Hetty hired him as general utility
man, at ten cents a forenoon and his
breakfast for a week-then. for a
month. lie lodged wherever he could
in stablc-lofts, at tho police-station,
under porches on mild nights, and when
other resorts were closed. in midnight
refuge, and never touched drop of
liquor or tobacco in any form. At the
months end, his girlish patroness
cleared corner of the attic between
the sharp gable and the chimney, set up
a cot, and allowed him to sleep there.
Mr.. Wayt had no suspicion of the dis
reputable incumbent of the habitation
honorcd by his name and residence, un-
til one memorable and terrible March
midnight, when doctor must be had
without the delay Of an instant. revealed
the secret, but under circumstances that
strengthened the rctaincr's hold upon
his employers. Since then, he had been
part and parcel of the establishment.
proving himself as proficient in remoy-
ais and scttlings-down as in other
branches of his business.
Mr.. Wayt liked to allude to him -
''Hetty's Freak" At other times he
nicknamcd him "Kasper Hauscr.'
Once, and once only, In reference to
Hetty's influence over the being he
chose to regard as half-witted. he spoke
OF him as "a masculine Indine.
whereupon his sister-in-law turned
upon him a look that surprised him and
Mortified his wife, and marched out OF
the room.
Mrs. Wayt followed her presently
and found her gazing out of the win
dow of the closet to which she had fed,
with liyid face and dry eyes that were
dangerously bright.
Percy hopes you were not hurt by
his harmless little jest" said the gentle
wife. You know, Netty, it would kill
me If you and he were to quarrel. He
has the kindest heart in the world, and
respects you too sincerely to offend you
knowingly. You must not. mind what
sounds like cxtravagant speech. We
can not Judge men of genius as we
would ordinary people. And, dear, for
my sake be patient" j:
The girl yielded to the weeping EN-.
. brace of the woman whose face VAS
hidden upon her shoulder.
. MIR. Wayt"-she never gave him a
more familiar titlc-''can not hurt me
except through you, Fanny. You and
he must know that by now. 4 will try
to keep my temper better in. hand in
future
Hetty was young and energetic, and
used to hard work. She had put the chill
Gren to bed early on the evening OIL
their arrival in Fairlill; sent her sister,
, who had a sick headache, to her cham:
Der before Mr.. Wayt returned from the
Gilchrist's; given Testers aching limb,
"a hot bath and a good rubbing, and
: only allowed Homer to help.her unpack
, boxes until half-past ten, not retiring
herself until midnight. The CARLOAD oil
furniture which had preceded the fam
lily and was put in place by the neigh:
borly parishioners, looked scantily for
lorn in the roomy manse. The Ladies'
Aid Association had asked the privilege
OF rcarpeting the parlors, dining room,
stairs and halls, and Judge Eilchrist,
instigated by his wife, headed sub
scription that fitted up the pastors
study handsomely. The sight of this
apartment had more to do with Hetty's
short speech last night and her down.
heartedness this morning than the new
ness OF quarters and the knowledge of