Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-10-29
CLORINDY'S STORY.
How It Really Came to an End
at Last.

at Last.
you'll see' EN- up there on the bridge
An about ten minutes" said Mrs. Hannah
sStetson. rocking slowly back and forth
in her little yellow rocker, as she laid
down her knitting moment to shade
her eyes while looking in that direc-
ton. I've got so in the habit o.
watchin' for 'em that 1 find myself
ssort o worryin' when they don't appear,
AN calc'latin that Clorindy must be
<sick or somethin'. 1 don't worry much
about JADE, though; trust him to be
tough enough for a whole regiment.
But, then, don't s'pose they've missed
meetin' up there in summer more'n a
dozen times the past four years; an
they keep it up pretty late in the fall,
too. If you'll believe me, I've seen 'em
up there in the winter with the snow
-on the ground, an the wind BLOWN
sClorindy's clothes all around her while
sshe stood there IS quiet an meek as a
lamb. You might Hken JADE to the
sshearer. There they ber' and Mrs.
'Stet on stepped to the end of the porch,
followed by her friend and visitor,
Miss Elvira Woodhouse, who. being of
"a romantic turn of mind, although
somewhat scared and withered by time,
took lively interest in the matter.
''POor dearr' continued Mrs Stetson,
after gazing mournfully at the couple
for moment, and shaking her head
SLOWLY as she resumed her seat; AN
that's all she's got, after waitin' more'n
four years for that great fool of a JADE
lHutchins; piece O bare rock to see
him on, an not the least chance O his
ever marryin' her-Or rather her ever
marryin' him.
Miss Elvira coughed slightly, and
gave little sigh.
''But there" said Mrs. Stetson, II
promised to tell you all about it, FL
viry, from the very beginnin'; and here
I'm commencin' at the very endin', as
you might say. But it's all OWN to
my not bein' able to bring my mind to
bear on your bein' stranger in these
parts 1t seems sort O. queer to think
90 anybody's Twin an rot KNOWN
SClorindy's story. I'll just turn my
chair round SOS not to see JADE Hutch
.ina He kind O. rifles me up So"
Mrs Stetson turned her rocker
around. and then knit few rows
across her stocking in silence while she
collected her thoughts before commence
ing her story. Miss Elvira leaned lazi-
ly back in her large chair, with the old
buff cat curled comfortably in her lap.
sand her eyes fixed on the man and
woman on the ridge. A couple of hens
picked their way daintily about the
porch; and the buzzing of the bees in
their hives, the tin king of the cow
bells in the distance. and the general
air of quiet and peace served as fit
setting to the story which Mrs. Stetson
now commenced to relate in gentle
voice.
'sClorindy amt much to look at now );
but if you could have seen her as
used to, with her cheeks as red as
roses. an her blue eyes bright an
sshinin', you'd never forget it, but kind
20 still put the red cheeks in the place
of her pale ones, an the shinin' eyes in
the place of her sad ones. just as 1 do.
.Clorindy amt but twenty-eight now,
an of course that amt old. If she'd
married she'd have been called young
woman now, but as long as she didn't
she seems like sort of an old maid. an
yet not exactly like one, neither. as
-she says she still expects to marry
-Jabe.
'Clorindy used to have ever so many
followers from the time she was seven
teen or thereab bouts, an we used to
take first this one. an then that one;
ypartic' larly Hiram SCOTS son. who
was the likeliest young man around,
an just ready to eat Clorindy up with
his eyes when she sung in the choir.
But she let 'em all go, one after anoth-
.er, an just when we was gettin' all
pretty discouraged at the way she was
sgoin' on, she appeared at meetin' on a
Sunday mornin' with Jabe Hutchins
sClorindy looked SO happy an Jabe set
so like a bump on a log at her side. that
we all knew what it meant. My,
want we surprisedv' Mrs. Stetson
dropped her work in her lap while she
hooked absently at the distant hills,
and seemed to see the bright young
face in the pew at church
''But that was four years ago." she
continued. 1--WE all crowded round
her after meetin' was over to try an
SAY somethin' pleasant on her account
an her mothers. But twas awful
hard work. Not but what every body
liked Jabe; 1 don't s'pose ne had an
enemy in the world, except himself: an
that was just the trouble. You liked
him because you couldn't help your
sself, cOnsiderin' his sweetness O dis
position, an also cause it want worth
Wn1ie OOln any tnInS eISe Although
was feelin' like death. 1 couldn't help
ssmilin' to myself for the life o me to
hear all those people sayin' the same
thing to Carbohydrates awful good
lnatured. anyhow in the perlitest man
-ner possible, an yet sort o helpless.
too, Us if they felt they want quite
~doin' their duty by her." Mrs. Stet-
sson laughed gently, and then. after
=shooing the hens off the porch with her
apron, and inquiring anxiously of her
friend if she was quickly comfort
liable" resumed her discourse.
''Wen, guess we didn't any Of us do
very much tallxin' the next few weeks
except about Clorindy an Jabe. We
keep at that stiddy."
There, they're a-settin' down now"
interrupted Miss Elvira, AN he's tax
in her hand"
''Yes, 1 dare say; l know all their
motions" said Mrs. Stetson, dryly,
without turning around. but I've got
to hurry up with this story if L expect
to finish it before candle-time." At
this gentle repro0f Miss Elvira relaxed