The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-01-29

ter, and honey
Then one of the girls took down
conch shell from a nail, and going to
the door, blew q long, fine, free blast
that showed there was no weakness
of lungs in her ample chest.
Then the children came out of the
forest of corn, out of the crick, out
of the loft of the barn, and out of the
garden. The men shut up their
jack-knives, and surrounded the
horse-trough to souse their faces in
the cold, hard water, and in q few
moments the table was filled with a
merry crowd, and a row of wistful-
eyed youngsters circled the kitchen
wall, where they stood first on one
leg and then on the other, in impa-
tient hunger.
They come to their feed fr all the
world jest like the pigs when y'holler
'poo-ee' See 'em scootl" laughed
Mrs. Gray, every wrinkle on her face
shining with delight. "Nowpitch in,
Mrs. Smith," she said, presiding over
the table. You know these men
critters. They'll eat every grain of
it, if yeh give 'em chance. l swan,
they're made O. 1ndia-rubber, their
stomachs is, know it,"
"Haf to eat to work." said Bill,
gnawing cob, with a swift, circular
motion that rivaled corn-sheller
in results.
"More like workin' to eat," put in
one Of the girls, with a giggle.
'More eat'n work with you"
"You needn't say anything, Net.
Anyone that'll eat seven ears"
81 didn't, no such thing. You
piled your cobs on my plate"
"That'll do to tell Ed. Varney. 1t
won't go down here, where we know
yeh."
"Good landl Eat all yeh want
They's plenty more in the tieps, but
I can't afford to give youyoung 'uns
tea. The tea is for us women-folks,
and specially Pr Mis- Smith an
Bill's wife. We're agoin' to tell for
tunes by it."
One by one the men filled up and
showed back, and one by one the
children slipped into their places
and by two O'Clock the women alone
remained around the debris-covered
table, slipping their tea and telling
fortunes.
AS they got we'll down to the
grounds in the cup, they shook
them with q circular motion in the
hand, and then turned them bottom
side-up quickly in the saucer, then
twirled them three or four times one
way, and three or four times the
other, during a breathless pause
Then Mrs. Gray lifted the cup, and
gazing in It with profound gravity
pronounced the impending fate.
1t must be admitted that to G
critical observer, she had abundant
preparation for hitting close to the
mark; rs when she told the girls that
somebody was coming" at is q
man," she went on gravely. HE is
cross-eyed--"
ooh, you hush!"
"He has red hair, and is death or
billed corn and hot biscuit"
The others shrieked with delight
"But he's goin' to get the mitten
that red-headed teller is, for see &
Teller comm up behind him."
"Oh, femme see, femme see" criet
Nettie.
"Kcep off," said the priestess with
n lofty gesture. Ellis hair is black
He don't eat so much, and he works
more"
The girls exploded in a shrek o
laughter, and pounded their sistel
on the back.
At last came Mrs. Smiths turn
and she was trembling with excite
ment as Mrs. Gray again composed
her Jolly face to what she considered
a proper solemnity of expression.
Somebody is comm to YOU" sh
said, after long pause. Hos go
~ musket on his back. He's q soldier
He's almost here. See?"
She pointed at two little tea stems
which formed a faint suggestion of
man with q musket on his back. II
had climbed nearly to the edge of tn
cup. Mrs. Smith grew pale with eS
citemeut. She trembled so she coul
hardly hold the cup in her hand a
she gazed into it.
cts Ed" cried the old woman
"He's on the way home. Heaven
an earth There he is now" Sh
turned and waved her hand out tc
ward the road. They rushed to TIL
door, and looked where she pointed
A man in q blue coat, with musl
ct on his back, was toiling slowly u
the hill on the sun-bright, dust
road, toiling slowly, with bent hea
half hidden by a heavy knapsacl
So tired it seemed that walking wa
indeed q proc ess of falling. Soeage
to get home he would not STOP
would not look aside, but plodde
on, amid the cries OF the locusts, TIL
welcome of the crickets, and the ru:
tie OF the yellow wheat. Gettin
49, n =.