The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1891-10-15

person, with humorous lines running
away from the corrers Of her mouth and
4 dark, thin face furrowed with care and
trouble and much hard labor. "The age
Of miracles Is over, 90 folks say" and
she broke into q sarcastic laugh that
showed several deficiencies in her natur.
ally good set Of teeth.
She was standing by Joel's wagon with
her apron thrown over her head, for the
early spring was still shrewish, and Q
pitcher in her hand. Joel, who was her
brother-in-law, peddled milk through the
town. though he was q rich farmer and
there was no occasion for his following Q
humble calling MrA Fearing paid Joel
the highest market price for her daily
supply He had never given her drop
Of the fluid except on one occasion, in
very warm weather, when the milk had
soured on his hands In 0 thunder storm
and he did not care to carry II home
Now he gave her q venomous glance
from under his heavy red eyelids, puck.
cred and folded in curious fashion and
denuded Of lashes; neither had he any
visible eyebrows, which impaired to his
cold eyes curious dazed stare.
II don't believe In doin' that kind Of
thing for folks" said he, after . mo-
ment's pause. ut generally hurts 'em.
'Taint the kind Of thing that's needed to
spur 'em up and make 'em do for them
selves"
mo danger Of your ever hurting folks
that away" said Hannah with another
biting laugh. "Your callin' and cleo.
tons sure so far as that goes, Joel. !
guess you'd have helped me and the
children some when we was left 90 poor.
ly of II II hadn't been for your prin-
ciples; and you see. Joel, what q splen-
did success we've made Of keeping our
selves | know you're . man who
wouldn't put your hand In your pocket
for nothing in this world II you thought
1t was going to make people lazy and
shiftless."
Joel turned a pale sea green color and
set his thin lips together in straight
line. His sister-in-law knew the sensi.
tive, exposed places In his armor and
was skillful In shooting her bitter ar.
rows. He turned uneasily and slNiffled
away toward his milk cart, but Hannah
was close behind him like visible Mem
esis in q faded brown calico gown Il
was q great relief 10 her overwrought
nerves to unburden her mind to Joel
Fearing.
"You know" she went on, as she fol-
lowed him toward the cart, raising her
voice little, "that was what allied your
brother AnsOn; he was too generous and
open handed and he went against his
own interests, and you always con.
demned Anson and thought so poorly Of
him it would have been sin for you to
help his widow in her straits, you know
It would And after poor Anson died
you brought in bill against him for
borrowed money that most covered all
his interest in the undivided half VI his
fathers homestead. and you made me
sign q quitclaim to the property though
felt sure that debt had been paid. and
you came into possession Of the whole
Of that nice old farm, with all the stock
and farm implements and the woodlots
on the Dewsville road. and there was
only bare enough left Of Anson's share
to pay his funeral expenses"
She stopped suddenly, as II something
was choking her Joel took advantage
Of the pause in the torrent Of her pas.
sionate speech to climb awkwardly into
his wagon, and from that safe vantage
he was enabled to FIRE q parting shot at
the enemy.
ii don't wonder Anson died young"
said he In his slow way, "for don't
Scriptur' say it's better to have smoke in
the eyes than to live in q house with a
brawling woman he gave his old
horse smart smack with the whip that
made him leap In ungainly, rheumatic
fashion, and Hannah turned quickly and
entered her house, standing for q mo-
ment by the open door with the apron
still thrown over her head, while her
throat seemed torn by hard, dry sobs
Not q patient woman was Hannah Fear.
ing, and strong, too, in all her feelings
q good hater and an ardent lover. Her
husbands people called her proud, and
Joel said she was obstinate and self
willed and as vicious a. his old brindle
COW But Joel was known to be noUo-
rious falsifer, 20 that his opinion did not
count for much in Littleiield. Joel nat
urally abhorred that type Of woman, and
had chosen for his helpneet cue Of the
meek and colorless ones Of the earth.
Hannah was standing in her spotless
little kitchen, where the range fire blazed
fiercely. for It was ironing day. and
great pile Of folded clothes lay in the
basket and the table stood ready with
It's snowy ironing cloth The things
must be done up and carried home be-
fore dark, for Judge BrightS new shfrts
were in demand for his journey to
Washington and Mrs Price needed her
baby things-wonderful caps and bibs
and frOcks and slips 1t was Mrs. Prices
first, and, as everybody knows, the first
always gets more ruffles and frills and
pufs and fine embroidery than those
that come later.
But Hannah let her irons get over
heated a. she stood there with the dry
sobs Suddenly shaking her breast and
her brown, sinewy hand clinched on the
edge Of the table. All the past had come
rolling upon her like q torrent, and It
q l.