St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-06-18

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bobbed uI
from the blueberry patch and loolxel
around half guiltily, then drew . re
assured hgeath, for no one was within
esr-saot. ''True as I stand here" she
said. addressing mingled multitude Of
Terms, rocks and berry bushes, ''soms
day I'll do it. And when I'm worth q
msllion minute, Ill have gold heels te
my shoes"
She shut her lips tightly. defyine
more thoughts to escape; hut even theu
the line Of her mouth was pleasant.
She knclt and industriOusly stripped the
low bushes, holding her pail beneath
with an experienced hand to catch the
dropping bcFries. She had fifteen
quarts to deliver at sunset, and the
terms of her contract left NO time fos
monoloQue.
This was Ahby-''Miss" Abby to the
children, Aunt Abby among the
sick. simply Abby to ordinary adults.
People did not trouble themselves
about her surname. They did not
even think much about her. but &C
cepted her as their just due from .
friendly providence. Children discov-
cred her living in a little house in the
edge of Pomfret, and spoke Of Miss Alb
BY As an acquisition. Then some sick
man, yearning for herb remedies. was
gratified by her, and thereafter declared
Aunt Abby had saved his life. The
wise-those who moiled with m eye
single TO the inrolling dollar-began by
mistrusting her sincerity and ended by
questioning her mental balance. They
did not perceive bow one could live by
works non-resultant in a stipulated
wage.
Abby moved towards . competency
rs steadfsstly as did the wise, but BY q
different path, pleasanter and rs di-
rect. There were happy. kindly faces
along her way. And il they did not al
ways comprehend her they at least
nodded and smiled encouragingly as
she passed. To such one. Frightening
some dark turn of the path, she would
say:
"you wait till T get my gold-heeled
shccs. Then can smile for you"
"Rcal gold. Abby?" inquired the
practical one.
"Yes, indeed. Why not? When
you're worth a million . minute you
can do that sort of thing"
At sunset she walked, fatigued. to
the village store and delivered the ber-
ries.
"And here's your pay" said the
storekeeper. Eight cents q quart.
fifteen quarts, dollar twenty. What
You going to do with 50 much money,
Abby?" with m expectant, Oblique
glance for the. benefit of some dozen
loungers. -
1T all goes towards those gold-heeled
shoes, said Abby, chee rily. Then the
loungers followed the storekecper in .
laugh.
..Abby's all right" said he. after she
went out. "You don't have to measure
her berries. HUT she's . little queer
A fellow has to laugh ut her now and
sgaiu."
/. Abby plowed her way home along the
dusty July road. ''One twenty. one
twenty" she repeated There's days
work for you. There's another peg in
your gold-hceled shoes. They're COM
ing. coming"
She invigorated herself. mind and
body. by this xlahemic formula. 'I3old-
heeled shoes" - the storekeeper and
his ilk was = va9ary for their diversion.
To Abby the words were mere quanti-
tative signs.
The widow Barker, with her way.
ward son Jim. were Abby's nearest
neighbors. Barker pere had served in
the navy. Afser his death small PEN
sion came regularly, affording the
widow a meagcr living. 1t was her sole
support, fc. jim was a thorn. Upright
mothers quoted him to children q .
warning. He even pricked Abby. until
she was half minded to report his lapses
to his mother. when she would fall in
. temper, and rate herself roundly.
Gold shoes. indeed: l don't deserve
leather! As If that woman didn't have
trouble enough without its being piled
on free: Providence has been too good
to me: there's nobody to mourn over;
nobody to worry over. A little cross
like this will do me good"
Abby had intended to stop for . mo-
meut's chat with the widow. but the
house appeared deserted. and she passed
ON.
Its pension day" she thought. 81
know where she is. t'p.tairs crying
for him that's gone. Blue-blue Is she
can be. HIN. I'm blest that nv past
don't sorrow me, nor my future either
There il is now. Million q minute!
Gold-heeled shoes! Keep it up.''
Abby spoke of wealth with rich ex-
aggerstion. Her ideal independence
wss simply freedom from debt. She
bod one desire that ruled her lifc-and
that, to possess q home. The knowl-
edee that her landlord might. on a
lapse in payment. turn her out, rode her
rs Z sense Of inferiority. Her material
seemed as insecure as her
credit. But to own the ground she
walked on, that was to wear gold
heeled shoes. Every step left the inn
press Of wealth's equality. All her ef-
forts, then. were directed to the reduc-
kiou of the insufferable mortgage that
threatened her home.
She labored hard in every channel
known to single couutrywomen. She
picked and sold berries She gathered
and cured sweetflag. She had q patch
cf garden with many herbs in il. and