The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-03-26

know that old house under the To-
custs?"
"Whatl" cried Mrs. Tucker. "The
Richie Ruin?"
Kittie WINGED little.
YES" said she, ~ suppose it is a
ruin. The grass is growing up through
the kitchen floor, and the shingles have
all rotted away on the north side, and
don't suppose there's a pane of
glass left in any of the windows But
the doors are sound, and the roof
doesn't leak to signify. Henry Wait
says it could be made quite comfort
able with a few pine boards and a
pound or so of nails, so long as the
weather don't turn cold; and if Mr..
| Tucker would allow me to live there
this fall"
"Taint fit for even foxes to live in"
| cried Mrs. Tucker, hurriedly.
| why" more slowly spoke her
spouse, II was calkilatin' to store my
pumpkins an cabbages there, but of
course IL you've took notion to the
| place"
| 81 was born there, Mr.. Tucker" said
Kitty, in a low voice. "Loug before
father and mother were obliged to sell
the old place. Long before poor old
Aunt Ruhamah wandered away and
went to her relations out west"
Yes" observed Mr.. Tucker, nerv-
ously scratching his head, "and until
l get your Aunt Ruey's signature to
my title deeds they won't be worth
more'n so much waste paper. At least
so Lawyer Goodrich says. For she had
some sort of share in the property,
sane or crazy"
Miss Ritchie colored.
Father sold the farm to you, Mr..
Tucker" said she, land it's my bust
ness to see that the transaction is legal.
Aunt Ruey is coming back
"Eh!" cried the farmer and his wife,
in chorus
81 had letter from her yesterday"
said Kitty. That's one reason | am
here to-day. The cousins in Ohio won't
have her any longer. She is getting
older and more eccentric every day,
and they say-what is quite true-that
1t is my business to care for her And
the poor thing expects to come back to
the old Ritchie farmhouse just as if
she had left it yesterday! So if Mrs.
Tucker will lend me few articles OF
furniture, I'll try to make the place
habitable for her."
"And you're kindly welcome to 'em,
my dear" said the farmers wife.
"There's plenty of solid old furniture
up in the garret that we can rub up
with little oil and make decent. And
it's our business to help you all we
can, seein' it's Gideon's fault
"It's nobody's fault" quickly inter.
rupted Kitty Ritchie. And if the
trustees raise my salary, as they talk
of doing if that extra class of mathe.
MATES is started, / shall soon be able
to pay little rent for the place.
~ guess we shan't dun you much for
no rent, Miss Ritchie," chucllled
Tucker "An' you're welcome to the
milk of the red COW if you an the old
aunty want it. A cows a dreadful
help in housekeepin'
Miss Ritchie thanked them and went
on her way limping slowly along.
'Td - hitched up old Jack and took
her the rest OF the way home," OBJ
served Tucker, as he stretched his neck
to look after the depal ting figure, ''if
l hadn't a seen Henry Waits carpen-
ter wagon comm down the road. An
l guess ! amt one to spoil sport"
"'Twon't never be a match if Kitty
Richie shoulders the burden o that
old crazy aunt o. hern," said Mrs.
Tucker. ga man can't be expected tc
marry whole madhouse.
81 guess Kitty's worth it, declared
Tucker.
"She is a good girl!' said his wife
"And there was one time folks s'posed
she was goin' to be an heiress-wher
the old sea captain uncle came home
with the prize money that he gained il
the wal"
II don't believe there ever was any
prize money! said Mr. Tucker, resum
ing his task of denuding the plump
duck of its feathers "There"
II know there was!" nodded hi
wife. Mrs Ritche showed it to me
herself. All gold eagles, tied up in ;
shammy bag with leather shoestring
The old captain gave it to her foI
nussin' him through that fever"
whats the reason you never saiC
nothin' about it before?' questioned
Tucker
Mrs. Richie made me promise no
to tell She was afeard o bein
rob bed"
And what ever came of it?'
That's what nobody knows. Jest
likes not old Eben Ritchie put it int,
that iron-mining consarn that honey
combed Blue mountain and never dom
no good. Or p'r'aps he invested it il
lottery tickets. He never had no iudg
t ment. Now, don't you go to chatteriu
, about this, Gid Tucker. Mind, I'm I'm
| der promise to the poor old creetu
| that's dead and buried"
, Some promises is better broke
than kept" said Gideon.
= But Mrs. Tucker knew that the Sc
1ret was safe with her uncommunica
= tive spouse.
= Meanwhile the builders wagon ha
/ stopped before the old one-storied ru
4 of the Ritchie house, strongly silhouet
. ed by the red smolder of the Septem
ber sunset.
: kitty" said young Wait, stealth
: his arm coaXingly around her waist
l you can't live in an old shell lill
1 this! Give up your false pride, love
Let me make home for you"
5 Kitty bit her lip.
n "And have it said," said she, "tha
4 Henry Wait was the only one of tn
= Wait family that made bad match!
81 don't care what people say"
. Il