New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-17

to take the public mind from that topic.
Mrs North's face was imperviousy stolid.
She was not even going to say that a mans wife
ought to be with him. She did say however.
that 'Gusty Riddle was said to be most excel
lent nuss.
| The doctor nodded. He knew great many Of
the ms and outs OF nearly all the families for
miles around and he greatly enjoyed that
knowledge But he had felt that he knew
much about this affair Of Groves.
The girl was not like the rest Of the girls
| around there.
| lie used to attend her in those various attacks
of the Group; but when child is very small and
is struggling with the Group, you cannot judge
with any certainty what she will be when she is
| grown and is influenced to a distastefu marriage.
| Presently the doctor went out Of the room
with the tumbler of medicine in his hand
lie could be heard going up the stairs which
led from the front entry, and then his steps were
audible in the room above. In this manner Mrs.
North discovered that the deacon was sick in the
spare chamber.
| After a few moments she rose and went into the
kitchen. She heard some there and she
wanted to know if Mr.. Groves old housekeepcr
was still doing the work. Besides, the widow
Amos Morse might communicate some items of
interest And first of all Roxy wanted TO know
Mrs Morse was her knees with pail of
water and dish of yellow soap beside her.
She said che hoped Miss North would excuse her
gittin up. for when she was down it was hard to
git up, N wheG she was up it was hard to git
down; and that she weighed moren she used to
when she was young.
From the size of the Widow Morse all of these
assertions were probably strictly true
She rubbed soap on to her mop and then bent
forward to scrub the board in front of her. AS
she did so she told her visitor to take that chair
by the stove where the floor was washed and
make herself to home. She explained that there
want no use standing ceremony when there
was sickness in the house
Mrs. North sat down. She looked at the clock.
Colburn could not be more than half way to the
west part of the town now.
As Mrs. Morse was wringing ont her mop she
said that if a man had wife it was usually en-
pected she'd help take care of her husband when
he was sick
Mis- Morse said the visitor, Il done all
could
IT amt blamin' nobody in particular" was tho
response. "only 1t is centrally the case that
wife helps take care of her husband when he's
sick. I s'pose your katharlncs haVln soou
time to the shore"
| Mrs North could hardly repress groan, hut
she did repress it, She answered that she shouldn't
think for her part, that Katharine would have
a good time anywhere.
Her anger against the girl was growing daily
And her belief increasing that all the disa-
rreeable things that had happened since that
wedding day were Katharincs fault-even 70 thc
nnshinr of the deacon into the water and the
rheumatic fever that held him in It's power
| "Girls are monstrous queer things" said Mrs
Morse.
| Mrs North did not now rcpress the groan. Then
she remarked that she understood from the doctor
that 'Gusty Riddle was In the house as nuss
hadn't 'Gusty got no shame
The floor washer sat back her heels with
her mon in one hand and her cake Of soap in the
other. She gazed at the woman in the chair by
| the stove.
Il amt dyin' in love with Gusty myself
she said. but somebody d got TO the deacon,
and Won know very well, Mis- North, that !,
with nv flesh, N the homework, m the butter
to make couldn't be expected to do it. faint
in reason"
"No faint" responded Mrs North But
should have thought that anybody who'd tried 70
r,t Mr. Grove. as everybody knows 'Gusty tried
would kinder hated TO come here like this-now
| he's married, TO. Did he send for herr
II d'know exactly how that was; but ruther
think. KNOWN 'Gusty g do, that she took care
that the deacon knew that, sence old Mis- Newton
died she's been out of job
Il bet she did" said Roxy. with more emphasis
than she usually used. But the deacon amt
single man now and be never did take to 'dusty
Riddle"
"He amt the only man that don't take 10
her"-here Mrs Morse chucked. But NOBODY
can't say she amt good nuss"
| mo" acquiesced Mrs North nobody can
say that. Is that her on the stairs Z"
She turned her head to listen
The next moment the door opened and woman
Of about forty appeared. The front Of her hair
was carefully arranged in curly fuh. The
hack hair was fautlcss French twist" She
had on light blue print gown with white FUTILE
at the throat.
| She had almost colorless, extremely prominent
eyes n little nose and chin inclined 10 come
forward too much. She also had Girlish air.
She walked with kind Of skip; she laughed with
almost every word she said then she would catch
herself up as if she ought not to give way so
much 10 the habits Of youth She looked good
natlired
IT'S you, amt it, Mis- North ?' she said, as
she entered II didn't really believe it was. but
the deacon he stuck to it you hadn't gone-the
doctor said you'd called-and the deacon says he
wants to see you fore you go"
She laughed gently as che ceased speaking she
announced, with another laugh that she guessed
she'd nut on the double boiler n MAKE that
custard while there was a fire. Inc doctor SAID
the deacon might have custard.
Roxy glanced at the clock again She rcckoned
that Colburn had just about reached the west
part
She rose from her chair and said she guessed
she'd go right up.
Gnsty. having placed the double boiler over
tho fire fastened to lead the way She turned TO
say in whisper that it did seem as If mans
,rife oncht 10 be with him when be was sick.