The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-11-26

teen year, not even when the laylocks
and seringys are out In the yard, and
them sweet scented rose pineys she had
me bny at the doweristis to take the
place Of tie old fashioned red kind.
:. It beats all how contrary some folks
can be, Ann. But I'll tell you what,
she needs shock; it would do her q
sight of good. You don't know but I've
brought some dynamite along in my
trunk"
..Dynermite,' . said Ann, smiling and
stretching the wrinkles of her face trans
versely, thus giving it a grotesque ex-
preston. The allusidh to the trunk was
3 gentle hint that Mrs Whitcumb de-
sired Ann to help her convey the shiny
black box up to her room. Ann had
sworn off against carrying trunks or
backing visitors boots. The latter
offensive articles when put outside the
chamber door were allowed to remain
there indefinitely unnoticed by the
kitchen divinity. But Mrs. Whitcu1nb's
batteries had produced certain soften
ing about the edges, and now as she took
the cakes out of the oven she said, not
ungraciously: 'sI'll help you up with
your trunk, Mis- Whitcumb, not as do
it as general thing. | let folks get in
a man when there's heavy liftin; butfif
! remember right, yours amt much
more'n a bunnit box
Miss Mayhem, who was listening In
the sitting room. with the white baby
blanket she was knitting suspended in
her hand, soon heard the humping of
the trunk on it's way up to the chamber.
II always did like this roo.n," said
Sister Martha, painting a little from the
tug up the stairs Them three win
dows are real pleasant and slightly, ano
there is good press to hang your dresses.
can look right down on Mis- Woods
front door and see the Wood girls beaux
when they come to call Does that old
est Wood girl scream around in the
front yard as much as she used TOP
Il guess not quite. said Ann; ''she's
been gettin engaged. and | shouldn't
wonder if it he'd he'd subduin effect
'.Gettin engaged, has she, Ann? Why,
that makes these windows real excitin.
And there's the back of Cap'n Bligh's
house and part Of his orchard. What a
sight Of apples he's going to have on his
trees-all grated fruit. The smoke is
going up from his kitchen chimney
straight as column. -
HES lived alone ever since his sister
died. Don't hev no woman about ex-
cept old Mis- Brewster. She cleans the
house once week and does his washin.
He cooks his own meals all but bread,
and that he buys at the bakers-ken,
they say, brile steak and make coffee
and johnny cake, and even pies, but |
shouldn't want to eat any of EN-.
'.Its the strangest thing | ever heard
off, said Mrs Martha, falling into q
muse, ''that he should be Twin there
and she here, only "a stones throw apart,
just as if they was shut up each in a
separate tomb.
Ann went out and shut the door with
out making any reply She had said all
she meant to say about Cap'n Bligh and
his affairs. She'll be kerryin things
from me, and spreadin 'em over the
town. was her inward, self rebnking re-
mark as she went down stairs.
Mrs. W!litcumb soon followed. and
after descending the shallow, easy steps,
opened discreetly the parlor door on the
other side of the prim, cold hall from
where Miss Mayhem sat at her window.
There was but adm light in the large
room, for the shutters were closed, the
shades drawn and only a little ray here
and there filtered through the Stats. The
room was spacious and stiff with old fash
toned gentility. There was high wood
en- chimney piece with girandoles and
clumsy vases. and over it hung lugu-
,brious engraving called ''Washington's
Death Bed" The carpet was OF an an
tique pattern known as Venetian stripe,
now worn to dinginess. The furniture
was of slippery haircloth, but cased in
heavy numbering frames. An astral
lamp stood on the center table in bead
mat, and there was a little tray with a
few yellow cards and one or two of Miss
Mayhew's girlish valentines There was
also highly embellished keepsake" Of
the year 1850, and the family Bible heav-
lily gilt and looking new and as if never
opened It was spotlessly clean, for
Ann swept and busted the room every
fortnight, pinning back the lace cur
tains and covering all the furniture.
Mrs. Whitculnb gazed around with
the feeling natural to her economical
soul that much good material was going
to waste. Behind the parlor was an am
Ide dining room furnished in the same
tasteless style. She remembered the
Thanksgiving and merrymakings of
mother Mayhew's time, but after mo-
ment's consideration she stepped to the
kitchen door and said to Ann:
= IF folks call to see me wish you
would show them into the parlor."
/ Ann fairly gasped. It was more than
ten years since ''folks'' had sat fa1nil-
iar1y in that room.
i CHAPTER III.
q
| Mzn