The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-02-06
A sADDUCEE
DIT EVA WILDER MooLAssow.

req cOttnBe TO tne ri8nt u tho ohsA
ers' toll-gate had moved cut leaving
things as usual, much the worse OF
their brief occupancy.
IL shall take 1t on myself to cut the
grass and mend the front shutter"
said Brother Boone Hinson as he
drove past, and saw golden
rod shamslessly Haunting itself among
the knee-hish weeds in the scrap OF a
yard.
II was Shaker land clear to the Ken
lucky River, two miles away, and an
inch unkempt sward was grievous
offense not to be tolerated.
ut is always this way with tenants"
sighed Brother Boone. ~ wish we
didn't have to rent our unused houses
| to worlds people" He sighed again,
casting an austere eye on the toll-gate
house, low-browed dwelling which
sat scowling by the green way-side.
The girl who had come few months
| ago to live with her aunt, Mrs. Meeks,
the toll-gate keeper. looked apathet-
ically ut Brother Boone as she swung
the pole over his mules head.
"A wording" considered the young
men, returning her glance with disap..
proval, and getting new idea OF
wickedness from the curling Hun OF
red hair over her big eyes. The mule
went little bit sideways as his driv-
err turned alphabetically from the Jeze-
bel in the doorway, her black gown
edged at the neck with wisp ofcrape.
ALWAYS Shakers!" she thought,
following him with weary eyes, ~
wish someone else would pass by just
now and then"
She kept on looking at Brother
Boone. He was a part OF 1T all, por-
ton of the deadly tranquility which
pervaded the whole secluded settle
ment, even to this outskirt nook
where Mrs. Meeks lived.
The stone walls OF the severe Sha.
ker houses just to the southwark
seemed to Mrs. Meeks niece like
tombs. Center House, gray and pom
! derous, weighed her heart down every
time her glance struck through the In
tervening stretch of meadow. There
was nothing to hear, nothing TO see
except now and then of fine evenings
when some of the Harrodsburg young
people dashed by in light buggles--
mere fleeting glimpses OF gayety, which
only stung Nora to remembrance o
the city. She was new to country
WAYS. and in the midst Of the wilc
freshness OF the unbuilded earth sh'
, pined for the fret of the town, TIN
rush OF the traffic, the smoke, TIN
clamor OF humanity.
at wasn't clean, OF course, In Cin
cinnati, but loved it," said Nora.
"Shows how little sense you got.
, commented her aunt, feeling ill-repai'
for giving her brothers child home
you'd OF been in fine fix if | hadn'
Of dc ne er so II d Thsn your paw died
; II could have stood it in store,
said Nora.
"Yes you could!" satirically agree
Mrs. Meeks. II know how you'd hay
stood it in a store. You wouldn'
have lasted a month. You amt non
too robust, noway. / hope your
grateful to me for bringing you to
good home, where you don't have t.
do living thing except to tend the toll
gate, and look after the children {
little and do the washing and such.
Eyes, Aunt Molly"
''They amt many o. widow woman
would "a done it," complacently
added Mrs. Meeks. "And me Will
four children of my own to raise. y
She sighed heavily. She was large
limp woman lavishly endowed save in
the single item of teeth. Her thin,
blonde hair was always slipping down.
1T would be pretty if you pinned it
Close" advised Nora.
"Don't matter none, reasoned Mrs.
Meeks, "Sharp pillow is mighty little
use when you got no land to turn. l
don't look to marry again, noway. A
man d think twice with all these young
ones. And there's nothing around
here anyhow but Shakers, and they
amt the marrying kind"
"Why" asked Nora.
Against their laws. Don't waste
no words on UNI, Nora, when you turn
the pole for um. The women are right
soft-spoken, but the men wouldn't
take off their hats for lady to save
their lives. That there Brother Boone
is the worst of all of UNI. He's too
straight-laced to live"
81 like his looks the best of all, re-
Elected Nora.
He was SO unlike the young men in
town, who wore narrow shoes and
had watch CHAINS draped across their
vests, and were collared and cravated
within an inch OF their lives. Brother
Boone had broad shoulders squarely
outlined under his blue cotton coat,
and his dust-colored hair curled up
under the wide brimmed hat he wore.
He looked strong and wholesome
and happy, and yet he was Shaker,
and had lived always IN these quiet
uplands where nothingever happened. |
"Shnkers" wondered Nora; ''peo-
ple'who don't loye or marry or have
anything in their lives but work and
prayer. Oh, ] couldn'tl'
She vaguely conjectured what these
strange beings thought of when spring
came about, and fields were fringed
with wild flowers. Did the moonlight
arouse no strange imagery in them?
Could they look, unmoved on the sky
when stars stole .dimly out one by
one, spattering the night with silver
lust? She shuldered. Better this
weary life with four Ettl Ia co,,sipa for