The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-27
A PAIR OF LOVERS.

10 her eyes TO be quite sure she put tho
stitches in the right place. The click of
her thimble on the needle was quite audi
ble-it grew slower and more irregular
by degrees. for the old woman was tired.
She was making the "uppeTs" Of hand
sewn shoes for children. 1t seemed asif
her occupation had gradually generated in
her q likeness to the material with which
she worked. Her skin was tanned and of the
consistency Of lesther-dry. and wrInkled
and tough. She wore q brown stuff
dress. much patched. and mended here and
there with black thread. Her face was
small and fat. IL seemed as if, when nature
had finished making il. she had admins
tered a slap 10 her yet unhard-
ened hsndiwork. Mrs. easy had
sparse gray locks which strayed from be-
meath the black bonnet that covered them
almost as If IT had been n wig. and was as
persistently worn. Everything about her
seemed TO recede; her forehead and her
chin had the cir of timidly shrinking from
the front Of her face; the loss of teeth
caused her mouth TO fall inwards. and her
eyes were Junk far in the back of her
head. This physiognomy was peculiar.
but IL was redeemed from ugllness by the
exceeding charm of the exDresslon-a
charm subtle and indescribable. and aris-
mingling of sadness and of happiness about
the eyes and mouth. and from that dignity
which is sometimes seen In the very poor
who are yet independent.
She laid down the little shoe at length
with a long-drawn sigh OF relief. Her com
panion, who had been doing over the small
fire. was apparently reused by the sigh.
Through, Heneriettai" he inquired in a
small. cheerful voice, and with an accent
on what be made the second syllable of her
name.
Yes. my dearie. And l expect you're
plnin' for your supper. aren't your
"a little peckish. Henerietta.a little peck
1eb," he answered. rubbing his hands. And
what might there beP'
He turned in the direction of her voice.
He knew just whore she sat. though he
could not see her, for he had been blind for
fifteen years.
Mrs. easy pushed back her chair and
moved toward the little table with a news
paper thrown overit, which served as their
larder. She raised the paper and picked MP
a bloater. She was a very good woman.
but. like many who live with the blind and
love them. she told occasional lies and Justi-
ted herself IN so doing.
"Bloaters." she said.
zone apiece, Henerietta?"
Il said 'bloaters.' didn't I. Thomas" said
Mrs. easy. with easy equIvoestiou. as she
put the solitary fish on q skewer and
brought it over to the little tire. above
which it soon began to sputter."
Mice fieshy ones, Heneriettaf'
Fat as dripping. Thomas. and soft foes
soft roes," said the old man reproaoh-
fully. why, you prefers'em hard, Heneri-
eta"
Theirs only one with soft roe" replied
Mrs. easy. quickly. as she went back TO the
table TO cut bread.
Half way she stopped. Her face was mo-
Wnonraralu HfSfa~<nN hu main 0nA f.rD1.
tarily she grcanee.
The quick ears of the old man heard her.
He lnquired immediately:
What is 1t, Heneriettaf Have you hurt
The old woman did not answer for q min
ute. She wiped her forehead with her
apron. Then she saic: My corn is shoot
ing again"
that is bad. You'll have TO have that corn
seen to. Henerietta. A pair of uppers Id
pay for the cutting of 1t evep."
MIRA easy smiled q little sorrowfully.
There amt no call" she said; don't you
worrIt. Thomas"
"Ah. but / have to worrit," said the old
man. You're all Eve got, and you're a
woman in q thousand. and you're always
a-slaYin for me. n attendin' TO me, and
never q grumble; it's material / don't like
yer TO suffer, not even q little. In course
there's suffering as the Almighty lays on
us. like my eyes. as you may say. but corns
LOuLA DO UlONCulEUs OU ~ uhNo 10 III II
killer. Henerietta.h
There, there" said the old woman.
soothingly, as she brought him his supper.
He stretched out his hand. which was
white and clean. and took her hard, toll
hardened one. which be held against his
face.
Il can't see you, Hetty. but it seems as if
j could. and as If you've got a light in your
you. 1t makes my old heart beat
even now when l think how you used
10 look some of them twiligbts-
and that's forty-slx years agonel If
any one had told me then l could ever
have loved You more, I'd have let 'em feel
my fists. but 1 dc. Henerietta, / do: you
was my sweetheart then, and now you're
my wife and my guardian-angel, and my
sight n my life-and my sweetheart still.
And amt II material L should be Uneasy that
you should have anythink laid on you,
ever II twas only cornsi'
".Phere, there, Thomas. said Mrs. easy
again. and she kissed him. Her eyes were
full OF tears. and she wiEed them away as
furtively as If he could have seen them.
"fakin one thing along with another
continued tho ola fellow, as be set TO work
on the bloater. from which she had re-
moved the bones, we've had better times
than most. Henerietta." This remark
the result of his ruminations-was repeated
at least once a week and had been Tor
years. I'VE amt had no luxuries nor no
amusements. hut we've been that to one
another. and We amt had children. but
that's left us all the more love for each
other, and we amt had no changes. You've
been better for me TO look at than any
country fields, vet / sometimes has n pang
that you amt never seen EN-: Pve keard
tell they're uncommon green and pretty"
II don't regret EN-, Thomas; | can quito
imagine 'em like as If the pavement was
chsIked green and run into the roads,"
And the sea, too, where these ERE
blosters come out of. They're
tasty, Henerietta. i hope yours Is a nice
n plump One."
Its quite a Tichborne." said Mrs. easy
reassurlngly. as she broke Oft and ate q
piece of dry bread.
And the flowers all a-growin'. and the
air all a-smellin' like performs Pve heerd,
as different from WhitechaDel as a child's
shoe Is from n gaiter. Henerietta, you
amt eatin' your supper"
Yes. | am. Thomas" But she had
scarcely touched . morsel. She was 100
tired for one thing. and her face twitched
every now and then as If she were In pain.
Perhaps there las a little WEAKNESS in her
i. voice which betrayed TO her old lover the
fact that she suffered.
Have ou our boots on. Heneriettaf"
he inquired.
"Yes. Thomas
Take 'em OF. then. There Amt no sense
in wearln' boots in the house. l expec'
they pinch You. and this damp weather
corns always seems TO swell. Take 'em of,
nv dear. and put on my carpets"
Mrs. easy Immediately bent forward and
took OIL her boots. They were very old and
very shabby. and could scarcely have
pressed the most sensitive foot.
Saertly after the supper had been finished
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