The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-11-26
steelyards. It,s just beautiful 70 loo

t.s5d
.,Sometimes she does and sometimes
she doesn't. Her appetite is kinder
skittish. You cant tell how it will be
with her from, one day to another
When she feels like it she'll take hold
real smart. But it don't seem to make
no difference what she eats, she ailus
looks the same. I've seen all kinds of
folks big eaters and little eaters, I've
seen feshy folks that eat like birds and
lean folks that seemed to be. holler all
the way down -
Yes" said Mrs. Martha briskly. and
contemplating the closet shelves; 1T
does seem to ME you've got q sight OF
fruit put up for your family There's
ounces and peaches and blackberries
and grapes.
''She wants it," said Ann, nodding to-
ward the sitting room Its handy
you know, to send round to sick folks
especially them poor kind that hasn't a
good crab tree like mine,. or ounce
bushes that bear regular. Then taste
of jelly or preserve comes in as rarity
Last spring she had me send dozen
glasses to the church fair, and they sold
FIVE cents the glass higher than some
other folks
"Of course they did, Ann There's no
other jelly or preserves like yoars made
in this village But tell me- does she
sleep well nights"
II guess she sleeps good deal more'n
she thinks she does. Sometimes she'll
say she hasn't shet an eye all night; but
I've my own opinion about that. There's
some that can nap considerable when
they think their eyelids are pinned
apart. But must say never knew
such hearin as hers After dark cat
can't jump anywhere in the street but
she knows it.
Don't you think, Ann, she could ex
ert herself more if she tried?'
Ann closed her lips like steel spring
and opened them with a show OF re.
Iuctance. She was hattered by Mrs
Martha's attentions, but ill in her
breast there was stanch, grim kind Of
loyalty to her mistress. She had taken
her broom now to brush up some invisi
BILE dust upon the floor, and she leaned
On the handle and looked at her visitor
with her pebble gray eyes.
Sometimes think she could, Mis-
Whitcamb, and sometimes think she
couldn't When the neighbors coax her
up to take ride with soapstoIes and hot
water bottles and something strength
enin to take ON the way, she is generally
in bed day OF two afterward; the bones
of her legs seem to be soft-all gristie. or
whatsorndever you call it. When she
tries to walk she sinks right down like
empty bags. Only once a year she
comes into the garding When the
dandelions spottin the grass and the
plumblows white up agin the sky know
she'll come out, and mebbe totter twice
around to look up under the old trees
and notice the layloczs in bloom There's
a pair of blue birds that's come good
many years runnin to build in he crutch
of the bough apple tree. She wouldn't
have them disturbed for the world and
she stops and looks at the nest long
time, and at the old ones bringing bits
of grass and straw to build with hev
to bring her in mostly in my arms and
put her down on the couch and kiver her
up warm, and revive her with the smell
in salts.
well, it beats all" said Mrs. Martha,
'The Mayhews, all ever knew were
strong folks-never had hippo or megrlms
or no kind Of nerves. Good, sensible.
solid people. can't make it out, What
does she do, Ann. there all day long by
the settin room Window"
'She likes to see the folks go by, and
to nod and smile to the school children.
She knows all them little ones by sight
even if she don't ketch their names
And when one of them is sick and KEEP
home from school seems as ii the very
witches told her Then hev to post off
with some Jam or jelly to black haired
Mary or yeller haired Jim, and to say as
how Miss Mayhem sent me, and hopes
the jelly will help him to swallow the
doctors nasty stuff When it's summer
,she sends flowers, makes up the little
lunches Of sweet peas and other things
that has nice smell and ties 'em with a
bitsQf white or blue ribbin She keeps
boltA of that narrer kind in her work
basket to tie her little bokays. And this
year past she's took to crochettin and
knittin baby things-little caps and socks
and sacks and baby blankets. She's
fitted most every baby in town. and
while shesA dom Of EN- seems as if she
Jest dotes. She'll hold the little socks
on her handfa half hour together, them
blue and pih,k ones, and look kind OF
smilin as if she was seein somethin that
wasn't there. Nov she's maxim white
blanket, and workin in rosebuds all over
it, and she's reaN happy lookin when she's
absorbed in that work. I've told her
she might sell them things for hand
some little sum, out she allus shakes her
head. If she couldn't give em away it
wouldn't do her a mite Of good You
see it don't cost heranyt thing for clothes.
and she puts that money she saves in
wool and ribbins for the babies.
lis the cap'n at home now? asked
Mrs. Martha suddenly, as she ceased
sucking the core of the pear.
Eyes: he's at home. Don't you see
the smoke goin up from his kitchen
chimbly? Got shipwrrcked last wage
> xN