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

c. '@''''+-ssss7 T.
In q n,o,nc,,t Sister Martha ,oas IN the
room.
The station hack stopped at Miss May
news door, thereby causing state of
futter and agitation in the breast OF
Miss Mayhem truly pathetic to contem-
plate The idea of company was always
present to this lonely lady as a sweet,
sympathetic longing, but the reality
brought with it undisguised dismay.
Now she clasped her pale, chilly Tin
gers together and leaned forward in her
Invalid chair, craning her neck from be-
hind the curtain, as q small, black,
shiny trunk was taken off from the back
of the carriage and short, stout wom~
Eli in gray travelling dress, with large
straw hat tied down over her ears, max
ing rather aggressive poke in front,
stepped brislly out of the carriage and
pointing her parasol with businesslike
air directed the driver to take in her lug
gage. r..
Miss Mayhem gave faint groan as
she fell back among her cushions with
an air of passive injury. The evil was
upon her, and she had been warned and
had not needed the warning. Events
with Miss Mayhem generally cast their
shadows before, and she learned the full
meaning of the signs after they had
come to pass That very night Miss
Mayhem had dreamed of ship in full
sail, which always betokened misfortune,
and now Sister Martha had arrived bag
and baggage, and she felt griered that
the presentiment had not weighed with
greater force upon her mind.
Sister Martha was not own kin to Miss
Mayhem, only sister-i1l-law, having mar
ried her half brother. She was a woman
thought to be rather hard on her "help,"
but an excellent manager and shrewd
in affairs. She owned a large farm in
another part of the county aud man
aged to make good income out Of it
even in years of drought and of short
crops Her habit was to command. 1t
was said that sister Martha rode around
her place on horseback man fashion, and
that nothing ever escaped her lynx eyes.
Two of her hired men had come down
with typhoid fever one fall after being
driven nearly to death through harvest
time. and she had Dursed them like
mother One of the men died and she
had nice tombstone put up to his mem
DRY in the graveyard IF as folks said
ssMarthy Whitcumb. the Widder Whit
cumb, druv folks to death she still had
some kind of heart III her bosom
Now Miss Mayhem, when she heard
Martha Whitcunlb enter her front hall
like strong northeastern, shivered,
turned paler, if it were possible, and
shrank into her shawls and wraps in
which she was enveloped like q butter
ly in it's chrysa!is She was afraid Of
Sister Martha; not afraid of bodily in
Jury from her hands, but of harsh judg-
ments and hard eye beams and skepti-
cal looks in return for her accustomed
plaintiveness over the facts of life. In
q moment Sister Martha was in the
room, and Miss Mayhew's face had gone
into eclipse under the poke and her deli
cato check was rubbed against Mrs.
Whitcumb's bristles Miss Mayhem had
81 shrinking from the hairiness Of her
sister-in laws lip that was quite pa
thetic. It WAS Il terrible trial to this
nervous invalid to kiss Sister Martha.
aud she never did if she could help it,
merely allowing that energetic woman
to rub her brush against her sensitive
skin,
There was Il frightful frankness about
Sister Martha that Miss Mayhem dreaded
like q cold douche Now the first words
she uttered were characteristic:
Il know you amt glad to see me,
Vinie, didn't expect you would be, and
Ann Basket viii be mad enough to tear
her hair because I've come. But harvest
was over, 'twixt corn and pig killing,
you know, and could get away as well
as not SO took j, action to come. We
don't always know what's good for us,
Vinie, and thought a squirt of company
might Gven you upa bit. And as for
Ann, I've brought her a iinsey woolsey
piece for a petticoat, SO guess she won't
bite me-.
Miss Mayhem pulled herself together
and looked at her sister-iE-law with wa
terry eyes She made no direct response
to this candid speech, nor was any ex-
pected from her. Il s'pose you're hun
cry" she said anMously. 'sOur dinners
over and Ann has washed the dishes,
She's maxim tea cake now Would
you Ikea dropped egg on toast, Marthy?'s
I've had my lunch" said Mrs. Whit
cumb, waving away the suggestion
s Bronght it along with me from home
Cold chicken and SANDWICHES and pickles
and cheese. Don't you bother your head
about me, Vinie. |" 55l II s4y
81 Miss Mayhem heaved 4 sigh Of relief
,ss.tss on can go right up chamber, Marthy. !.
You know the spare room, of course,
and its al read except airin and fresh
water ~ sss 81
70 ss IN took her bay, . shawl
llr,d ana brella ont oft1 the room
,as tl,as lDehind lei n Miss
ayhew ss 1llli this rude
ntsiit ctQ "
M slIll q l,.ls 81 II By Every
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