The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-05-28

turns. And I've walked SO far on my
way back. But feel sick and faint,
and / can go no further"
''There!" said Mrs. Tucker, trag-
ically apostrophizing her husband as
he stood at the head of the cellar stairs
with stone bottle of home-brewed
root beer in his hand, ''see what you've
doner'
"'Twarn't me!' suffered poor Gideon.
Miss Kitty III hev to give up her
school, added his wife, land all through
you'll"
Kitty could not but smile, even
through the pain of her stingin g limb
at Gideon fuckers rueful face.
''Oh, it isn't so bad as that" said She
''Or at least ] hope not 1 mean to
keep my school if possibly can. And
I'll tell yon what my plans are. You
know that old house under the To-
custs?"
"Whatw cried Mrs. Tucker. "Thc
Richie Ruin?"
Kittie WINGED little.
"Yes," said she, II suppose it is a
ruin. The grass is growing up through
the kitchen floor, and the shingles have
all rotted away on the north side, and
don't suppose there's a pane of
glass left in any of the windows But
| the doors are sound, aud the roof
doesn't leak to signify. Henry Wait
says it could be made quite comfort
able with few pine boards and
pound or SO of nails. so long as the
weather don't turn cold; and if Mr.
Tucker would allow me to live there
this fall"
.Tain't fit for even foxes to live in!''
cried Mrs. Tucker, hurriedly.
why" more slowly spoke her
spouse, II was calkilatin' to store nv
pumpkins an cabbages there. but OF
course If you've took a notion to the
place"
II was born there, Mr.. Tucker" said
Kitty, in low voice. "Loug before
father and mother were obliged to sell
the old place. Long before poor old
Aunt Ruhamah wandered away and
went to her relations out west"
YES" observed Mr. Tucker, nerv-
ously scratching his head, ''and until
l get your Aunt Ruey's signature to
my title deeds they won't be worth
more'n SO much waste paper. At least
so Lawyer Goodrich says For she had
some sort of share in the property,
sane or crazy"
Miss Richie colored.
Father sold the farm to You, Mr..
Tucker" said she, land it's my bust
ness to see that the transaction is legal.
Aunt Ruey is coming back
"Eh!' cried the farmer and his wife,
in chorus
II had letter from her yesterday"
said Kitty. That's one reason / am
here to-day. The cousins in Ohio won't
have her any longer. She is getting |
older and more eccentric every day,
and they say-what is quite true-that |
1T is my business to care for her. And |
the poor thing expects to come back to |
the old Richie farmhouse just as if |
she had left it yesterday! So If Mrs.
Tucker will lend me few articles of |
furniture. I'll try to make the place
habitable for her,"
"And you're kindly welcome to 'em.
my DEAR" said the farmers wife.
There's plenty of solid old furniture
up in the garnet that we can rub ND
with little oil and make decent. And
it's our business to help you all we
can, SEEM it's Gideon's fault"
"It's nobody's fault" quickly inter-
rupted Kitty Richie. '.And if the
trustees raise my salary. as they talk
of doing If that extra class of mathe-
natics is started, shall soon be able
20 pay little rent for the place"
~ guess we shan't dun you much for
10 rent Miss Ritchie," chuckled
fucker. "An' you're welcome to the
milk OF the red COW If you an the old
lunty want it A cows q dreadful
lelp In housekeepin'."
Miss Richie thanked them and went
m her way. limping slowly along.
I'D a. hitched mp old Jack aud took
Ter the rest of the way home" OBJ
erved Tucker. rs he stretched his neck
o look after the departing figure, IF
hadn't a. seen Henry Waits carpen-
er wagon comm down the road. An
guess l amt one to spoil sport"
"Twon't never be a match il Kitty
Richie shoulders the burden o. that
Id crazy aunt o. her'n," said Mrs.
tucker. "a man can't be expected to c
harry whole madhouse."
Il guess Kitty's worth i'll" declared
'ncker
"She is a good girl!" said his wife. =
And there was one time folks s'posed
he was goin' to be an heiress-when 2
ne old sea captain uncle came home a
nth the prize money that he gained in
ne war"
Il don't believe there ever was any q
rize money! said Mr.. Tucker, resum-
x his task of denuding the plump
nck of its feathers. 'Therer o
II know there was!' nodded his =
life. Mrs Richie showed il to me 7
erself All gold eagles, tied ND Ia a g
nanny bag with leather shoestring. a
he old captain gave IL tn her for