New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-16
see TO boiling your egg, n I'll thicken the gravy
for the toast Well set down in minute

| Nelly was actively engaged in supplying material
for the purpose of building up her tissues. the talk
was exclusively of the Gerry family, of th" father
who was dead, and the mother and daughter WHO
were left In the midst of this talk there was
| knock ut the back door.
| Nelly answered the summons and ushereu Ill
SLIM erect woman dressed in tine plainest piacR'
She was woman beyond middle age. with eyes
somewhat sunkcn, but having giance'drect ana
strong and true Her face was swarthy as ii IL
had been tanned by being exposed 70 wind and
SUM- And il was a much-worn face also
Mrs Scuddcr rose from the table huirelly.
making a CHATTER of dishes she dll So Shc
went toward her visitor with both hands cxtende |.
Pm les S LAD TO see you 5 can be- she
exclaimed why, Mrs. Gerry, shd think YOU
ben gone ton years, How BE- yc now you have
got back? Do set down. Ncys jest ben tellin
of secin' S'lomo. How is Slomc?'
Mr.. Scudder had risen also and now shook hands
with extreme cor1iality, AMI with rotary mo-
ton that was somewhat hard on the joints OF the
receiver of his greeting. BIT Mrs. Gerry, VINO
deeply glad to see her old nclghbors pore
this motion bravcly. Her face lighted lhough
her voice was steady as she replied, no one could
nave doubted her joy.
Amt you awful glad to git back?' asked
Mrs Scuddcr at always seemed to me As II
Floridy was dretful outandish, shflesS KIND
| Of a place: amt II ??
"'Tisn't much like New England, that's fact,
said Mrs Gerry with emphasis.
Set up N have cup of tea urged Mr. Send
der. and Mar makes mighty good thickencd
| toast" with grin in the direction of his wife
Thank you, had my supper at half-past five
Where be you stayin ?'
AT my brothers.
"Of course. ] knew your home was all broke
up" sympathcticaly Is Slomo really better p
Il think she's well, was the reply
And ii cured her jest stayin' thern in Flolidy :?
Yes. You know the climate is very different.
IL s'pose so. But don't see how jest climate
en- do so much. 1t don't seem s il it could
why, mother" exclaimed the High School
girl. shocked at her parents ignorance, don't
you know that climate is one OF the most power
full influences for good or evil on the human be-
ing ?"
Mrs Scuddcr laughed and SAID, "0h, sho now,
Nelly" but she glanced proudly at Ter guest.
who looking smilnely at the girl.
"Salome was just telling me, Nelly" said Mis-.
Gerry, that she was glad YOU were to be one of
the pupils AT the High School"
"Oh. did she say that ?" and Nclys face flushed
with delight.
Yes, indeed" Ms Gerry turned t. Nclys
father. She told Linn she had called now 10 ask
about that little house he owned at the Ledge.
She had heard il was vacant. II was only half
mile from the school where Saomc would teach.
She must hire a place TO live in, ana she thought
that would be low priced.
Its .drctful out of the way, Miss Gerry" Mrs
Scuddcr FASTENED to state I'm afraid you'll b.
awful lonesome there.
I'm used to being out of the way replied
Mrs Gerry, since I've been in Florida. sllant
mind that. BESIDES, place i'll the village would
cost too much
Do you really mean that you want 10 hire
that Ledge house.
Ii was Mr. Scuddcr who put this question.
Mrs. Gerry repeated her request for il. In
few moments more she had engaged it, sac r'se
TO 90 When urged TO stay longer she explained
that Salonc had said that she should start ont to
meet her. and she did not want the chilli who
had had rather OF a tresomc day, TO come too far
"Yon still have TO be ca'ful Of her then p III
quired Mrs. Scuddcr.
I've fallen into that habit the answer
"but really, Salomc is we'll Do come AMI SEE 'is
when we get settled, all of you
There was little more talk and then Mrs
Gerry was walking down the road AMI all Of the
Scudders were looking at her she went.
she looks ten years Older exclaimed Mrs
Scudder. Il declare | never seen nothin beat
il. That must be a terrible climate in floriay.
| wonder how Salome looks. s'po-e her mother
would have stad there if it killed her If she
thought twas good for the girl.
"Salome looks changed" snd Nelly, returning
10 the table for one more seed cake. " But she's
more interesting than ever. | just wish could
go to Florida
faint likely you ever WILL remarked her
mother comfortably. "Mcbby faint all climate
that's changed Stone. Mcbby she's ben disap-
pointed down there
Disappointed repeated Nelly. questioningly.
She had not yet learned that this word when APP
piled TO a girl refers solely to the question OF
love To say that such woman must have been
disappointed means that lover must have proved
false to her.
YES said Mrs Scudder. "P'rhaps she had
beau down there, N he got sick of her. | a
knows you en- tell much by them Southern men.
"Pooh.' cried Nelly, scornfully. at must be
a mighty poor kind of beau that would get sick
of Salo;ne Gerry. ! don't believe any such thing
But you don't know bout them Southern
men," went on Mrs. Scudder, somewhat reflect
ivcly. Then she looked up suddenly. Walter
Redd went down there Did he say nothing bout
any beau Of S'lome's?"
Il guess not You wouldn't catch Walter Redd
saying much any way. He's awful gone on her
himself
With this classic remark Nelly began TO put or
an all envcoping tire preparatory to washing
the supper dishes.
During the process of clearing up after the eve.-
ing meal the two women kept up a desultory talk
concerning the Gcrrys; and even after the two
were sitting by the lamp, the elder knitting AMI
the younger with her schoolbooi,s the subject hal
not lost its interest. Mrs. Scudder chung to the
idea of Saomcs disappointment, ami Nelly per
sisted in scouting that idea.
Long before the lingering twilight had given
place to evening Mrs Gerry was again at her
brothers. When she had left Mr. Scuddcr's she
had walked quickly down the road, hardly ganc-