Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1893-01-20

"Take off your hat, num-" went on
the cap.
"I s'pose you know what you are to
do7 Jest make yourself handy about
the house. Dear knows there's need OF
somebody's being handy"
Alas! for the memorable and bristling
virtue of clear starched cap, with
handsome sonl Alasi for those mutin-
Gus ripples and ringlets that, being on
a head at once poor and widowed,
should have been straight and were not
Father and children stood aghast as
they heard Rachel Frost-one of the
kindliest women that ever made buildings
or dared stockings-tell that poor lit
tie, scared, weary woman to take off her
nat and make herself handy about the
house!
Patty herself, in whose mind was still
fresh Sister AIMS verbal photograph of
her new home, was half inclined TO cry;
| only that three years of matrimony had
taught her that tears can't mend
! spoiled dinner, torn clothes or brute OF
husband; and, as they brought moth
| ing but red eyes, swelled nose and
| headache, were luxuries to be sparingly
INDUCED in. Besides, she was plucky
| little soul and not disposed TO cry
stquarter" even to a clear -starched cap.
So, while untying her bonnet strings
she took an observation. Due north
that is to say exactly in front of the fire
sat father and George, both in 6 state
of temporary idiocy, from excess of as
| constituent at the unaccountable Gyra-
tions of 'mother," who, since her digni-
| fed reception of the s'help, was revolv-
ing around the kitchen very red IN the
face and in an aimless way that half
distracted the bound girl, who was try
| ing to set the table. Due east was the
hopeful Tommy, whistling In an exas-
| perative manner and staring at the
widow, as though she was the ''What is
IT." and he had just paid his twenty-five
! cents to Barnum in person; while, OPP
posite, julie and Susie were quarreling
about a book and practically giving
dear old DR.. Watts the lie direct about
! the object for which stlittle hands" were
made. Patty smoothed out the last
| crease in her shawl, and walked up to
the combatants.
care you sisters2" she asked quietly.
The children hung their heads and
dropped at once the book and each 9th
er's hair. Then Patty took the little
golden head on her lap and nestled the
brown head in her arm, and in five min
ute's led them off to FairYdom, where
she kept them till they were safely in
Dreamland. Master Tommy stopped his
shrill whistle to listen. Mrs. Frost's
nervous system beirg relieved, her senses
came back to her. and three of her short
sentences put father and George out OF
the way and restored the bound girl to
her normal condition. In half an hour
that kitchen was so quiet that pussy got
up from before the fire and walked
around, mewing uneasily, thinking she
had made a mistake and got into the
house next door, where nobody lived
but prim old Miss Gi!lett. But the cap
never relaxed an atom of its severity.
"Just as I told you," insisted the pre-
iudiced piece of muslin. 'She IS an
artful little hussy. Never come across
one of them low-spoken women with
curls in my life that wasn't. She'll be
making eyes at George soon. See If she
don'tW
Fate, who seems to have special
spite against widows, obstructed her
ringlets on the notice of another pair OF
unfriendly eyes, belonging to Lucy Ellis,
Georges first love.
Lucy, who was older than George and
had no roses and some freckles, saw the
dear little woman one day running after
the children, laughing, painting and rosy
with health and fun and took the alarm.
"What bold, vulgar, disagreeable
woman that is who lives at your moth
er's!" she said to George.
"Disagreeable! !" echoed the astonished
young man. "Why, she's one of the
incest little woman ever saw in my life
and as for being bold and vulgar, don
see how you can say so, Lucy"
.:Oh, of course mott" answered she.
"You men always do like those horrid,
orazen things. She's painted, if ever l
saw paint! I'm sure she's thirty, anc
III bet anything her teeth and hair are
false. If you like her, however, it's all
the same to me. I'm sure don't care il
YOU make her Mrs. George Frost!'
Oh, foolish Lucy! When the simple
youth didn't so much as see that forbid
den tree, what allied you to bump his
head against it, because you fancled he
had hankering after the apples. |
Won did not visa him to watch the riot
GUS blood that was continually deepen
ing from peach bloom into the flush o.
the rosiest sea shell and fading back
, io.a;o - tho IUi6ou'C fair cheeks WIN