Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-12-11

V0.s yOu yOu w INC girl IN lrJurys
yonr tongue Is idle, like your thoughts;
go your way; Marina is a good girl: you
want her bad to suit your vile purposes,
hence you call her bad"
The moment the old peasant was out
OF sight, MatriOna made haste to seek
out farmer Peters wife. Nikita was in
the room, and the willy woman halted in
front Of the sacred images and crossed
herself repeatedly, and when they still
failed to notice her presence she cOughed
and shuffied her feet
"What are you doing here, little
ro2ue?" she asked p.ayfully. And then
she added, with sigh: "Ah, he's nero
boy; there's nothing wicked In him
He's like young animal at play. 60,
my son, and DO about your business.
II came here for something, mother, !"
no replied sheepishly.
II know, l know, dearest" answered
.Matriona, laughingly; sand strange
wasn't 1t, my son, thu. that something
should be exactly where your pretty mis-
tress was? Now 60"
"What's this we hear, dear auntie?"
asked Anissia, the moment Nikita had
left the room; "you want to get your son
away from us? You want to fix up a
marriage for him?"
"Stuff!" exclaimed Matriona, with a
gesture OF disgust; "don't believe all
you hear, little soul! My poor old hus.
band is always mcddling. Doesn't a
mother want her son to be happy? Why
should take the bread and butter out
of Nikita's mouth? Am born fool?
Haven't l eyes, little soul? Bah! these
old men are such idiots!"
"And you pity me, don't you, dear
auntie?" sObbcd Anissia, as she hid her
face on MatriOna's bosom.
"There, there, don't cry, little soul, "
murmurod Atkins wife. "Let me man.
age the affair for you; only give aunt
Matriona chance. I'm keen, I'm sharp.
sighted, can see through q milestone.
Pity you, little soul? Well, with all my
heart. was young once. I've been
tied to that wretched old Akin long
enough to learn few tricks. You'll
see. Now. tell me how's this dried and
wrinkled specimen Of yours getting on?
What keeps his heart going? He has no
blood. He'll turn his toes up to the
daisies in the spring. sure, and then you,
a mere girl, fresh as a rose, will need
another husband. Well, little soul,
wouldn't you be satisfied with my pretty
bOy?"
AAs OuU uo kOlnk away, auuVic, uc >
going to leave us. He's going to be mar
ried," sobbed Anissia.
tut, tut, not q bit of it," whispered
Matriona. sWhy, bless you, my dear, do
you think I'll not be ablc to outwit that
old dotard OF mine? shall pretend to
yie!d; shall pretend to let farmer Peter
decide the matter. but all the time shall
have other thoughts in my mind. You
know they say woman can think of
seventy-seven things at once. How arc
they going to tell, then, what my little
scheme is? Come close to mo, little soul. /"
Anissia shuddered as her eyes caught
the full expression Of Matriona's face.
There was demoniacal glare in her eyes
and her loose lips had nothing human
about them.
snow, see what l have brought you,
dearic, whispered Matriona. "Here arc
some wonderful powders. There arc
two kinds, ono in this paper will make a
person sleep like a log, but this kind you
must stir in his tea-just little pinch
will do-hell never taste anything-only
you must repeat seven times-seven Is a
lucky number, you know, and then-and
then, little soul-well, you know what
you want, but the powders cost q ruble,
dearie; you'll give me that money back,
won't you? You know wore poor
people"
ooh, aunt, how my heart is jumping, "
murmured Aniss!a. "Can l ever do it?
No smell, either, you say, auntie?
Where shall hide them?"
"Why, foolish little thing, in tho trunk
there" replied Matriona, "and rcmcm-
Der, dearic," murmured the peasant
woman, as she set her long, loose lips
close to Anissia's car, remember. pet,
that II anything should--well-you
know"
"What-what. auntic?" gasped Peter
wife,
"Why, nothing, dearie-only that the
powders are good for other things, too.
You got them to drive the reaches out of
the house."