The Opelousas courier., 1893-03-18

mAa4NIXHN% mas:
6HNM~ 81 say, moth.
~MxS@ er, l can't find
. sf-gk3s hira!" bswled Tommy, the SEQ
nd son of Reuben and Rachel Frost.
"Ma, tell Susie to let me bel"
creamed six-year-old Mary from an
inner room.
"Rachel, where on earth have you
locked up them ERE tools9" queried the
Farmer himself, filling the doorway sud-
denly with his substantial form.
Mrs. Frost, who was dashing about
her kitchen like a wild northeaster in
cap and petticoats, brought herself up
short by the dresser and put down the
pitcher in her hands with an emphasis
that made the tins and pudding dishes
dance.
"Good gracious! is everybody gone
mad, or do they want to make me sol
Soap, eggs, pudding, shirt, Susie, tools
ANY one would think there was only one
pair of hands and eyes in the house, and
them was mine. Yell, yell, yell after
me wherever I 60. l can't have q mo-
ment's rest. I declare to goodness If I
don't have somebody here to help me
before next week, Reuben Frost. I
won't be worried and drove to death
therel"
Mrs. Frost talked but little, seldom
scolded and only on great occasions "de-
clared to goodness" When she did the
matter was settled. So il due time
came "help'' In the shape of the Widow
Patty. Now the excellent Rachel, upon
writing to her sister in the city on the
subject, had stipulated expressly for a
widow. "Girls," she said, "are forever
giggling and would all the time be stick.
ing up their heads when George was
round; and the dear knew she'd had
trouble enough already about him, and
that poor. proud, stuck up, soft dawder
II a Lucy Ellis, to make her SICK of
billing and cooling for the rest of her
.ifs; and she didn't want nc old maids,
besause they was always so despepit-
they might marry George in spite Of
himself; but if Ann could find her a
widow now-a respectable sort of per-
son, and the more forlorn the better, beS
cause then she'd be contented to stay,
i
But not one syllable had Mrs. Frost
breathed on the item Of 'tlooks;' and
Patty, though .. widow, wss abomirably
pretty. Rosy and ~soft-eyed, with black
hair that continually reveled in waves
and nipples, and here and there mut,nied
INTO an actual curl, spite IF combs and q
widows cap, and lovely, pouting lips
that occasionally parted as If to show
the world what handsome teeth there
could be in a woman's mouth.
1t must be confessed that Mrs. Frost
looked aghast, IS, with the long, cool
shadows of evening, and the fresh,
ripping breeze, and the dying glow in
the sky, and all the other good things
Of twilight, Father Daniels rattle1 up in
his patriarchal carryall and set do wn on
doorstep this trim, smiling, self
possessed importation, just as il she had
been a barrel of sugar, or a bag of corn,
Or a irkin of butter, instead Of the I'm
developed motive power that was to
eseSsurn and annlhilate those venerable
Institutions, the family prejudices.
"Mercy? What could Ann have been
thinking abouts" parenthesazed Rachel
to her husband. "Why. she's worse
than a dozen old maids. know she's
as artiul as Delilah herself"
"You might be civil to the woman
anyhow" growled the former, as the
Yankee Delilah stood in the door way,
lesitating and looking as uncomforta-
Die as a butterfly would coming out in
January-always supposing a butterfly
of such an indiscretion.
Rachel bridled until her very cap
triumph and a wonder of clear starch
ng-seemed to initiate itself and be
illed with doubt about those rebellious
title curls in the doorway.
walk in, num-" said Rachel.
Probably you are the Widow Patty2n
The curls assented with a tlmid nod,
IS if half doubtful whether 1T were not a
in to be that individual.
''Take off your hat, num-" went on
he cap.
81 s'pose you know what you are to
Jest make yourself handy about
ne house. Dear knows there's need of
being handy:"
Alasl for the memorable and bristline
'irtuc of q clear starched cap, with a
handsome son! Alasl for those mutin-
'us ripples and ringlets that, being on
head at once poor and widowed,
hould have been straight and were notl
and children stood aghast as
hey heard Rachel Frost-one of the
,indliest women that aver made buildings
dared stockings-tell that poor MT
tie, scared, weary woman to take off her
hat and make herself handy about the
Patty herself, in whose mind was still
fresh Sister AIMS verbal photograph of
new home, was half inclined to cry:
that three years Of matrimony had
her that tears cant mend a
dinner, torn clothes or a brute of
i husband; and, as they brought moth
ng but red eyes, sHelied nose and a
headache, were Iuxaries to be sparingiY
nduleed in. Besides, she was a plucky
soul and not disposed to cry
quarter even to a clear-starched ac~