The Opelousas courier., 1893-03-18

~~~
sat father and George, both in state
of temporary idiocy, from excess of as
constituent at the unaccountable gyra-
tions of ''mother," who, since her digni-
fed reception of the t'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
ttG" and be had just paid his twenty-five
tents to Barnum in person; while, op.
posite, julie and Susie were quarTeling
ibout a book and practically giving
fear old DR.. Watts the lie direct about
the object for which ''little hands" were
made. Patty smoothed out the last
] crease in her shawl, and walked up to
/ the combatants.
"Are you sistersF' she asked quietly.
The children hung their heads and
dropped at once the book and each 9TH
sr's hair. Then Patty took the little
golden head on her lap and nestled the
| brown head in her arm, and in five min
| ate's led them off to FairYdom, where
| .he kept them till they were safely IN
| Greenland. Master Tommy stopped his
| thrill whistle to listen. Mrs. Frost's
nervous system being 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 Giilett. But the cap
never relaxed an atom of its severity.
"Just as I told you," insisted the pre-
JUDGED 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'tl"
Fate, who seems to hove a special
spite against widows, obstructed her
ringlets on the notice of another pair of
unfriendlv eyes, belonging to Lucy Ellis,
Georges first love. %
Lucy who vas older than George and
had no 7oses and some freckles, saw the
dear little women n day running after
the children, laughing, painting aud rosy
with health ind fun and took the alarm.
"What q bold, vulgar, disagree able
woman that is who lives at your mNth-
er'sl" she said to George.
"Disagreeablel' echoed the astonished
young man. "Why, she's n of the
incest little woman I ever saw in my 'ife;
and as for being bold and vulgar, Idon't
see how you can say so, Lucy"
'tOh, of course notl" answered she.
"You men always do like those horrid,
brazen things. She's painted, if v g l
saw painti I'm sure she's thirty, and
I'll 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 if
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 fancied he
had a hsnkering after the apples. If
YOU did not wish him to watch the riot
Gus blood that was continually deepen
ing from peach bloom into the flush of
the rosiest sea shell and fading back
again in the widows fair cheeks, why
did you hint at paint? And, oh, idiotie
muslin cap that catching him in one of
his secret eye inquisitions must needs
read him q lecture three times a week on
the folly of falling in love, the vanity of
the things called widows and the utter
frivolity aud worthlessness of this widow
in particular. Under such circumstances,
aver if she had been as ugly as Hecate,
what could the poor man do but fall in
love with herr There was NO help for
him. He was only obeying a law that
governs sex.
Winter had merged into spring, gray
and gloomy with mists and storms still,
but with fresh odors In the air and occa-
sional faint twitters from the orchard,
and everywhere sounds of trickling
water aud the glad sight of the fresh
green grass peering timidly up from
patches Of snow and mud. Without all
was hustle, father, George and the men
getting ready to start for the upper dam,
that was hourly expected ''to 60" in the
freshet; within, Widow Patty going
around in her usual suushiny fashion and
Mrs. Frost a little more ~northeasterly in
her movements than over and furiously
out of patience with the "freshet,"
George, the widow, herself and every
thing about her. The widow being
handy, and happening to look more pro-
vokingly pretty than usual, on her was
poured out the walls of her wrath.
"Don't want to interrupt" with i'm.
mense stateliness), SHUT If you've done
looking after the men" twitherlng I'm
phasis), 'sI'll thank you for them eggs.
The puddin's waiting"
Widow Patty, who had stopped a mo-
ment in the doorway to glance after the
retreating wagons, started to cross the
kitchen, but half way was almost
knocked out of existence by the bound
girl, who rushed in, breathless and COM
maless, as usual, exclaiming4
''Ohl Miss Frosti hurryl hurry
hurryl Be as quick as you an. Old
Dan-the Observation-Disclosures
men-why don't you runs" all the time
dancing about the kitchen and snatch
ing down pots and pans of all descrip.
lions, apparently with a vague intention
of making herself useful In some mex
plicable way.