The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-11-28

Beside the hearth an aged woman
bIsked, enjoying the genial warmth,
her head sunk in the depth of Il large
sunbonnet, her elbows resting on her
knees, calmly and contemplatively
pulling away at long-stemmed pipe.
All at once the ashes were whisked
about the hearth as in a sudden draught
then We're still. Momentary surprise,
the old woman took her pipe from her
mouth, hesitated, and then replaced it,
calmly putting away once more. Again
there was whisking of the ashes,
cold draught and the first drops of Il
threatened rain were pattering on the
roof with resonant timbre, then the
heavy downpour came, making the
cabin sway and rock.
"What be Liz a-doin' of, an whar be
she a-doin' hit, | wonder?" the old
woman muttered to herself uneasily.
Hands were fumbling at the cabin
door as though in haste and then Liz
burst in, bringing with her a dash of
sweeping rain, exhaling a cold moist
ure from her dripping clothing, breath
less from her race with the hurrying
downpour.
~ war down ter tn STILL" she OBJ
served cheeri!y, crowding among the
dogs and sleepy resisting cats already
i'm possession of the wide stone hearth,
''an' lowed hit'd hold up long nuti
fer me ter git home an milk OF Bios
som, but hit didn't. Whar's Ike ?''
Albumin, " indifferently from the
old woman.
"Wall, | low I'd better go anyhow,
kase hit mought be day, an then hit
moughtent, befo' he gifts back
The old woman muttered something
about the storm, which was lost in the
depths of her large bonnet, and the
girl, taking a crock from the shelf
again slipped out in the rain. Old
Blossom was MIXED, the hunger ofthe
few lean hogs corralied in a pen at the
back of the cabin appeased, the chick
ems all fed and gone To rooSt in the
aithie bushes near by, before Liz be-
thought herself of her own needs. BY
this time her scant clothing was very
wet, and the rain was running in tiny
rivulets from the wide old hat she had
donned as her only protection against
the storm.
al declar' ter gracious ef hit amt a
pourin', she exclaimed, standing in
the centre of the cabin floor divesting
herself of the wet clothing. Pap an
Jim ell be soaked lessen they's got
sense huff ter go in outen tn rain an
| low the best game Ike kin hunt is
shelter ter keep heSe'f dry" Her wet
frock fell with little thwack on the
bare floor as she spoke, reaching for
another one of blue homespIn that
hung beside the wall. II low" she
said, coming forward, "thet I'd better
have they grub redy an waitin' when
they uns do come, kase they'll be pow
ful hongry." She drew "a long-han-
died frying-pan forward and set it upon
the Goals, then put small Dutch oven
with its cover against the logs to heat,
punching the fire in a professional
manner. Then taking from IA gourd
some green coffee beans, she spread
them upon the smoking pan TO parch
for the evening draught. 81 lowed"
she said cheerfully to the old woman,
"thet I'd make pone, hits heap mo-
satisfyin' when folks is much hongry."
She rolled the meal about in the gourd
a she spoke, adding little spurts Of
water and u sprinkling of salt, deftly
mixing the whole into an even mass,
which she then placed in the oven in
neat loaves or pones, ornamented all
over with her four light finger prints.
The coffee was parched and boiled, the
pones done to a light golden brown and
several slices of bacon fried and lay