Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-19

a-wanderin' round to other folks kitchen
doors, a-beggin'. My troubles s-choppin'
wood yer and there where he kin git the
5ob-and his clothes amt fttsn fer the win
Yer, ana ne amt got no shoes"
ITS the boy. Jawn." said the neishbors.
whispering smong themselves; the trouble
turned her head"
"Ah, nav. nav, naw."
But they were pretty sure OF Il when the
old home place was vacated for the little
wooden house close to the road.
''She built the house with the chicken
money when she was a gal" explained the
blacksmith's wife to every teamster who
didn't know and occasionally TO one who
die. There was never nothInk shiftless
about Miss Bennings. She says as she'll
abide there till they're through with their
spreein' over to Red Lanes: she'll give the
kin git any lonesomer. She's q tsckin' on
SO that her heads kind o. Quare"
And what OF the boy7' asked the latest
teamster. Amt he turned upy'
Why, he's turnin' up all the time; over
to Viewers helpin' with the corn huskin'
last hearn. Jim Weaver says as he won't
starve. Miss Bennings. she'd made up her
mind to do fer him. send him to school and
ali that, like as he was the other'n. and
jest as ef he was the other'n he up and give
her the slip. That and the furse about the
Will Is apt TO go hard with her"
Yes, reckon" said the teamster.
The boy ''over at Viewers" gave a gasp
OF surprise. and opened his eyes incrsdu-
lousy when he heard about the win.
'Teck the home place away from hsrf-
''Teck tt? They've done got itr. cried
Jim Weaver, excitedly. Folks say as Misc
Sennings has put up in the small house
clost to the corner"
boy.
The storm beat around the solitary old
nome place, but there was no one within 70
mn, MIND II; the rats were having q royal rum
a in A.os lx,rr
ingly against the windows OF the little
mouse clost to the corner" made Mics Ben
nings feel lonesome. as she sat there turn
ing the heel Of a long-legged yarn stock-
ing. The fire in her room was bright ana
ner lamp was well trimmed. She had tried
70 Keep her heart from growing bitter
agalnst the brothers at Red Lanes: she had
spoken or them contemporary as being
on spree. Suddenly she raised her ewes
from her knitting, and the bitterness
against which she had been striving named
into not hatred about her heart There al
the window. looking with vistf,,i svs.
was Miss Bennings' trouble
she rose from her chair hastily. want
e aSos me noor and opened the door.
The boy crept into the room.
Dehnlhss resumed her seat by the
'a ..s She hTed a stony gaze upon the bow.
she inquired ss'
"Yesm"
=, He had felt very brave splashine along IN
.ne mud and the night. He picked at the
eoge OF his ragged jacket he CURED and nm
curled his bare toes
You was sent to git the hui Of a.. vou
seen you couldn't git II and you Quit Nov
you come back fer yer sheer. 90 out In
the rain. walk straight to them as give Won
yer orders. Tell EN- fer 20 show YOU he
road to Red Lanes. Git yer sheer from 'ern
down to Red Lanes where they's cunno
oreck viii o. thirty-five years standard
she threw back her head and laughed IRON
lcally: Theirs impotence and Ignorance
outside o. Red Lanesr'
The bravery had returned 10 the boy Il
don't want no sheer" he said hurriedly Il
omit come back fer no sheer Let them
that stole IL hev IL. i come back to work
Ter you. L come back to work TIL kin
buy the home place fer you. / ought never
agone away l told father. ! told faith
er-' Then the bravery all went with a
rush. and the boy put up a tattered arm 10
hide his quivering face.
Miss Bennings had dropped her long,
legged stocking. She was leaning forward
on the table; her breath was coming un-
evenly there was a strange soft light IN
her eyes
What did you tell yer father" she
asked. hoarsely.
II said I'd meek Il up" sobbed the boy.
II the neighbors could have seen Miss
Bennings then they would have said that
she clean daft fer shore" She rose
from her seat a second time and advanced
into the center Of the room where the
'shiftless Jawn" was standing: she put her
arms around him as II she loved him: she
cried out in fond and quavering voice.
"JaWn. you hev come aCk.