Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1894-04-05

7-o C2 " D. 4a AcI ud1O-
Retreating into the room. Miss Sarah
made a clicking sound with her lips.
This note of invitation Bose re-
fashion, by leaping into the kitchen
and about Miss Sarah's gaunt figure
BIT his frisking only deepened Miss
Sarah's resentment The dog seemed
TO partake of the traits she attributed
to his master, and those frolicsome i'm
pulses suggested repreh ensible I'M
concern for past faults
The elder Miss Slosson, standing stiff
and straight in the middle of the kitch-
en-, recalled wildly the evenings when,
at precisely half-past seven, Mr. Con-
ner's step had been won't to sound on
her front porch. In those times there
was always fire in the parlor of FRI
day nights, and while Mr.. Corners
voice and Mattie's mingled in tie gay
est talk and laughter. Miss Sara. sit
ting by herself over the kitchen stove.
Ia heen used to mediate upon the
time when her loneliness should be
permanent instead OF transitory. They
were only half-sisters, the two ''Siosson
girls" and the difference IN their ages
had given an almost maternal charac-
ter to Sarah's regard for Matte. She
had felt that, when Matte married,
life would be singularly empty. but
she had rcconciled herself TO Hiram
Conner, because there was really no
objection to be raised against him.
He was the only son of a well-to-do
family, and Sarah rejoiced that, since
Matte must marry at all, her choice
was upon SO reasonable basis
''Y our sisters going to do right well
/ b ear her and Hiram Corners going TO
make match OF it, said q neigh Dor 20
Sarah
i d know as it's anything of a
match for Matte" proudly protested
Sarah She's been raised to every
thing and all"
Hes a well-fxed young man, Miss
Sarah"
i reckon he'll do. But I reckon
Matte could do better. l d know as
he's just the man I'd pick out for her. :"
After all this arrangement Of the
young peoples affairs, il began TO be
noted in the village that Hiram Conner
had suddenly ceased visiting the peaked
white cottage of the Slossons- Specu-
lRtion was rife Every one wondered
what had happened. 1t was useless to
question Miss Sarah In the first place,
she would have resented a question;
and, in the second place, she was her
self in daze of bewilderment-
Matte, too, though she said nothing.
appeared ignorant as to Mr.. Corners
motives For q month or SO, OF Friday
nights, she crimped her fair hair and
tied a ribband about her slim throat,
and lighted the parlor fire, and played
little tunes on the organ far into the
evening. Then she seemed TO give over
all expectancy. She waxed pale and
thin and sat much ct the window. look
ing with large, hopeless eyes into the
street.-The long village street which
was so empty because a young man
with wholesome but most unheroic
redness in his cheeks no longer Jared
up its shady length to the Slossons'
cottage
AL these things passed through Sa-
rah's mind as she frowned upon Bose.
"A life fer a life is Scripter,- she said
to herself; and this oneness of her in
tention with the law and the prophets
seemed 10 nerve her.
She took small bottle from a shelf
and poured little of its contents into
q saucer of milk Bose shifted at It
warily. He tasted it and shook his
ears. His round yellow eyes as he
paused with an uplifted paw to glance
al Miss Sarah. gave her a pang. She
made as if to snatch the SANGER swiftly
away, but jerked her hand behind her.
II reckon that pore kitten suffered
more than what you will" she said to
Bose, observing that he had overcome
his scruples and was gnlping down the
mixture
There was step on the threshold.
Matte stood leaning YEARLY against
the jamh.
Why she said, ARE you feeding
Bose? l didn't know you'd forgive him
so soon Bose, Bose, you didn't mean
to hurt poor pussy. did you?" She laid
her hand on Bosses head. They say
Mr.. Corners real fond OF Bose" she
went on. Il suppose he's pretty lone
some since his mother died last fall"
He don't deserve no sympathy"
said Sarah. hardly conscious whether
she meant Bose or his master. Matte
still dreamily fondled the dogs silk
ears Sarah. with q sort of guilty
trepidation, regarded the little group.
Bose was doomed Miss Sarah did not
know IN just what measure of time
toothache mixture. supposed largely to
consist of laudanum- projects death
upon the canine system
OF one thing, however, she was GER
tain. though Bose deserved his fate,
she wished another hand than hers had
meted ii out TO him She was less
Spartan than she had fancied.
i reckon I'll feel all right, as soon as
he's gone she meditated. He better
go home" she said, aloud u d know
but he has heas, anyway. Here Bose"
she opened the door, and Bose detected
~ departed
The next morning she looked out
with sense of apprehension No inert
furry heap, however, lay at her door.
Justice, no doubt. was by this time sat
listed. but the victim was not in sight,
and Miss Sarah bresthed again.
Il wish Bose'd come over for these
chicken bones,' said Matte, that night
after supper. She went to the door.
The little path Bose had made through
the intervening garden-space by his fire.
ouent trips between his own and the
SIossons' abode could be seen in the
twilight But though the girl softly
called him. no Bose responded.
You sent him home last night" she
said to Sarah. Maybe his feelings
were hurt She laughed as she spoke.