Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-10

5.
saying: "Ain't never had 'nuff to waste
hairpins on
She rarely smiled, even behind a bargain;
but n kind OF sardonic irony gave her talk
an edge. She had not visible creature
in the world belonging to her, except an
apoplectic old dog. Rumor explained her
black garb as mourning for the departed
Grove; but, it was known that ne beat
her until she pitted the red hot poker
against his fist, and drove him out of the
house, this explanation was not excepted
generally. Furthermore, Mrs. Grove had an
open grudge against the sex, which she
gra Titled not only in words, but by lending
money at an unconscionable rate of inter
est Yet Lizzie Plaintiff always maintained
to Gus, who had a great dislike for the
woman, that Mrs. Grove had her good
points. "She always pays promptly, and
she pays fair wages; and 1 don't believe
a cleaner woman ever lived. The house is
kept in repair better than any place /
know" All the more. Lizzie wondered over
Mrs Groves business. How can you
stand all these dreadful old duds?" she said
to her once and Mrs. Grove had answered,
in her grim way: You kin stan dirt on
dollar bills. 1t pays. But-well. tits bad"
she owned "'Tain't so much the clothes;
the furnichure is what beats me-" She
gave Mrs. Plaintiff a glance of awful sig
nificance. Il dream of 'em nights" said
She
For the lands sake" gasped poor Mrs.
Plaintiff, you don't think they can walk
up stairs?'
BLESS you, no. You amt no call to fret.
got solution that I'D Kill the wanderin
Jew. You kin buy every blessed thing I've
got safely. an that's moren you kin say
of some of these big furnichure stores, too.
could lust make your hair raise your bum
nit, Mrs. Plaintiff; mothers, too. Some
folks say they cayn't be killed. / kin Kill
'em. They's secrets in all trades. as a fool
man 1 knowed used to say-but the only
your husbands middling clever to ye?''
Indeed, he is" cried Lizzie; he Is the
4, best husband in the world"
II came from your town." Mrs. Grove
went on calmly; his father kinder kept
comp'ny with me onct. Guess neither him
nor his son would set the river afire. But
he looks clever. 1 wouldn't go without my
meat fol dinner to save 1t up for his sup
your right hand fur a man. an then likes
not he'll grumble cause you're left-nanded.
! Oh, 1 know 'em! I've summered 'em an
wintered 'em. You eat your meat"
Unfortuna tely, Gus, having come home
| half an hour earlier than common, heard
every word of this speech. because he was
! in the hall outside. Sitting by Mrs. Groves
side now, he wriggled in his seat under the
| prick of those remembered sentences. Mrs
| Grove turned her pale green eyes on him.
! ''Th:nkin' of BUYING" said she.
I've not decided" replied Gus. coldly.
well. l wouldn't, then" Mrs. Grove Sid
without expression either in face or man
ner. Better go home.
II guess if you'd followed your own ad-
vice you'd have been q good deal poorer"
| said Gus; and when a man opposite laughed
| he felt a glow of satisfaction. His wits
| were equal to this old harpy's.
| Well said Mrs. Grove. deliberately
that's different. I've got some money to
! fool away IL l wanter. an you ain I. I'm
| plenty smart enough and plenty mean
| enough TO be n match for the real estate
booms gon' on forever an ever amen. 1t
| amt -"
"Oh, I'll risk it," Gus laughed.
/ lNDl yfyoer hir,,o
| said: We'll. faint none of my business"
| Gus was tempted to reply that he agreed
with her there: but on consideration II at
! she was a woman he forbore. though he
| chafed almost as much over her grim ST.
| lence as over he words. To divert his
| thoughts he screwed his head around until
he could look out on the landscape. Soon
the scattering houses were passed. The
muddy road cut a straight black line
! through the green sea of prairie. The talk
| and the jokes went on; the brass hand
played in front: the horses were of good
mettle and trotted swiftly; still Gus Won
dered if the addition was not rather distant
| from the town. At last they reached the
! stand for the sale. and the beer pavilion,
| and the flock of little flags standing sent-ies
| ove- the lots. There were no trees and no
| grass; but pools of water glimmered under
| the huge dock leaves, and there was a rank
growth of plantain and Unison and smart
| weed, making the ground quite green,
from distance. as grass would do. Mr..
Wheelan plodded through the mud. and Gus
splashed after The lucky Spectator halted
before flag bearing the number 1903. Gus
| also halted.
Il suppose they will build I'D rapidlv. {"
said Gus. Wheelan made a motion with
his shoulders. between a shrug and a shiv-
er. You thinking Of investing, young
MANI"
We'll. yes. Amt 1t a good investment? ''
IF you can afford to lose the money,
young man. then you can afford to specu-
| late in land, and You may make something
If you buy right. But if you can't afford to
lose you better not touch 1t. You heard
Mrs. Grove She's apt to be sound" So
saying, Wheelan walked away.
! TN bet he's just trying to scare me of
cause he wants that lot himself" was Gus
instant thought. So readily do We impute
oeep-laid craft to other peoples motives.
and so seldom do We allow them to be
! swayed by random impulses like our own.
| Ten minutes later. Gus was the owner of
| lot 1903, and he returned home with the
deed in his pocket. He found Lizzie dis
tracted with anxiety over his long absence.
Matters were not greatly helped by the ex-
PLANTATION. Lizzie grew quite pale Gus
then-the parlor"-she stammered, making
pathetic effort at concealing her disap-
polntment; but of course, We can wait
awhile" If she had reproached him IT
would have been easier, Gus thought He
kissed her, and called her his nrecious
brave little Wife and Lizzie, poor soul.
| for minute believed that such words were
peter than chairs or curtains. He broke
| INTO a fervid eulogy of the lots, directly
on the street-car line"
"Oh, did you go out in the cars Gus?'
VI course not, the track amt laid: but
it's right on the line. And there's an cas-.
tern syndicate and parties from Chicago
the magnificent gossip of the wagon was
repeated until LiZZie's imagination caught
fire, and she reproached herself for her
wicked disa appointment. Before they went to
bed they had made no less than six hundred
dollars. In view of such opulence Lizzie
herself did not consider a beefsteak for sup
per eXtravagant. She even allowed herself
to be helped twice.
From thenceforth lot 1903 may be said 10
have become one of the family. They talk
ed of II constantly. Gus and Sammy were
taken out to view the family estate in
consequence Mrs. Plaintiff spent the most
of the night removing cookie burrs and
mud from their garments. Sammy explain.
ed that in their glee they had ''wrastled''
and slipped. Say, amt papa real kinder
happy all the time now?' said Gus He
gives me a nickel most every Sunday"
Yes dearie, but I'd save 'em, IL 1 was
you" said his mother. And for some rea-
son she sighed.
She asked Mrs. Grove to give her more
! work. saying she could find more time She
found il by rising earlier. An how's 1903 %
| said Mrs. Grove; sold 1t YETI"
NO, but Gus is offered seven hundred
| dollars: but there is strong talk of the
| canning factory wanting it."
Tell him to sell it, if it's cash or a good
man
Gus nodded his head wisely over this mes
sage Il guess | understand tho old f,ro1ra,s