Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-03-24
uIss RUDnY's VACATION.
ny SOPHIE SWEET.

ny SOPHIE SWEET.
A square OF sunshine lay UNDECIDED
on Miss Ruhamah Battles new sit.
ting room carpet, and two flies buzzed
unmolested about her green paper
curtains.
Miss Ruhamah sat darning stock.
ingsinher ld.fashioned rocking. chair
and rocked uneasily as she darned.
An odor Of burning from the
kitchen grew very pungent before 1t
reached her usually vigilant nostrils.
When ut last she dropped the stock
ing she was darning and hurried to
the stove, her nearest neighbor, Mrs.
Priscilla Peet, met her at the kitchen
door.
GOOD land, Rumy says to Mira,
IT can't be- says I. I've lived
near neighbor to Rumy Battles for
most thirty years, and / never
smelled anything burnin' in her
Kitchen You must have something
more'n common on your mind"
"If hadn't shouldn't never have
baked that pie" said Miss Rumy as
In kind of patient dismay, she
drew blackened mass from her
stove oven. II don't set much by
pastry. It comes so odd to do for
one that don't know what TO do.
Miss Rumy was largo woman and
slow Of motion. Mrs. Poet, who was
angular and wiry, watched her as she
moved heavily about, taking thrifty
care OF all that remained Of her pie.
ut must be q real relief to have
nobody but yourself to do for" she
said. ~ tell you what It Is, Rumy,
you're all wore out. II was you I'd
20 of somewheres and take u good
long vacation. It's time you had o
chance to be like other folks"
The two women had moved into
the sitting room by this time; and
Mrs. Peet, in neighborly fashion,
took up the stocking Miss Rumy had
dropped, and went energetically to
work upon 1t.
Miss Rumy looked about for It
vaguely, and then folded her hands
In her large lap with u helpless ges-
ture, and the heavy folds Of her chin
quivered.
"Why, Rumy, you be all wore Quit
said Mrs. Peet, alphabetically.
"You amt had anything new to upset
your"
"Nothin' but what you was talkin'
about. I've got to have a vacation
The doctor he's been sayin' SO ever
since I had the inAuenzy in the spring
and Nahum's folks they're set upon
It; but I'm sure don't see how can
manage it. It's u dreadful upsettin
idea"
Land sakes, Rumy Battles, you
can 60 Jest us we'll as not! should
like to know what's to hender you,
with no men folks, nor haydn nor
anything on your mind, now Nahum s
got the farm; and you've earnt va
cation II ever anybody did,"
"Josiah's folks up to Hebron have
always been wantin' me to come u
said Miss Rumy; but seems rs II
twas u good ways, and my second
crop of peas Is comm on, and the
fastenin' Is broke on the buttery
window, and my hens"-
Now, Rumy, II you begin to
reckon up hindranccs like that,
you'll never go. know Jest how tis
with some folks; and some can &c
oR and leave everything ut skies and
sevens, and never think anything
about it. There was Emerette Small.
ledge, that kept school here when We
was young. Do you remember how
she went olr to England in sailin'
| l,nt Of lnt L
captain of, and never waited to close
her SCHOOL,"
"Emerette never did seem to have
O rcalizin' sense" said Miss Rumy.
"Why, / never thought, Rumy,
that she was the one"-
~ dom know as 1t makes any
dif'runce that she was the one that
Luther Merridew married." said Mis-,
Rumy, with O faint glow upon hel
soft and seamy old cheeks.
"Rumy Battles, Lizy Ann and
was talkin' yesterday, and We botl
of us said we never see anybody tina
had done SO much and give up 81
much for other folks as you have !!
Mrs. Peet spoke impulsively, and
held her needle suspended above he
stocking in an impressive pause.
"Well, I don't know" said Miss
Rumy, smoothing out imaginary fold
in her purple calico lap.
"'Tisn't that ! think it's sucl
great things to get married, good
ness knows! But whena girl has {
good chance, and has been keepin
cOmp'ny for long time, it does seen
hard to give 1t up for the sake o.
takin' care Of the old folks. An,
then your sister M'randy gettin' bed
rid. I amt sayin' she could help 1t
but we all know that some gets bed
rid eastern others; and your havin
to bring up her children, and thel
their olearin' right out and lookin
out fof nobody but themselves whel
times was the hardest with you."
They're oil real well provided for
, and that's comfort" said Mis-
Rumy.