The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-12-14

tees raise my salary, as tney talk Oh
doing II that extra class of mathe-
matics is started, shall soon be able
to pay little rent for the place."
II guess we shan't dun you much
for no rent, Miss Ritchie," chuckled
Fucker. AN you're welcome to the
milk Of the red COW II you an the old
aunty want It, A cows a dreadful
help in housekeepin'."
Miss Ritchie thanked them and went
on her way, limping slowly along.
'T'd a hitcbed up old Jack and took
her the rest of the way home" observ-
ed Tucker, as he stretched his neck
look after the departing figure, "if
hadn't a. seen Harry Waits carpenter
wagon comm down the road. An
guess amt one to spoil sport"
"Twon't never be match IL Kitty
Ritchie shoulders the burden O. that
old crazy aunt o. her'n," said Mrs.
Tucker. "a man can't be expected to
marry whole madhouse."
II guess kitty's worth IT," declared
Fucker.
"She is good girlr said his wife.
And there was one time folks s'posed
she was going to be an heiress-when
che old sea captain uncle came home
with the prize money that he gained
in the war"
81 don't believe there ever was any
prize money!" said Mr.. Tucker, resum-
ing his task of denuding the plump
duck of its feathers. "Therew
Il know there vast nodded his
wife. Mrs. Ritchie showed it to me
herself. All gold eagles, tied up in a
l,o. Io, Il oh frtr
The old captain gave it to her for nus
sin him through that fever"
whats the reason you never said
nothln' about it before?" questioned
Tucker.
Mrs. Ritchie made me promise not
to tell. She was afeard O. bein' rob-
bed"
And what ever came of it?'
That's what nobody knows. Jest's
likes not old Eben Richie put it into
the iron-mining consarn that honey
combed Blue Mountain and never done
no good. Or p'r'aps he invested it in
lottery tickets. He never had no judg-
ment Now, don't you go to chatterin'
about this, Gid Tucker. Mind, I'm
under promise to the poor old creetur
that's dead and buried"
Some promises is better broken
than kept" said Gideon.
But Mrs. Tucker knew that the Sc
cret was safe with her uncommunica-
tive spouse.
Meanwhile the builders wagon had
stopped before the old one-storied
ruin of the Ritchie house, strongly
silhouted by the red smolder of the
September sunset.
Kitty" said young Wait, stealing
his arm coaxingly around her waist,
you can't live in an old shell like
this! Give up your false pride, love!
Let me make home for YOU"
Kitty bit her lip.
"And have it said," said she, that
Henry Wait was the only one of the
Wait family that made a bad matchw
II don't care what people say"
81 do"
kitty, let's go to the parson to-
night Let's be married.
Kitty shook her head.
"Not until I've saved up enough to
buy decent outfit" said she. mot
until I've paid the last debt that poor
father owed"
"I'll pay 'em, Kitty"
"No, Harry, you won't. l can be as
unselfish as you are" cried the girl.
"Oh, hush! Who is that?"
A board in the old floor had creak-
ed softly, a shadowy little figure had
come forward with a sliding motion
into the light.
BE you Kitty" asked a soft, high
pitched little voice. "Is this home?
I've come a good ways and Pm sort O.
turned round"
Its Aunt Ruhamahr cried Kitty.
why, how came she here? And all
by herselfv
woman, shifting her fat travelling
basket, land I'm sort O. turned round
But / followed Sister Sarah all the
way. She went before, and she beck
oned. / followed her here. And she's
gone out to the old well. I'm sort o.
feared to follow her into the high wet
grass, but she keeps a-beckoning,' and
I guess I'll have to go!'
She started for the door, passing her
hand in confused fashion over her
forehead.
What does she mean?" asked Harry
Wait.
'She means mother" said Kitty
mother, that has been dead and
buried these fifteen years."
Don't you see her a-beckonin'?"
piped the little old woman, "just there
by the old well? We never could get
Eben to put curb there, and Sister
Sarah was always afeared something
would happen"
Il see the tall grass waving" said
Kitty, "and a cloud coming over the
surface of the rising moon, and that
is ALL"
'It's Sister Sarah" said Aunt Ruey,
pushing resolutely ahead, "and she
wants me- Why, Kitty, do you mean
to tell me that you don't know your
own mother?"
Kitty sent for Harry Wait the next
day.
Harry" said she, "do you want to
do something for me?"
II want to do everything for you,
Kitty"
That's nonsensew (But she laugh
ed and colored nevertheless) II want
n mi Ill