The Olneyville tribune. (Providence, R.I.) 1893-189?, 1894-02-24
UlISS RUmY'S VaCHTION.
BY SOPHIE 4

A square Of sunshine lay UNDECIDED
on Miss Ruhamah Battles new sit
ting room carpet, and two flies buzzcd
unmolestcd about her green paper
curtains.
Miss Ruhamah sat darning stock
ingsinher old-fashioned rocking-chair
and rocked uneasily as she darned.
An odor Of burning from the
kitchen grew very pungent before il
reached her usually vigilant nostrils.
When at last she dropped the stock
ing she was darning and hurried TO
the stove, her nearest ncighbor, Mrs.
Priscilla Poet, met her atthc Kitchen
door.
Good land, Rumy | saysto MIRA,
Tt can't be- says !. 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
"lf | hadn't | shouldn't never have
baked that pie" said Miss Rumy as
in a kind Of patient dismay, she
drew n blackened mass from her
stove oven. II don't set much by
pastry. II comes so odd TO do for
one that don't know what 10 do.
Miss Rumy was n large woman and
slow OF motion. Mrs. Peet, who was
angular and why, watched her as she
moved heavily about, taking thrifty
,-, - oil tInt r,,,nt~n1 ~ hn,. nfn
1T must be a real relief TO have
nobody but yourself to do for" she
said. 81 tell you what it is, Rumy,
you're all wore out. II | was you I'd
20 off somewheres and take a good
long vacation. It's time you had n
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 il.
Miss Rumy looked about for it
vaguely, and then folded her hands
in her large lap with n helpless ges-
ture, and the heavy folds Of her chin
quivered.
why, Rumy, you be all wore out!'
said Mrs. Peet, sympathetically.
"'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 had the inhuenzy i'm the spring
and Nahum's folks they're set upon
il; but I'm sure ! don't see how | can
manage it. It's a dreadful upscttin'
Land sakes, Rumy Battles, YOU
can go jest as well as not! | should
like TO know what's to bender you,
with no men folks, nor haydn nor
anything on your mind, now Nahum's
got the farm and you've earnt a va
cation il even anybody did"
"Josiah's folks up to Hebron have
always been wantin' me to come, "
said Miss Rumy; " but seems as if
twas a good ways, and my second
crop Of peas is comm ON, and the
iastenin' is broke on the buttcry
window, and my hens -
Now, Rumy, il you begin to
reckon up hindrances like that,
you'll never go. ! know Jest how 'tis
with some folks; and some can 60
of and leave everything at skies and
sevens, and never think anything
about il. There was Emerette Small
ledge, that kept school here when we
was young. Do you remember how
she went off to England i'm n sailin'
vessel that some Of her relations was
captain of, and never waited TO close
her SCHOOL,"
"Emerette never did seem to have
a realizin' sense" said Miss Rumy.
why, / never thought, Rumy,
that she was the one"-
81 don know as il makes any
dif'runce that she was the one that
Luther Merridew married, said Miss
Rumy, with a faint glow upon her
soft and seamy old cheeks.
''Rumy Battles, Lily Ann and
was talkin' yesterday, and we both
Of us said we never see anybody that
had done so much and give up sc
much for other folks as you haver.
Mrs. Peet spoke impulsively, and
held her needle suspended above hei
stocking in an impressive pause.
well, i don't know" said Miss
Rumy, smoothing out imaginary folds
in her purple calico lap.
"'Tisn't that ] think it's sucl
great things TO get married, GOO;
ness knowsl But when a girl has