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

1lere, Salu Suo Oiuh L always
tell you so?"
Gideon Tucker went stolidly on
plucking a fine, fat duck for market.
You're most always tellin' me Of
something" said he. 1T would be
kind O. queer if some of your say-so's
didn't come true
Things couldn't help happening"
said Mrs. Tucker, with that old sunk
en- well right in the middle of the med
der. You had your best cow lamed
there the first year we bought the place
and DR.. Dupont's hired man liked to
broke his neck there"
"Just come short of it," said Gideon.
Anyhow, he had no business short
cutting it across my pasture lots. But
there, Fanny, 'tain't no use your scold-
il. / always calculated to fill up that
we'll when l got time And I'm sorry
IS you be that the schoolma'm sprain-
ed her ankle there. She's a nice girl,
and she helps to support that old aunt
o. hern out West, an"
"It was all my own fault, Mr.. Tuck
err" broke in a sweet, CHEEKY voice.
Its Just as you said about DR.. Du-
points hired man. / hadn't any busi-
ness crossing your lot, but | was in
such hurry, and it's an eighth of
mile shorter than to go around by the
main road"
Miss Ritchie, the village school mis-
tress, stood there in the doorway lean
ing on a roughly improvised crutch
which Harry Wait, the carpenter, had
made for her.
Her cheeks were pale, and there was
a look of suffering on her brow, even
though sort of forced smile had been
summoned to her lips for the occasion.
La, me, Miss Kitty" said the farm
er's wife, fastening to bring a rush.
bottomed kitchen chair. You do look
clean peaked out. Gideon, go down
suller an bring up a glass O. cold root
beer right away"
Il can't do it, Mrs. Tucker" said
Kitty, sinking into the chair. "It's no
use trying"
Cant do what, Miss Kitty"
81 walked to the school house this
morning." Miss Richie answered,
leaning on my crutch and resting by
turns. And I've walked far on my
back. But l feel sick and faint, and I
can go no farther"
There" said Mrs. Tucker, tragical-
ly apostrophiZing her husband as he
stood at the head of the cellar stairs
with a stone bottle of home-brewed
root beer in his hand, "see what you've
done.'
"'Twan't mew suffered poor Gid
con.
Miss Kitty II hev to give up her
school," added his wife, "and all
through your
Kitty could not but smile, even
through the pain Of her stinging limb
at Gideon fuckers rueful face.
"Oh, 1t isn't so bad as thatv said
she. "Or, at least, hope not. I mean
to keep my school if I possibly can.
And I'd tell you what my plans are.
You know that old house under the
locusts?"
"Whatw cried Mrs. Tucker "The
Ritchie RUM"
Kittie WINGED little.
YES" said she. 81 suppose it is a
ruin. The grass is growing up
through the kitchen floor, and the
shingles have all rotted away on the
north side. and don't suppose there's
a pane of glass left in any of the win
dows. But the doors are sound, and
the roof doesn't leak to signify. Henry
able with a few pine boards and a
pound or so of nails, so long as the
weather don't turn cold, and If Mr..
Tucker would allow me to live there
this fall"
Taint fit for even foxes to live
inp cried Mr.. Tucker, hurriedly.
Why" more slowly spoke her
spouse 81 was calkilatin' to store my
NJ ho
course, if you've took a notion to the
place"
Il was born there, Mr.. Tucker"
said Kitty, in low voice. Long be-
fore father and mother were obliged to
sell the old place. Long before poor
ola Aunt Ruhamah wandered away and
went to her relations out West"
"Yes,' observed Mr.. Tucker, nerv-
ously scratching his head, "and until
get your Aunt Ruey's signature to my
title deeds they won't be worth more'n
so much waste paper. At least so
Lawyer Goodrich says. For she had
some sort of share in the property,
sane or crazy"
Miss Ritchie colored.
rather sold the farm to you, Mr..
Iucker," said she, "and it's my busi-
NSSS W Sco ludl LHe JTdnSactlOn Is le-
gal. Aunt Ruey is coming back"
"Eh! cried the farmer and his wife.
in chorus.
Il had letter from her yesterday, !"
said Kitty That's one reason I'm
here to-day. The cousins in Ohio
won't have her any longer. She is
getting older and more eccentric every
day, and they say-what is quite true
that 1t is my business to care for
her. And the poor thing expects to
come back to the old Richie farm
house just as II she had left It yes
terday! So If Mrs. Tucker will lend
me few articles of furniture, I'll try
TO make the place habltable for her."
And you're kindly welcome to 'em.
my dear" said the farmers wife.
There is plenty of old furniture up in
the garret that we can rub up with a
little oil and make decent. And it's
our business to help you all we can.
seein' It's Gideon's fault"