Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-07-02


ness.
81 surely must find some way oi
earning my bread, said the girl. 'Ii
only I knew which way to turn!"
cts pity, amt It," said Mrs.
Hall, industriously shaking the table
cloth out at the back door, greatly to
Old Lantern satisfaction, "that Obed
Stilton amt back from sea? Second
mate he is now, amt he?"
Kitty colored deeply, and dropped
Glowing blue" cup on the table,
fortunately without its sustaining any
damage.
''It would make no difference to me,
whether he was at home or not" said
she.
Mrs. Hall stared.
"Why, amt ye keepin' company 2"
she bluntly demanded.
Kitty shook her head, and stopped
to pick up two tined fork-vain de-
vice-to hide her bushes.
"No," said she, "we never were en-.
gagged !"
''But he used to come to your house
Sunday evenings, steady?"
''That was nothing"
"Obed Stilton was real smart fell
low," observed Mrs. Hall, as she
spread red-and- black table-cover on
the table.
Kitty cried good deal the first
night or two of her sojourn at the
Widow Halls, but youth and health
are cheerful elements, and presently
she began to smile again, especially at
the gradually revealed oddities of Mr..
Benjamin Higgs, the boarder.
''lsn't he homely?" said she to her
hostess.
"Well-no-not Jest exactly home,
ly," said Mrs. Hail. ~ don't deny
that his nose is n little to one side,
and his eyes amt a pretty color, nor
his teeth amt exactly regular. OF
course he amt got profile like Obed
Stilton had. But he's got dreadful
pleasant face, especially when he
smiles, and he is handy bout the
house. He whitewashed my buttery
ceiling better'n old Jubal Jones
could'a done it, and the way he fixed
the stove-oven can't be beat"
"Do you think he is young?"
"Bout thirty, 1 guess.
'Oh, he must be forty"
"There's older folks than forty in
the world" said Mrs. Hall. "Young
people, they don't think nobody has
no business to live arter they're six
teen years old. But they find out
afterwards.
One day, however, Kitty-who had
gone to the barn after eggs-came
crying back to the kitchen.
'I'll never speak to that man
again !" sobbed she-''never Oh, I
hate him-I hate him"
claws sake, child, what's the mat
ter?" cried Mrs. Hall.
sold Lantern is dead. I saw him
shoot her !"
"Mr. Higgs! Shoot Old Lantern 2"
"She sat there right on her nest in
the haymow, under the big beam
where the sunshine comes in. She
knew me, for l saw her black eyes
sparkle like glass beads, just as they
always do when she catches sight of
me and then-and then-oh, never
can forgive him !" walled Kitty.
"But l never heerd no gun 60 of, "
said Mrs. Hall.
And at the same moment Mr.. Higgs
came in, beaming and exultant.
81 guess l did it that time" said
he.
Kitty could only flash an angry
glance at him, but Mrs. Hall eagerly
inquired
"Done what?"
SCOT first-rate picture OF that old
speckled hen on her nest in the hay.
That's the sort of picture" he added,
complacently, "that sells better than
all the waterfalls and picturesque
ruins going. A baby in hammock,
dog asleep on the kitchen floor, a
kitten playing with ball-that's the
thing that catches the public eye.
And I've turned trump card this
time"
While Old Lantern herself, flying
cackling past the window, set her lit
tie mistress heart at rest.
II took his camera for a gun," she
confessed to Mrs. Hall. "Oh, how
foolish / was |"
Shoot your pet Dominique, Miss
Cotton Why" cried Mr.. Higgs,
"what do you take me for? 1 wouldn't