Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-09-15
CHAPTKR ".
ANNIE.

was awakened next moning by the sound
of voices In the chamber. and looking forth
from my sleeping place, / saw my uncle.
seated in his stained flannel clothes, devour-
Ing a substantial breakfast of tea and home
baked cakes Of my aunt's making, waited on
by little Annie, who, seen in the bright morn
Ing light, looked even cleaner and neater
than she had looked the night before.
'Lawd ~loye'ee, little woman." my uncle
wa saying, "whO put that sart o nawnsense
into your head! | warrant Tawm Penrud-
dock, or some other gomeril. ha' been up
here clacking TO mother. Dawn't go dawn
the mine nav more? Why. the mines bread
and butter. yittles and drink, to you and
mes'
Tom P~enruddock says faint safe, father"
returned Annie. And Tom ought 10 know,
for he's worked there ever since he was
bcIn.'
he knaws no moro than this chunk o.
bread, little ma He's the idlest chap o.
the gang. Tawm is. There, dawn't you
WORT. The Lawd's under the earth as well
as above it, and III take care OF father, never
feaI!'
Unseen in my corner, | slipped on my
clothes; bat, by the time 1 had done so, my
unese had left the cottage. Annie was still
there, and she took me to a little bedroom up
stais, where l washed, and brushed my hair.
Descending again to the quaint old kitchen,
/ found my aunt. just colns in from feeding
the poultry. She gave a kindly nod; Hien,
sitting down at the table, drew me gently to
her, and, pushing the hair off my forehead,
looked t%houghtfully into my face.
al NJ ,,a Lob 81 $40 Er az ylirbt lodi Az
/ was right-you be as like your poor father
as one pea is like another. Lawd forbid you
should Ger be half "a c~iever!.'
"Why not, mother?!' asked Annie, who
was looking on with q smile.
'B cause he were too clever 10 sattle down.
He nn)ied up and dawn like a moor pony,
till the Lawd took 'un, and ne'er make him
self a home: and when he died, there was
none of his kith and kin near him to close
his eyes. Thar, lad. sit dawn and take your
breakfast. Wen try to make a man OF ZEE,
for nv ,oor sisters sake"
Thia sudden al,usiOn TO my dead parents,
coupled with the strangeness of my sur
roundiaEs, brought before N. more forciaiy
than ever the utter forlurnncss OF my posi-
ton, and sent the tears starting to my eyes.
/ fancy Aanie noticed tais, for she quickly
changed the subject, asked her mot4er Tor
some Eore hot scenes, and put acAalr tor me
at the table.
This diversion gave me ample time TO re-
cover myself. Feeling heartily ashamed Of
my exhibition OF weakness, | swallowed the
lump In my throat, dashed the back of my
hand across my eyes, and determined from
that hour forth TO remember shat tears did
not become "a man."
The breakfast was appetizing-perhaps
from the very ~stTangeness of it. Never be-
fore in my life had | had placed before me,
at eight o'clock in the morning, a meal OF
hot scenes, boiled potatoes, aud milk yet
nightly pleased my aunt by disposng OF
enough to keep NE going for the rest OF the
day.
.Ah! lad" she exclaimed, as her bright
eye kind!ed with pleasure, ''you's gawt m
Cornish blood in zee, after all, and cal eat
your yit.les with a relish. You'm got no
proud stomach. my lad, and viii be man
ike your uncle before lawng."
The breakfast being over, my aunt and
Annie busted themselves with setting things
to rights and, feeling somewhat in the
way, | took my cap and strolled out, to ind
out il could what sort OF a country l had
been landed in.
The kitchen door opened directly into the
''back yard" as they called it. and here ]
found the poultry leisurely picking UP the
grain which my aunt had given them before
greyhound, IL seemed to me, which, the mo-
ment | made my appearance, came wriggling,
serpent fashion, about my feet.
paSSQd tbrnnas, tha ,-ari .1,,l A. A.
front OF the house, the puppy following close
at my heels. The front OF the cottage was
very uim and neat; and there was a very
small garden here, which was tclerably well
cultivated: l afterward learned 1t belonged
to Annie, and owed its pretty appearance en-
tirely to her hands. Ii was a curious Illus.
trailon OF the mingling in her OF the useful
and ornamental. She was pass.onately fond
OF flowers n two-thirds of her little garden
was devoted TO them, while In the other third
were bees Of mustard and cress, radishes.
ana celery, with which she regularly supplied
''relishes' for the table.
Having made q rapid survey of the little
garden, I turned my eyes on the prospect be-
fore AM beside me. The cottage, which
stood alene on q slight ~emfnence, was faced
INN ,diAtely by the high road which swept
past anA curved on to the vaiage, which lay
some quarter of q mile to the left ImR,eai-
ately before me was what seemed to me a
dark expansc OF morass, bleak and barren
enough, n dotted here and there with
ciuinps Of stunted trees. Beyond was the
sea, calm, cold, and giimmering Ike steel.
i strollcd careleasly along tho road, anus
ing myself from time 70 time by throwing a
stick and irving To teach thu MUMMY IN "a
trieve. A couple of hundred yards from tho
cottage ! came to a N iron gate, surrounded
by a plantation Of f~ir-trees. and with q long
avenue leading ! knew not whfther. Here l
paused. and, without thinking. threw the
stick as far ~ I could up the venue But
the puppy crouched at my feet and declined
to stir. 30 l opened the gate and went IN.
i had NJ gone many yards when q sharp
voice arrosGed me.
"HrrA I Say, tour' 1t cried. "What are
you doias kersy'
isoked up and saw . boy about my own
age, dressed uke Q young gentleman. He