The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1895-02-12

forgiven Mary IL she had ever Ven
tured to give so much as n stale bis
cunt to tramp or any of the poor
families living in the vicinity.
"How long has she been sick"
queried Mrs. Muggins, as she passed
the speaker fragrant cup of tea,
which he at once proceeded to turn
INTO his saucer before appearing to
notice the question.
Nigh onto ten days" he replied,
after the first gulp.
81 heard she was sick at meetin', "
put IN James, who was regular Mt
tendant at all religious services, but a
most reluctant giver when the plate
was passed.
You knew she was sick last Sun
day and never told me, here put in
Mrs. Muggins, with more spirit than
she had ever shown in the whole ten
years of her service in the old house
on the edge of the prairie
what was the use? When folks is
sick they amt no account, aud there's
no sense of well folks bein' worried
about EN-. | thought AS how eff you'd
IA knowed Phoebe wuz took down you
might er had some notion of goin'
over to see her, and KNOWN it wuz
soap-mHkin' time | thought Ia better
not"
Mrs. Muggins only bit her lip at
this typical selfish explanation, but
her hand trembled rs she refilled Hen
rvs cup, and INTO her eyes crept n
look Of determination such as they had
seldom worn since Muggins died.
81 s'pose the pa'son wanted some
thin. Pears as if that man amt con
tent with n decent house and $50 "A
year for preachin' only twice on Sun
day. Some folks never know when
they're well or "
"a hundred and fifty dollars year
amt much when there's five mouths
to feed, and besides, you know he
don't get that regular" put in Mrs.
Muggins, the new spirit of resistance
making her feel inclined to argue
every question that was raised. The
brothers looked MT each other in
alarm. They did not know what to
make of this outbreak from the usual
ly passive third member of the house
hold. James, who recovered first,
evidently thought it best to nip any
such argumentative tendency in the
bud, SO, with an impressive cough and
n look indicative of the pride he felt
in thus suppressing the offender, he
said
"Mary, wimmen folks wasn't made
to think. What Pa'son Highs salary
is or how it is paid, is no consarn of
yourn. L think your kittle has billed
over"
When Mary went to look after the
imaginary trouble on the stove he
turned to his brother and as nearly
winked as he had ever been guilty of
doing, and then took up the thread of
the interrupted discourse.
"What did the pa'son say wuz ailin'
Phebe?"
Fever" laconicalIy answered
Henry; "it's some kind of catchin'
thing. an no onc'll go near her She
amt 90 no doctor, nuther, but pa'son
knows a good bit about medicine, an
he says she'll die eff some one don't 20
an nuss her pretty quick"
"Why don't his wife go eff it's so bad
as MI that?" put in james.
Mother baby" gruhly replied
Henry.
Goodness me-" said his brother,
jumping up; there we've set talkin'
and it's ten minits past our usual time
fer goin' ter bed. Good night, Mary.
Henry, don't set there starin' like nm
owl, ut which the other arose and the
two went above and were lost in
dreams long before poor, tired, little
Mrs. Muggins had finished tidying ND
the kitchen.
The brothers would not have slept
so peacefully if they had known that
mp in Mrs. Muggins's room the single
candle was spluttcring along until
close on to midnight and the former
meek little sister in its feeble light
was busily engaged in putting some
OF her belongings into the capacious
carpet-ba2 that she had brought out
West ten years before. "It's downright
heathenish, that's what it is, " she said
to herself rs she patted down an extra
nightcap. eff they want TO go before
their Maker with that girls death on
their conscience 1t is more than / do,
and even though they turn me out of
doors, I'm going to go aud do my duty
by PhHbe-poor girl many time
she's given me helping hand when /
was ready TO drop, and she knew right
well, too, she couldn't expect any pay
for it. I've got my $1,000 and its &C.
cumulated interest, and if the worst
comes to the worst I'll just pack MP,
and when Phoebe gets well she and iii
go East and SEQ if We cant make a
living somehow. Land knows 7
couldn't work any harder than have
in tho last ten years if I had to 20
into 20 factory"
Thus it was that i'm the morning
whom the brothers came downstairs
they found note on the table OK
planning the absence of the household
drudge, who loss they already kccuIv
felt, the cold stove and unpropnrcd
breakfast teaching them very con-
cIusiycIy That they needed % woman
around.
Strange Mary never showed mo-
notion of lucHu over the trncos
nforc,' said Henry. ne he triod To-
drink cup of very muddy coffee pre-
pprcd by Jamcs "Wimmcn is nu
queer, nm you kin mover tell when