Crawford avalanche., 1895-07-11

"Tabby. what do yop think -
meanss' asked Besoie. sIttlng down
and husglng her pet tithtly in her
uems.
Poor little old Puss. you'd tell
me ifyou could. wouldnt your You
don't want mamma sad any more
than / do"
Puss purred softly.
Isn't 1t funny. Tabby, how man.
ma goes away every Friday after
noon, with. that basket full OF good
things to eat. things you and ! sell
dom get. Tabby, because mamma
says she can't afford to give US
goodies. But how can she afford to
take jelly and fruit and everything
to that poor family? Can you tell,
Puss? She dresses up, too, as II she
were going to church, and always
seems so excited. No matter how
many people come to see her that
day about orders, and no matter how
much work she has on hand. she
leaves everything and goes"
Just then o knock came at the
door.
Before Bessie could open it q
woman entered. A small plaid shawl
was thrown over her head and she
carried O cracked teacup.
How dye do, Bessie" she said.
II seen your ma goin' down the
street, an bein' ez you wus alone
thought I'D run over q spell; an
did want some sugar. ef you could
lend me little. l thought as how
your ma might have granoolated in
the house after all her fine cookin'.
My sister wuz took wuss las night;
can't seem to settle any food, an l
thought I'd beat her up a custard.
How's your ma these days; mopin'
ez us'al?"
The unexpected visitor babbled on,
arranging herself comfortably before
the fire.
.Pretty lonesome fer you an your
ma livin' here ALI alone" she con-
tinued. "You don't seem to hev
much company. Your ma never
goes out 'cept Fridays, does she?'
Bessie wanted to say that her
mother did not find congenial society
in the neighborhood. She wondered
how this woman knew about herself
and her "ma." She never came to
the house, and Bessie knew she was
person of whom her mother dis
approved.
"How long has your pa been dead,
child" was the next blunt ques-
tion.
Tears sprang to the girls eyes.
20, Miss Cover, papa has been
dead long. long while, ever since l
was little child, but don't ask me
about papa lit makes me feel SO bad, }"
she cried.
'Why?" questioned Miss Cover.
"Why" repeated Bessie, "Why
does it make any one feel badly to
think OF ones dead father?"
"Most gener'lly because they re-
collect how good he wuz." was the
ambiguous reply. ''An' you surely
don't remember nothin' about your
pa?"
NO" sighed Bessie; mot much,
but I've always wished that l did
remember"
Il suppose your ma talks good
deal to you about him?"
The questions were becoming in
tolerable.
"No, she doesn't. 1t makes her
unhappy to talk about him. ! used
to ask her questions and questions,
Just like you are asking me, Miss
Cover. / never knew before why it
made her feel bad to be asked ques-
tions; now / know" said Bessie.
Hum" muttered the spinster.
the consonant held long while be-
hind her thin lips.
Bessie thought it would sound
almost like pussy's purr only it was
disagreeable--a purr with a claw
in it
"These poor folks must be in awful
straits to take your ma out sich a
day ez this"
And you must have wanted sugar
very much, Miss Cover, to have come
out in such weather." ventured
Bessie: land am sorry we cannot
oblige you about fine sugar We use
the light brown; il that will do
you're welcome to it."
You hain't alters lived in Thorn
aston, hev your" asked Miss Cover.
when Bessie went into the pantry to
fill the cup.
No answer.
Seems ez though I'd heerd thet
you used to live in Bangor. What
ever made your ma leave q lovely
city like that to come to this little
town."
For some unknown reason Tabby
elevated her yellow back and gave
vicious little spit.
Il told you the last time you were
here that was born in Bangor. l
guess that is how you heard it, Miss
Cover, and how mamma moved here
because she could not live in our old
home, where she and papa had been
so happy, without him, and how she
thought she could live cheaper in q
small place and maybe get more
work Mamma said when you
wanted to know more come and ask
her."
Bessie came ont OF the pantry.
Hum" said Miss Cover, and as
her young hostess stood with the
door open suggestively she could
but take the hint and the offered
cup of sugar and 60, but not without
parting shaft.
LEI you followed your ma some