Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-07-18


you to b happy and stay happy. The
door TO II 10 duty. ! know. ! misssd
II myself, and 10 missed my grand.
children, unless can be grandmother
To yours, Classy. Idon't so much miss
my man, nor my children, but I guess
It'll Be pretty hard on Miss Sophronie
Ilse II she misses her grandchildren
The house was soon tidied-not .
long task, for tidiness was it, normal
condition-vegetables made ready.
fowls put TO roast, and ham cut In .
profusion which looked to the young
wife like waste.
Eleven had struck before the engine
had snorted and pulled it, way into.
the rick yard 1t Albert Stanning's, but
ahead Of 1t rode the young master Of,
the farm, sheepishly conscious that h.
had been cruelty unjust, and sure that
he would have to acknowledge the
same before Ciasys eyes would look
kindly At him again.
Delicious odors greeted him - BE-
nearcd the house. No one was In the
kitchen, but there was Q sound Of
some one moving shout In the dining
room adjoining. Rows upon rows Of
delicious looking pies were ranged up.
on the pantry shelves, pumpkin, cher.
~ and apple. Near them was pan Of
fragrant brown pudding, nanksd by >
foaming pitcher Of Tenor sauce 10
drown 1t in by and by.
Dazed, the young man, who seemed
In no way an unusual young man q.
cept that he appeared to. have more
length Of leg than he could conven-
iently use, passed into the dining room
where long table was laid, as exquia-
lite in every appointment - II the
president Of our great republic had
been an expec ted guest. His wife waa
fitting about adding some finishing
touches to the table, and Miss So.
phronia was seated near window with
her knitting work In her hand, and .
book upon her knee, knitting and read
ing Is was her habit. Albert clutched
his wife % she passed him. $50 you
didn't get mad at what l said this
morning. I've felt like hanging my
self to sour.apple tree ever since"
"Yes, was Mad all through. And
don't you ever say such things 70 me
again. You and to quarrel-aftsr
ALI"
Then she gave him kiss, basted the
browning fowls, turned the sputtering
ham and thanked God she was alive,
and that Albert was alive to love her.
At twelve, before the last stroke had
died away, the new dinner bell hung
upon the top Of white oak pole BY
the well sounded forth Its welcome
summons; for to be behind hand with
dinner" in the Pretty Bob neighbor.
hood was all as bad as to provide but
one kind Of pie.
Somehow as the men trooped In they
did not seem quite so repulsive as . like
crowd had been at harvest time. They
were boisterous, bandying coarse jokeh
making fun, Cissy knew, Of what they
were pleased to call her 'pernickerty"
ways, and her "moonshine meals" but
she merely smiled. She even hung up
the fifth clean towel without sign Of
disgust, and by the time they were
seated at the table she owned to her
self that even Jim Finn might ~
worse, for had she not seen him fondle
her pet kitten, while waiting his turn
at the washbowl?
She poured the fourth cup Of coffee
for poor, trembling, Urinary neighbor
Jones--who ate his pie with his knife,
held within two inches Of the point
and drew his great, hairy hand across
his face in lieu Of a pocket handker-
chief-without once looking acrosa at
Albert. She asked Tim Lewis who
was more than suspected Of making
midnight Waits to his neighbors' hen.
roosts, how his lame boy was, and told
him not to forget to take q pocketful
Of sweet apples home to him. The rest
Of the men were neighbors, good hon.
est men who knew better than 10 ask
the same man twice for chew Of To.
bacco without offering return Of the
favor, who belonged to church" and
did not swear except under great prov
ocation.
Midway in the meal Miss Sophronia
looked up from her book.
"I'd offer to help you, cissy, but you
seem to be getting along lister With
out me. Too many cooks you know,
spoil the BROTH"
1t would have done poor, tired Cisay
good to hear the remarks Of the men Il
they smoked their pipes under the oaka
In the back yard.
THAT settles H." said onei ~ ! hear
the women pokin' any more Jokes u
AIS wife, I'll shoot on suthin' that'li
settle 'em. hain't met with such Z
dinner since my mammy's day"
Three kin's Of pie and Q puddip't
That lays 1t over anything we've seen
yit. AL knowed what he's about when
he married that town gal, now !
tell ye."
ibid you hear the Gorham gal tick.
lin about the dinner we'd git to-day
! just wisht she could a-seen itr'
Them soggy apple dumplin's ct we
had thar yistiday lays heavy on my
yit," this from Tim Lewis,
II drapped one on my foot an It hurried
80 l sort a-kicked 1t inter the dooryard,
m them pore chickens Is fghtin' over
Il till plumb yit."
As soon as the buzz Of the thresher
was heard Miss Sophronia hustled out
If her chair.
snow for supper, and then dinner
to-morrowl We mustn't lose what
we've gained. Two Of the men will b.
here to breakfast. You sit down and
ct me wash the dishesl"
mo, no. Whoever heard Of setting
mes guardian angel to wash the
lishesl"
May" said Miss Sophronia, softly,
I don't aspire to the office Of guardian
Lnpel-I only want IN hA-0rnndmokh.