The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-03-26
MANDANY's FOOL.
by MARY LOUISE POOL.


door, and, US there was no response, O
mans strident, good-humored voice
put the above question concerning
tomatoes.
But somebody had heard
A woman had been sitting In tho
kitchen with pan of seek.no- further
apples in her lap. She was pairing and
quartering these, and then stabbing
the quarters through and stringine
them on yards Of white Irvine, pre-
paratory to festooning them on the
Clothes horse which stood In the yard.
This horse was already decorated pro.
fusoly In this way. A cloud Of waspe
had flown from the drying fruit as the
man walked up the path. Ho swung
off his hat and waved the insects
away.
~ say, have ye got hungry again for
termaters?" he repeated.
Then he ratified the screen, but It
was hooked on the inside.
| He turned and surveyed tho three
windows that were visible in tho bit
of a house.
"They wouldn't both be gone, n left
them apples out" he said to himself.
"I'm bout sure AIMS to home, N she's
Vic Olc NdnU 10 sec.
a woman in tho bedroom which
| opened from the kitchen was hurricdly
smoothing her hair and pcering into
| the glass. She was speaking aloud
; with the mir of one who constantly
talks to herself
jest as sure as I don't comb nv
| hair the first thing somebody comcs.'
She gave IL last pat and went to tho
| door. There was u faint smirlS ON her
| lips and Il flush on her face.
Her tall figure was swayed by
slight, eager tremor as she saw who
was standing there. She exclaimed;
Goodness me! 'Tnin't you, Mr..
Baker, is it? Won't yc talk right in?
| But / don't want no tcrmnrters; they
always go nginst me. Aunt Mandany
amt to home"
"Oh, amt shc?" was the brisk re-
sponso. ''Thcn guess 1 will como in"
The speaker pushed open the now
unfastcned door and entered. lie set
his basket of tomatoes with u thump
on the rug, and wiped his broad red
face.
Fact is" he said with u grin, ~
knew she was gone. 1 seen her goin'
crost the pastur'. That's why como
now. l amt got no longin' to sec Aunt
Maudany-no, stree, not I; grain of
longin' TO see her. But l Thought It
would agreeable to me to clap my eyes
on to yon."
Tho woman simpercd made IN In
articulatc sound, and hurricdly re-
sumcd her seat and her apple pairing.
won't you Sc down, Mr.. Bal1er?'
she asked.
Her fingers trcmblod as she took tho
darning needle and jabbod it through
an apple quarter. The needle went
into her flesh also. She gavo little
cry and thrust her finger into her
mouth. Her large, pale eyes turned
wistfully toward her companion The
faded, already elderly mouth quiv-
cred.
I'm jest as scarf I en- be If sec
BLOOD" she whispered.
Mr.. Barlxers heavy underlip twitchol;
| his face softencd. But he spol1c rough
".
You needn't mind that bit or blood, ~
he said; that won't hurt nothin'. I
don't care if do Sc down; nin't drove
any this mornin'. I c'n.jcst as well as
not take hold N help We. l spose Man
dany left q thundcrin' lot for ye to do
whilc she's gomez"
''Two bushels" was the answer
Tho old cat! That's too much. Bat
'twon't be for both of us, will it, Amp"
Tho woman said: mo"
She looked for an instant intent1y ut
the man who had drawn his chair di-
rectly opposite her lie was already
pairing an apple.
| ftT,5 lxro,v, - x,,Iro e. % - =.
said, still in n whisper.
s'To make of what?" briskly.
"Why, when folks arc so good to mes
you be-"
'Oh, sho', now! Everybody amt like
your Aunt Mandany."
"Sh! Don't speak so loud Mebby
she'll be comm back"
mo, she won't. No matter IL she is. ~
The loud, confident tone rang checri-
1y in the room.
During the silence that followed Mr..
Baker watched AIMS dcft fingers.
Everybody says you're real capa-
ble," he rmarked.
A joyous red covered AIMS face
81 jest about do all the work here, -
she said.
She looked at the man ngain.
There was something curiously sweet
in the simple face. The patient line at
each side Of the close, pale mouth had
q strange effect upon Mr.. Baker.
He had been known to say violently
in conversation at the store that he
never seen Ann Tracy thout wantin'
to thrash her Aunt Mnndany."
what in time be you dryin sceA.no-
furthers for?" he now exclaimed with
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