The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1895-06-07
MANDANY'S FOOL



mans strident, good.humored voice
put the above question concerning
tomatoes.
But somebody had heard,
A woman had been sitting in the
kitchen with pan of seelsno- further
apples in her lap. She was pairing and
quartering these, and then stahhing
the quarters through and stringing
them on yards of white twine, pre-
paratory to festooning them on the
clothes horse which stood in the yard,
This horse was already decorated pro-
fusely in this way. A cloud Of wasps
had flown from the drying fruit as the
man walked up the path. lie swung
off his hat and waved the insects
away.
81 say, have We got hungry again for
termaters?' he repeated.
Then he ratified the screen, but it
was hooked on the inside.
lie turned and surveyed the three
Eindows that were visible i'll the bit
/ a house.
sThey wouldn't both be gone, N left
them apples OUT he said to himself.
I'm bout sure AIMS to home, N she's
the one want to see.n
A woman in the bedroom which
opened from the kitchen was hurricdly
smoothing her hair and pccfing into
the glass. She was speaking aloud
with the air of one who constantly
talks to herself.
"Jest as sure as don't comb my
hair the first thing somebody cones .
She gave last pat and Went TO The
door. There was faint smirlS on her
lips and flush on her face.
Her tall figure was swayed by a
slight, eager tremor as She saw who
was standing there. She exclaimed;
Goodness mel Tain't yon, Mr.
Baker, is it? Won't ye talk right in2
But l don't want no termarters; they
always go aginst me. Aunt Alandany
amt to home.n
"0h, amt she?' was the brisk re-
sponse. "Then / guess | will come in,
The speaker pushed open the now
unfastened door and entered. lie set
his basket Of tomatoes with d thump
on the rug, and wiped his broad, red
lace.
''Fact is" he said with a grin 81
knew she was gone. seen her goin'
crost the pastur' That's why come
now. amt got no longin to sec Aunt
Maudany-no, stree, not a grain OF
longin' to see her But 1 thought Y
would agreeable to me to clap my eyes
on to you.n
The woman simpered, made an in
articulate sound. and hurriedly re-
sumed her seat and her apple pairing.
Wont you Sc down, Mr.. Baker2"
she asked.
Her fingers trembled as she took the
darning needle and jabbed il through
an apple quarter The needle went
into her flesh also. She gave d little
cry and thrust her finger into her
mouth. Her large, pale eyes turned
wistfully toward her companion. The
faded, already elderly mouth quiy-
cred.
"I'm jest as scarf I en- be II l see
blood, she whispered.
Mr.. Barker's heavy underlip twitched;
his face softened. But he spoke rough
ly.
You needn't mind that bit erblood,'
he said; ''that won't hurt rothin'. Il
don't care if do Sc down; ainSdroye
any this mornin'. l en- jest as well as
not take hold m help ye. ! spose Man
dany left thunderin' lot for ye to do
while she's gomez"
1.-TWO bushels, Z was the answer
The old cat! That's Too much. But
'twon't be for both Of us, Wilt, amp
The woman said: NO
She looked for an instant iMently at
the man who had drawn bis chair di-
rectly opposite her. lie was already
pairing an apple.
I'D know what to make Of it, she
said, still in whisper.
ITO make Of what?' briskly. 4
"Why, when folks are SO goodto mel
you be-"
"oh, sho', nowl Everybody amt like
your Aunt Mandany." 2
SSH Don't speak 50 loud Mebby
she'll be comm back 4
mo, she won't. No matter if she is. "
The loud, confident tone rang cheeri- |
ly in the room.
During the silence that followed Mr..
Baker watched AIMS deft iipGers.
Everybody says you're real capa-
bic" he rmarlSed.
A joyous red covered AIMS face.
81 jest about do all tlieswork here, y
she said.
She looked at the man again.
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 I
In conversation at the store that lie
never seen Ann Tracy 'thout wantin'
TO thrash her Aunt Manaany,n
nWhat in time be you dryin' seek.no-
furthers for?" he now cxc'ained with (
some fierceness. They're the lattest
kind Of apples / know Of"
"Thats what aunt says, was the re-
ply; 1she says they're most as fats /
be, m that's flat 'noughn
These words were pronounced as
though the speaker were merely stat