The Van Buren press., 1895-02-16
MANDANY'S FOOL.
ny MARY LOUISE POOL.


put the above question concerning
tomatoes
But somebody had heard.
A woman had been sitting in the
kitchen with pan Of seek no further
apples in her lap. She was pairing and
quartering these, md then stabbing
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. He swung
of his hat and waved the insects
away.
II say, have ye got hungry again for
termaters?" he repeated.
Then he ratified the screen, but II
was hooked on the inside.
He turned and surveyed the three
windows that were visible in the bit
Of u house.
"They wouldn't both be gone, m left
them apples out" he said to himself.
"I'm bout sure AIMS to home, m she's
the one l want to see."
A woman in the bedroom which
opened from the kitchen was hurriedly
smoothing her hair and pcering into
the glass. She was speaking aloud
with the air Of one who constantly
talks to herself.
"Jcst as sure as don't comb my
hair the first thing somebody comes. y
She gave last pat and went to the
door. There was faint smirk on her
lips and flush on her face.
Her tall figure was swayed by a
slight, eager trcmor us she saw who
was standing there. She exclaimed:
Goodness me! 'Tain't you, Mr..
Baker, is it9 Won't ye talk right INF
But l don't want no termarters; they
always go aginst me. Aunt Mandany
amt to home"
"Oh, amt she?" was the brisk re-
sponse. "Then l guess l will come in. y
The speaker pushed open the now
unfastened door and entered. He set
his basket OF tomatoes with a thump
on the rug, and wiped his broad, red
face.
"Fact is," he said with grin, ~
knew she was gone. l seen her goin
crost the pastur'. That's why come
now. amt got no longin' to see Aunt
Maudany-no, stree, not grain OF
longin' to see her. But ! thought 7
would agreeable to me to clap my eyes
on to you."
The woman simpered, made an In.
articulate sound, and hurriedly re-
sumed her seat and her apple pairing.
"Won't you Sc down, Mr.. Baker''
she asked.
Her fingers trembled as she took the
darning needle and jabbed it through
IN apple quarter. The needle went
into her flesh also. She give 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 en- be If 1 see
BLOOD" she whispered.
Mr.. Barkers heavy underlip twitched
his face softencd. But he spoke rough.
ly.
"You needn't mind that bit er blood, y
he said; 'that won't hurt nothin'.
don't care If do Sc down; amt drove
any this mornin'. len jest as we'll as
not take hold n help ye. s'pose Man
dany left thunderin' lot for ye to dc
while she's gomez"
"Two bushels" was the answer
1.-THE old cat! That's too much. But
'twon't be for both Of us, will it, Amp
The woman said: "No."
She looked for an instant intently al
the man who had drawn his chair di.
rectly opposite her. He was already
pairing an apple.
"I'd know what to make of It," she
said, still in whisper.
ITO make Of what?" briskly.
"Why, when folks are SO good to mes
you be-"
"Oh, sho', now! Everybody amt like
your Aunt Mnndany."
"Shl Don't speak so loud! Mebby
she'll be comm back"
mo, she won't. No matter II she is. u
Tho loud, confident tone rang cheeri-
ly In the room.
During the silence that followed Mr..
Baker watched AIMS deft fingers.
Everybody says you're real capa-
ble," he rmarked.
A joyous red covered AIMS face.
III Jest about do all the work here,'
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
In conversation at the store that he
never seen Ann Tracy 'thout wantin'
to thrash her Aunt Mandany."
"What in time be you dryin' seek-no-
furthers for?" he now exclaimed with
some ferceness. They're the flattest
kind Of apples know Of"
"That's what aunt says" was the re-
ply; ''she says they're most as fats !
be, n that's fiat 'nough."
These words were pronounced as
though the speaker were merely stat
Ing O well-known fact.
"Then what she do um for?" per-
sisted Mr.. Baker.
"She says they're good 'nough to swop
for groceries In the spring"
Mr.. Baker made deep cash In an
apple and held his tongue.
Ann continued her work, but she took
good deal of seek-no-further with the
skin in way that would have shocked
Aunt Mandany.
Suddenly she raised her eyes to the