The Forrest City times., 1895-01-25
'twon't bo for both of us, will it. Ann?"

L. The woman said: No"
 She looked for an instant intentlv at 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.
 ''To make of what?" briskly.
 Why, when folks are so good to mes you be-"
 "Oh. sho', now! Everybody ain't like your Aunt Mandany."
 Ssh. Don't speak so loud! Mebby she'll be comin' back"
 No, she won't. No matter if she is" The loud, confident tone rang cheeri- ly in the room.
 During the silence that followed Mir. Baker watched Ann's delft fingers
 Everybody says you're real capa- ble,' he marked.
 A joyous red covered Ann's face.
 "I 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 a 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 fierceness. They're the fiattest kind of apples know of"
 That's what aunt says" was the re- ply; "she says they're most as flats l be, n that's flat 'nough."
 These words were pronounced as though the speaker were merely stat ing well-known fact.
 Then what she do um for?" per- sisted Mir. Baker.
 'She says they're good 'nough to swop for groceries in the spring."
 MT. Baker made a deep gash in an apple and held his tongue.
 Ann continued her work, but she took a good deal of seek-no-further with the skin in a way that would have shocked Aunt Mandany.
 Suddenly she raised her eyes to the sturdy face opposite her and said:
 ''I guess your wife had real good time, didn't she, MT. Baker, when she was livin'?"
 Mr. Baker dropped his knife He glanced up and met the wistful gaze upon him.
 Something that he had thought long dead stirred in his conscience. bnna Sn v ha said rrapt1v do declare 1 tried to make her have good time"
 How longs she ben dead?" Most ten years. We was Twin down to Norris Corners then"
 The man picked up his knife and ab- sently tried the edge of it on the ball of his thumb.
 II s'pose," said Ann, that folks are sorry when their wives die?"
 MT. Baker gave short laugh. Wall, that depends"
 ''Oh, does it? thought folks had to love their wives n be sorry when they died"
 Mir. Baker laughed again. He made no other answer for several minutes. At last he said:
 II was sorry enough when my wife died" A great pile of quartered apples was heaped up in the wooden bowl before either spoke again. Then Ann exclaimed with a piteeus intensity:
 ''Oh, I'm awful tired of bein' Aunt Mandany's fool!"
 Mir. Baker stamped his foot involun- tarily.
 How jew know they call you that?" he cried, in great voice.
 II heard Jane Littlefield tell Mis- Monk she hoped nobody'd ask Man dany's fool to the sociable. And MT. Fletchers boy told me that's what folks called me-"
 Darn Jane Littlefield! Darn that little devil of a boy."
 These dreadful words burst out furi- ously.
 Perhaps Ann did not look so shocked as she ought.
 In a moment she smiled her imma- ture, simple smile that had touching appeal in it. | Ialn no use uenyln It, sne Sald; "I ain't jes like other folks, m that's fact. I can't think stiddy more m a minute. Things all run together, some how w the back CT my head $ odd $ l it can be-"
 Pooh. What of it? There can't any of us think stiddy; n if we could what would it amount to, I should like to | lynoyp It wOuldn' amount tO a row of pins"
 Ann dropped her work and clasped her hands. Mir. Baker saw that her hands were hard, and stained almost black on fingers and thumbs by much