Arizona republican., 1895-02-02
"She says they're good 'nough to swop

for groceries in the spring.
 Mir. Baker made deep gash in an apple and held his tongue
 Ann continued her work, but she took a good deal of seel1-no-further with the skin in way that would have shocked Aunt Mandany.
 Sudde-ly she raised her eyes to the sturdy face opposite her and said
 q guess your wife had a real good time, didn't she, MT. Baker, when she was livin'?"
 MT. 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.
 q hope so," he said, gently. II do declare I tried to make her have a good time"
 ''How long's 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.
 T s'pose," said Ann, that folks are sorry when their wives die?'
 MT. Baker gave short laugh.
 "Wall, that depends"
 ''Oh, does it? I thought folks had to love their wives n be sorry when they died"
 MT. Baker laughed again. He made no other answer for several minutes. At last he said:
 ''I 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!'' Mr. Baker stamped his foot involun- tarily.
 How jew know they call you that?" he cried, in a great voice. T heard Jane Littlefeld tell Mis- Monk she hoped nobody'd ask Man dany's fool to the sociable. And MT. Fletcher's boy told me that's what folks called me-"
 Darn Jane Littlefeld! Darn that little devil of boy!'' These dreadful words burst out furi ously.
 Perhaps Ann did not look so shocked as she ought.E
 In moment she smiled her imma- ture simple smile that had touching appeal in it. 'Tain't no use denyin' it, she said; ''I ain't jes' like other folks, n that's fact can't think stiddy more n a minute. Things all run together, some how N the back CT my head $ odd $ it can be-" Pooh! What of it? There can't any of us think stiddy; n if we could what would it amount to, 1 should like to | know? It wouldn' amount to 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 cutting of apples. "Ye see," she said in a tremulous voice, sometimes I think if mother had lived she'd CT treated me so t could think stiddier. I s'pose mother d CT loved me. They say mothers do. But Aunt Mandany told inc mother died the year I got my fall from the cherry tree. was eight then. l don't remember nothin bout it, nor bout anything much. MT. Baker, do you re- member your mother?'' Mir. Baker said ''Yes," abruptly Something made it impossible for him to say more.
 "rd know how t is" went on the thin minor voice; but it always did seem to me $ though if I could remem- Der my mother, I could think stiddier, somehow. Do you think l could?''
 Mr. Baker started to his feet,
 'I'1 De uurned t l cn stan it, he shouted. No, nor I won't stan it, nuther!''
 He walked noisily across the room.
 He came back and stood in front of Ann, who had patiently resumed work.
 Come" he said, T think lot of ye. Les git married
 Ann looked up. She strengthened herself.
 ''Then I should live with you?" she asked
 ''Of course"
 She laughed.
 There was so much of confident happi ness in that laugh that the mans heart glowed youthfully.
 q shall be real glad to marry you Mr. Baker," she said.
 Then, with pride, '''N' can cook, n I know first rate how to do house work"
 She rose to her feet and flung up hel