Arizona republican., 1895-04-10

apple duO neIu HIS tOuS ut.
Ann continued her work, butshe took
a good deal of seek-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:
81 guess your wife had a real good
time, didn't she, Mr.. Baker, when she
was ivin'?''
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.
Il hope So" he said, gently. Il do
declare | tried to make her have a 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 alb
sently tried the edge of it on the ball
of his thumb.
Il spose," said Ann, ''that folks are
sorry when their wives die?"
Mr.. Baker gave short laugh.
"Wall, that depends"
''Oh, does it? thought folks had to
love their wives n be sorry when they
died"
Mr.. Baker laughed again. He made
no other answer for several minutes.
At last he said:
Il 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 great voice.
Il heard Jane Littlefeld tell Mis-
Monk she hoped nobody'd ask Man
dany's fool to the sociable. And Mr..
Fletcher's boy told me that's. what
folks called me-"
Darn Jane Littlefeld! Darn that
HItle devil OF 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 a touching
appeal in it.
'Tain't no use denyin' it," she said;
II amt jes' like other folks, n that's
a fact. I can't think stiddy more n a
minute. Things all run together, some
how. N the back er my head S odd S
it can be-"
Pooh! What of it? There can't any
of us think stiddy; n if we could what
would it amount to, l should like to
know? 1t wouldn' amount to row of
pins
Ann dropped her work and clasped
her hands. Mr.. Baker saw that her
hands were hard, and stained almost
black on fingers and thumbs by much
cutting of apples.
Eye see," she said in a tremulous
voice, sometimes l think if mother
had lived she'd err treated me so It
could think stiddier. l s'pose mother d
er loved me. They say mothers do
But Aunt Mandany told me mother
died the year l got my fall from the
cherry tree. was eight then. don't
remember nothin bout it, nor bout
anything much. Mr.. Baker, do you re-
member your mother?"
Mr.. Baker said YES" abruptly
Something made it impossible for him
to say more.
I'D know how It is went on the
thin minor voice; but it always did
seem to me S though if could remem-
Der my mother, could think stiddier,
somehow. Do you think l could?'
Mr.. Baker started to his feet,
Ill De burned + L en- 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 II think lot of ye
Les git married"
Ann looked up. She Strengthened
herself.
Then 1 should live with you?" she
asked.
''Of course"
She laughed.
d, There was so much of confident happi-
ness in that laugh that the mans heart
glowed youthfully.
81 shall be real glad to marry you,
Mr.. Baker, she said.
Then, with pride, 'H'N' I can cook, n
1 know first rate how to do house
work"
She rose to her feet and flung up her
head.
Mr.. Baker put his arm about her.
Lies go right along now" he said,