The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1895-11-02
MANDANY'S FOOL.
BY MARY LOUISE POOL.

door, and as there was no response, a
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 seek no further
apples in her lap She was pairing and
quartering these, and then stabbing
the quarters through and stringing
them on yards of white Irvine, 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
off his hat and waved the insects
away.
81 say, have ye got hungry again for
termaters?" he repeated.
Then he ratified the screen, but it
was hooked on the inside.
He turned and surveyed the three
windows that were visible in the bit
of house.
''They wouldn't both be gone, m left
them apples out, he said to himself
4'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 peering into
the glass. She was speaking aloud
with the air of one who constantly
talks to herself
.'Jest as sure as l don't comb my
hair the first thing somebody comes
She gave last pat and went to the
door. There was a faint smirk 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 me! 'Tain't you, Mr..
Baker, is it2 Won't ye talk right in?
But l don't want no termarters; they
always go aginst me. Aunt Mandany
amt to home"
sob, amt she?'' was the brisk re-
Spouse. Then guess [ viii come in. " |
The speaker pushed open the now
unfastened door and entered. lie set
his basket OF tomatoes with a thump
en- the rug, and wiped his broad, red |
face.
Fact is" he said with grin, II /
knew she was gone. l seen her goin' (
crost the pastur' That's why come
now. ain t got no longin' to see Aunt 4
Maudany-no, stree, not a grain of
longin' to see her. But l thought t
would agreeable to me to clap ~ eyes
on to you
The woman simpered, made an in
articulate sound, and hurriedly re-
sumed her seat and her apple pairing.
Wont you Sc down, Mr. Baker?"
she asked.
Her fingers trembled as she took the
darning needle and jabbed it through
an apple quarter. The Leedle went
into her flesh also. She gave q little
cry and thrust her finger into her
mouth Her large, pale eyes turned
wistfully toward her companion. The
faded already elderly mouth quiz
cred.
I'm jest as scarf I en- be if l see
blood, (" she whispered.
Mr.. Barker's heavy underlip twitched;
his face softened. But he spoke rough
".
'sYou needn't mind that bit er blood"
be said; that won't hurt nothin'.
lon't care if do Sc down; I amt drove
any this mornin' en- jest as well as
not take hold N help ye. s'pose Man
iany left thunderin' lot for ye to do
while she's gomez"
1.-TWO bushels" was the answer
''The old catl That's too much. But
twon't be for both of us, viii it, Amp"
The woman said: No"
She looked for an instant intently at
he man who had drawn his chair di-
ectly opposite her. He was already
'aring an apple.
'I'd know what to make of it, she
aid, still in whisper.
''To make of what?" brislly.
"Why, when folks are SO good to mes
-ou be-
"oh, sho, now! Everybody amt like
our Aunt Mandany"
"Sh! Don't speak SO loudl Mebby
he'll be comm back"
''No, she won't. No matter if she is. /
The loud, confident tone rang cheeri-
2 in the room.
During the silence that followed Mr. I
aker watched Ann deft myers
Everybody says you're real capa- !
lie, he rmarlSed. L
A joyous red covered AIMS face.
81 jest about do all the work here" /
lie said.
She looked at the man again. S
There was something euriously sweet S
the simple face. The patient line at a
lcb side Of the close, pale mouth had
strange effect upon Mr.. Baker. "
He had been known to say violently a
conversation at the store that he
never seen Ann Tracy 'thout wantin' a
thrash her Aunt Mandany."
''What in time be you dryin' seek-no- n n
rthers for?" he now exclaimed with II
me fierecness. They're the --LATEST n
nd of apples l know Of. y
L.