Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-22

anu mUNeu dNdy ItluCtunbgs ihtIt was a
blue and dazzling sky overhead. The rain
drops still sparkled on the windows and on
tho green grass, and the last roses aud
chrysanthemums hung their beautiful heads
heavily beneath them; but there was to be
no more rain. Oregon Clty's mighty barome-
ter-the Falls OF the Willamette-was declar-
ing to her people by her softened roar that
the morrow was to be fair.
Mrs. Orville Palmer was In the large
kitchen making preparations for the Christ
mas dinner. She was a picture of dainty
loveliness in a lavender Bingham dress, made
with a full skirt and shirted waist and big
leg-o'-mutton sleeves. A white apron was
tied around her waist.
Her husband came in, and paused to put
his arm around her and kiss her. She was
stirring something on the stove, holding her
dress aside with one hand.
ITS goin' to be a fine Christmas, Ema-
rine,' he said, and sighed unconsciously.
his face.
beautiful said Emarine, vivaciously.
"Goin' down town, Orville?"
Yes. Want anything?"
why, the cranberries amt come yet. I'm
so uneasy about EN-. They'd ought to "a
ben stooed long ago. l like 'em cooked
down an strained to a jell. / don't see what
ais them groc'rymen! Sh'u'd think they
c'u'd get around some time before doomsday!
Then | want-hCre, you'd best set 1t down.
She took a pencil and a slip Of paper from a
shelf over the table and gave them to him.
Now, let mt see." She commenced stirring
again, with two little wrinkles between her
brows. "a hat a pound o. citron; a haf a
pound O. candied peel; two pounds o %cur'nts;
90 two pounds O. raisins-git 'em stunned, Or
vile; a pound O. sooet-make 'em give you
some that amt all strings! A box O. Norther'
Spy apples; a ha'f a dozen lemons; four-bits'
worth o. walnuts or almonds, whichever's
freshest; a pint o. Puget Sound oysters fer
the dressin', an a bunch O. carry. You stop
by an see about the turkey. Orville; an /
wish you'd run In 8 you go by mothers, an
tell her TO come up as soon as she can. Shed
ought to be here now"
Her husband smiled as he finished the list.
you're a wonderful housekeeper, Emarine,"
!. he said.
I Then his face grew grave. Got a present
' for your mother yet, Emarine?'
"Oh, yes, long ago. l got 'er a black shawl
down T. Charman's. She's ben wantin' one"
He shufled his feet about a little "Unh-
hunh. Yuh-that isl reckon yuh amt
picked out any present fer-fer my mother,
have yuh, Emar!ne?"
mo" she replied. with cold distinctness.
81 amt"
There was a silence. Emarine stirred
briskly. The lines grew deeper between her
brows. Two red spots came into her cheeks
81 hope the rain amt spoilt the chrysanthe-
NUNS" she said then, with an air OF Kidding
herself of a dlsagreeable subject.
Orville made no answer. He moved MS
feet again uneasily. Presently he said: Il
expect my mother needs a black shawl, too.
Seemed to me her'n looked kind O. rusty at
church Sunday. Notice 1t, Emarine?'
mo-" said Emarine.
Seemed to me she was gittin' to lock
offul old. Emarine"-his voice broke; he
came a step nearer-'itll be the first Christ
mas dinner l ever eat without my mother
a She drew back and looked at him. He
, knew the look that flashed into her eyes, and
shrank from 1t.
'You don't have to eat this n without 'er,
Orville Parmer! You 60 an eat your dinner
with your mother + you want! / can get
along alone. Are you goln' to order them
things? If you amt, just say so, an I'll go
an do t myself!'
He put on his hat and went without a
word.
Mrs. Palmer took the saucepan from the
stove and set 1t on the hearth. Then she sat
down and leaned her cheek in the palm OF
her hand, and looked steadily out the window.
Her eyelids tremblcd closer together. Her
eyes held a far-slghted look. She saw a pic
ture; but 1t was not the picture of the blue
reaches of sky, and the green valley cleft by
its sllver-blue river. She saw a Kitchen,
shabby compared to her own scant'Iy lur-
nished, and In 1t an old white-haired woman
sitting down to eat her Christmas dinner
alone.
After a while she arose with an impatient
> sigh. "Well, | can't help It," she exclaimed.
"If | knuckle down to her this time, I'd have
to do t agin. She might Just as well get ust
to I first as last. ! wish she hadn't got to
lookin' so old an pitiful, though, a-settin'
there in front O. us in church Sunday after
Sunday. The cords stand out in her neck
like well rope, an her chin keeps a-quiv'rin'
so! / can see Orvllle a-watchin' her
The door opened suddenly and her mother
- entered, She was bristling with curiosity.
Say, Emarine!'' She lowered her voice, al
though there was no one to hear. Where
d. you s'pose the undertaker's a-goin' up by
here? Have YOU heard OF anybody
NO. said Emarine. did Orvllle stop by
an tell you to hurry upY'
Eyes. What's the matter of him? Is he
s.ck?"
mot as / know Of, Why?"
"He looks so. Oh. I wonder II it's one
o. the Peterson children where the under
takers a-goin'! They've all got the quinsy
core throat
"How does he look7 I don't see IS he looks
30 turrable."
"Why. Emarine Parmer! Everybody in
town says he looks so! ] only hope they
don't know what ails him"
"What does all him % cried out Emarine,
hercely. "What are you hintin' at?'
'tWell II you don't know what ails him,
you'd ort to: SO I'll tell you. He's dyin' by
inches ever ssnce you turned his mother out
o. doors"
Emarlne turned white. Sheet lightning
played In her eyes.
''Oh. you'd ought to talk about my turnin'
her out!' she burst out. furiously. After
you a-settin' here a-quarTn with her In this
vsry kitchen. an egg.n' me on! Want she
goIn' to turn you cut o. your W daughters
home? Want that what l turned her out
fer? l didn't turn her out. anyhow! | only
told Orville this house want Big enough fer
his mother an me-, an that neither o. us
'ud knuckle down, SO he'd best take his
| choice. You'd ought to talkn'
' well. II I egged you on, I'm sorry fer T."
said Mrs. Endey, %solemnly. Ever sence
that Gt O sickness l had a month ago. I've
feel kind o. old an no account myself. as II
I'd like to let all hollis go. an Jest rest. l
don't spunk up like l ust to. No. he didn't
80 to Peterson's-hs's GAVIN right on. My
land! ! wonder 4 It amt old Gran'ma Eliot;
she had a bad spell-no, he didn't turn that
corner. | can't think where he's goin' tor
, She sat down with a sigh Of defeat.
A smile glimmered palely across Emarlne's
face and was gons. Maybe II you'd go up
in the antic you could see better she sug-
gested, dryly.
"oh. Emarine, here comes old Gran'ma
Eliot herself! Run an open the door fer 'er.
She's llmpin' worse n usual"
Emarine flew 10 the door. Grandma Eliot
was one of the few people she loved. She
was large and motherly. She wore a black
ySNesS and shawl and a funny bonnet, with a