Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-12-04
MANDANY'S FOOL.


strident good humored voice put tho
above question concerning tomatoes.
But somebody had heard.
A woman had been sitting In the kitchen
with a pan of seek-no-further apples in her
lap. She was pairing and quartering these
and then stabbing the quarters through
and strinping them on yards of white
twine preparatory to festooning them on
the clothes horse which stood in the yard.
This horse was already decorated profusely
In this way. A cloud Of wasps had flown
from the drying fruit as the man walked
up the path. He swung of his hat and
waved the insects away.
II say have ye got hungry agin for ter
marters2'' he repeated.
Then he ratified the screen, but 1t was
hooked on the inside
He turned and surveyed the three win
dows that were visible In the bit OF a house.
"They wouldn't both be gone m left
them apples out, he said to himself. "l'm
bout sure AIMS to home, n she's the one
I 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's / don't comb my hair
the first thing somebody comes"
She gave last pat and went to the door
There was q faint smirk on her lips and q
flush on her face
Her tall figure was swayed by slight
eager tremor as she saw who was standing
there. She exclaimed:
Goodness mel 'Tain't you, Mr.. Baker,
is 1t? Won't ye walk right IMP But don't
want no termarters; they always go against
me. Aunt Mandany amt to home"
"Oh, amt sheP" was the brisk response.
"Then guess will come In"
The speaker pushed open the now I'M
fastened door and entered. He set his
basket of tomatoes with thump on the
rug and wiped his broad, red face.
"Fact Is, he said, with grin, II knew
she was gone. l seen her goin crosst the
pastur'. That's why come now. 1 amt
got no longin to see Aunt Mandany, no,
stree, not grain Of longin to SEQ her.
But thought 'twould be agreeable to me
to clap my eyes on to you"
The woman simpered, made an inarticu-
late sound and hurriedly resumed her seat
and her apple cutting.
"won't you Sc down, Mr.. Bakor?" she
asked.
Her fingers trembled as she took the
darning needle and jabbed it through an
apple quarter The needle went into her
flesh also. She gave little cry and thrust
her finger into her mouth. Her large, pale
eyes turned wistfully toward her compan-
ion. The faded, already elderly mouth
quiyered 'sI'm jest as scarf g en- be Ii
see blood" she whispered
Mr. Bakers heavy under lip twitched /;
his face softened. But he spoke roughly
"You needn't mind that bit er blood, +"
he said. "That won't hurt nothin. l don't
care If do Sc down. I amt drove any
this mornin. en- jest as we'll as not take
hold n help ye. I s'pose Mandany left a
thunderin lot for ye to do while She s
gomez"
1.-TWO bushels" was the answer.
"The old cat That's too much. But
'twon't be for both of us, will it, Annr'
The woman said "No."
She looked for an instant intently at the
man who had drawn his chair directly op-
posite her. He was already pairing an ap-
pie.
ct d. know what to make Of it" she
said, still in a whisper.
"To make of whatp" briskly.
"Why, when folks are SO good to mes
you be-"
"Oh, shot, nowl Everybody amt like
your Aunt Mandany."
"Shl Don't speak SO loudl Mebby she'll
be comm back"
"No, she won't N no matter If she is. "
The loud, confident tone rang cheeri1y
In the room.
During the silence that followed Mr..
Baker watched AIMS delft fingers.
Everybody says you're real capable, y
he remarked.
A Joyous red covered AIMS face.
st 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 eacl
side of the close, pale mouth had strang'
effect upon Mr.. Baker.
He had been known to say violently II
conversation at the store that he "neye
veen Ann Tracy 'thout wantin to thras
her Aunt Mandany,"
''what In time be you dryin seek n
furthers for?' he now exclaimed, wit
some fierceness. "They the --LATEST kim
Of apples know of. 4"
"That's what aunt says, " was the reply
"She says they re most as Hat as be, I
that's flat 'nough."
These words were pronounced as Ii tn
speaker were merely stating well know
TACT.
"Then what does she do UNI forY" per
sisted Mr.. Baker.
"She says they're good 'nough to swoI
tor groceries in the spring"
Mr.. Baker made deep cash in an apple
and held his tongue.
Ann continued her work, but she took Q
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:
~ guess your wife had a real good time
didn't she, Mr.. Baker, when she was
uvinS"
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 consciousness.
II hope SO, he said gently ~ do de-
clare tried to make her have good
lime"
"How longs she been dead?''
Most ten year. We was Twin down to