Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1896-01-29
A WATER BARREL Cure.


over the weeks wash when loud
knock CAUSED her TO wipe her red.
suds-blistered hands, smooth out her
thin hair, roll down her sleeves and
walk quickly to the door.
A woman Of her own age and her ex-
act counterpart; so far as face and
form were concerned, stood in the rick
ety porch, surrounded by a big collee
ton of bags, baskets and bundles.
';Matlda!" cried Mrs. Mundy.
% And then tears mOistened her eyes
and she clasped the visitor in her bony
arms.
The newcomer returned the embrace
and kissed Mrs. Mundy affectionately.
You look awfully worn and tired,
Priscilla" she observed as the latter
led the way into the meanly furnished
parlor. 'HOw's everybody"
Mrs. Mundy sighed before she made
reply. She had Il great fashion of
signing of late, and goodness knows
she had sufficient cause to.
I'm washing" she answered apollo
getically, land ! suppose the hard
work does make body look worn and
tired. The children are all well. They
are all at school, except Tommy. He's
gone to town with his father"
so he's gone to town. observed
Matilda, with d particularly strong
emphasis on the hes
Yes" was the final response:
I'm harvest time, too, and all the
place going TO rack and ruin right Tin-
der his eyes. just for lack of atten-
ton. Priscilla; why don't you put
your foot down."
..'Oh, Matilda was the protest
Now, look here, Priscilla Mundy-
Priscilla Beebe that was,' she con-
tinued resolutely. I've come to stop a
month, and Ill just tell you things
have got to go differently while I'm
here. Johns folks told me how shame
fully You were being treated. Why,
they said he wouldn't even allow you
TO pay them visit, and Maria de-
clared that you didn't have a decent
gown to your back
Mrs. Mundy hung her head and the
tears started afresh.
IL stopped at Johns as / came on"
continued Matilda. who by the way,
was Mrs. Mundy's twin sister, "and
they told me to make you come up and
spend a month with EN-
II can't leave, Matilda, just now
What with began Mrs. Mundy.
But her sister interrupted her.
NONSENSE she cried. Don't make
excuses to me. You've got to go. and
that's the long and short of it, The
coach will be by here in half an hour
and l told the driver to stop. Put on
one Of my dresses and make yourself
look decent. for Johns folks see a lot
of company, and Maria is mighty
dressy. Here is So to pay your ex-
penses."
She handed the shining gold TO the
bewildered woman and gently pushed
her from the room.
"Whatll Tom say?' ventured Mrs.
Mundy, timidly, as they climbed the
rickety stairs together.
"1'll attend to him. was Matilda 5
confident and rather spiteful answer.
Say no more about it,
And Mrs Mundy who recognized
and felt powerless TO resist the SUI
perior will force of her sister, allowed
herself TO be made up" And when
the coach stopped at the door on it's re-
turn trip she was ready for the visit
to her brother John, who lived about
twenty miles distant.
In one OF her sisters neat-fitting
dresses, with snow-white collar at
her throat and a bit of ribbon in her
hair, gloves on her hands and smart
bonnet On her head, she very closely
resembled Matilda. who had put OIL
one of Mrs Mundy's plain calico house
dresses and stood beside her to bid her
good-by.
"Now have good time. Priscilla >
said she as she gave the poor woman
farewell kiss. IN keep things
moving at home
When the coach rolled away and was
lost from view in a cloud of dust, Miss
Matilda Bebee entered the house and
resumed the interrupted work.
Ey 3 o'clock the clothes were hang
ing on the line, the kitchen had been
cleared up and the other rooms swept
and the beds made.
Now she hustled about preparing
supper, and was mixing up dough fol
cake when a small boy knocked tim
idly at the kitchen door.
"Well?" was Matilda's inquiry al
she opened the door.
please, Miss Mundy,' began the UT
chin, INA sent me over to ask you II
Willie and the girls could stop at Oul
house tonight"
"Yes, they can stay" was the an
swer, and the boy, with muttereC
'Thankee NOM bobbed his head an(
ran away.
''Now I'll have him all to myself.
said Matilda aloud, and her sharp eyes
twinkled maliciously. and I'll b'
bound he'll learn lesson this day tina
he won't forget-the brute!"
She had supper on the table whel
the sounds of wheels were heard, and
peeping through the window, she saw
a red wagon with yellow wheels
drawn by n bony horse, just turning
tho CORNER of the hOuSp
A man and a boy were in the seat
The boy was driving, and the maj
reeled backward and forward when
ever the wheel of the vehicle raj
against an obstruction.
Drunk, as usual was Matilda
comment as the wagon halted befor
the kitchen door.
The man alighted and walked I'M
steadily toward the house. The DO,
drove the horse OH To the barn.
The face of the man, who was n
other than AIundy, was red an'
flushed, and he kicked open the doc
and staggered into the room.
Matilda looked up quickly and he
eyes flashed. He caught the CLEAN
and strobe toward her.
Don't ye look at me that way" h
cried balancing on his heels. 'Giv
me my supper"
when supper's ready you can hav
st." answered Matilda, quietly. a
though her lips twitched convulsivel
and her hands were clasped nervously
"And when you come into the hOus
YOU needn't kick down the doors