The Van Buren press., 1896-02-08
WHAT ALLIED MAHALY.
By ELEANOR ROOT.

LOOK out tie WINDOW 70 see her lruag
ing along. umnrellaIesgs. offenfimes
bOnnetless-he face turned upward
Pears L she'd got religion this win
Ter: I'd fee u thlak she'd gone DAFT
ever i, the way't she gazes up Al tn.
sky" said old Mrs. Aoselx.
i 5es' think its gym in the lace q
F-roFidencelv cried her hearer: "her
agaihsantin' round that away Ia
es'fy thunderstorm. She'll be brought
home some aay, see II she hain't- Why
my Uncie ey .es' stepped 70 the door
one day. aud the ligh1nin' went eleaa
through him lie died right away. de
nade beautiIui-loolzin' corpse, jes' ~
natiai-the blaekeued part was al IN
his side ard arm-but Il aas dre.fnl
sad lie was buried on SUNDAY -
signing.
Il bsiiefe she's little empty In the
upper story said third, tapping her
head. Aud 50 the talk went On. Wheth-
II AAhala knea Of the various surnaises
q the village folk, or whether. know
ing. she did not eafeg was almost as
fruitful theme for conjecture as the
cause Of her rsmbles-
Al last. tno of the Doreas band TOOK
Il upon themselves 10 stand by eaeh
other Ia an attempt TO lind out some
thing about IL They were 10 take q
whole daf 70 il and report their success
or nonsueeess a the next meeting.
Mrs. Brown said that she would tslze
over some Of her crabapple jelly. ana
her eoad5ntor said she guessed she'd
take oxeF some fruit cake and elder
berry wines the thought IN both far
reaching and diplomatic minds beng
that their hostess could hardly witla-
stand such delicate brihery She would
surely feel that something WAS due
them IN rstarn-z
II happened that the day they SCI
upon danned dark and lowering. II
looked as though a Thunderstorm was
imminent
-Oh, Mis- simpson" Puffesl Mrs
Brown, running without ceremony into
her neighbOr's back door. don't you
think we'd better let ey'rything 90 ant
git right over there2 | didn't think
shout pickin' on rainy day. but. don't
jon see-is's jes' the thiRg. We car
git started on the sub5ec better Hurry
up and git on your bunnet and let the
dishes go. Here, put your things right
) in nay basket. We want 10 git herr
BEFORE ssss star ard smell ioe siartin'
cut to-siay.surel Look al them clouds .
A little later. flushed and dusty, the
two stood at Mahaia's front door. Mrs
Brown. who usually took the initiatiYe
in everything, kaocked Vigorously. Sic
felt drop Of rain and knocked again.
The door swung slowly open aid she
began. Folubly: NHfe
''Howdy, Mahaly; we jes' thought
Mis- Simpson and I-how wed conm=
over and spend the day with you You
hevn't looked bit well Iately-land O.
peaked lookin-and you must be 10
lonesome here ali aloze How air YOU
now, anyhow"
II hain't no call to complain OF ny
health" answered Mahala. a little
stifiiy. She glanced up ct the sky
But come in. II was real theughtfm
OF you % thiIS Of me- Mrs. Simpson,
Conscience gave little prick.
Looks like rain, don't it?" pursued
Mrs. Brown, glancing up. '-But mebbl
you was goin' out to-day brayely fol-
lowing up the charge. II shotild think
you'd ketch your death o cold goin
cut in all these cold spring rains-so
mebby las a good thing we come, any
way She trod on Mrs. Sim pson s toes.
"Yes. you're gittin' real peaked
lookin'," hastily calculated thar
worthy woman, taking up the cue 20
- - =; - sifr0sn out by her coUl-
panion. Mahala flushed slightly.
Why, / feel real well, she faltereJ.
BE ] peaked2 I'm goin' to try to eat
more. But when a persons all alone
they don't feel no great appetlter She
ushered her visitors into the little par
lor and took their things. I CAM
hardly bring myself 10 cook now, sls
added.
Wei, now, hain't {: fort'nate! n
brought over some o. my elderberry
wine, for I thought yOu needed el.irisin'
up since your mother hain't here 10
zee 10 .yon- Poor womanl How longs
she been deadT'
-Three years" said Mahala, choking.
Their. titere, poor dear, were jes'
r-gsin' 70 come over real often
land I'm a-goin' 20 see sou don't
90 out in the rain no more
without a bonneti" exclaimed Mr..
Browns What do you do il for
anyway she persisted. You'll ex-
cuse me for sayin' it-you know I'm
sayin' il for your own goos but es's-,'-
sbody's wonderin' bout IL. They say't
n .hey didn't know better, they'd jes'
thtrk you was a crazy woman"
Mahala strnighiened up her nenqer.
STOPPING FORM Mis- Brown. f. she said
tremuiously. but with dignity. Il Ike
to feel the rain She hesitatsd. 1T
comes from where my mother is. She
always liked il too. aud ] don't think
ps0ple have any call 20 talk bout me
for thati" She turned away her face
and looked out Of the window az the big
drops pattering down on the expand
ing foliage. The rain camedewn more
heavily. There was perfect deluge.
Mahaia looked Bleag. and Trstless. 5. and
Sii1v siiiitr Al Involuntary laos ement