The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-07-24
MISS POPE'S PREDICTION.
BY SARAH Il. SCARBOROUGH.

peared in Miss Myers sitting-room.
Don't know" The brisk tailoress
shipped off thread with her teeth and
pushed forward chair as she said
this, in her usual comprehensive way.
ltd take a steam-injun to keep up
with Lnviny's doings," she added, as
Miss Pope dropped into the seat with
a mournful shake of her pretty gray
brown front curls.
well, if Injuns can keep up with her.
she'll get kept rp with, for she's coming
home with a tribe on 'em, only they're
live ones.''
''She amt" exclaimed Miss Myers.
Yes, she is. I've just got the letter"
What won't that girl do next? First
she up and had lot of contrary bands
here, and some of 'em were contrary
enough, too; then she turned your old
farm into playground for whole lot
of city poor children, and last year she
had the crookedest lot of sewing-girls
from some sweating factory she called
it-and they were crooked, and looked
as if they'd been sweated till they We're
leaked and thin a. shadows; and now
what are you going to do about it,
L'rilly Pope?'
'Why, just what always do, / s'pose,"
she resignedly answered. Il could see
some sense in the other doings before
she got through, but there amt grain
in this. In juns," she continued, with
spirit. What can body do with saw
ages? If | ever felt like putting my
foot down, it's right now"
why don't you, them"
''There's no time," she groaned. "Lu-
why never gives body time to put
their foot down. They're coming to-
night; and this isn't the last of it.
Mark my words: if Luviny Gordon
brings them redskins here, you'll all be
nightly shocked before fall. / shall
certainly be scalped; and''-she low
cred her voice-'when that happens,
MISSY, remember I've always said
your re TO have that spare-room feather
bed for nursing me with the fever"
And il made my hair stand up to sit
and hear her predict that so calmly"
said Miss Myers, as she related this
conversation to subsequent callers. ''for
Miss Pope's predictions are sure's can
be. L never did envy her for only two
things-knowing things ahead so, and
that feather bed does make three" she
added, refiectively- Il don't hope any
thing1l happen, but it wouldn't be
strange if L had that bed before fall.
lnjuns are so treach'rousi"
Luviny arrived that night with her
charges-three Indian boys ranging
from IA to IL years of age. Their APP
pearance was a surprise to the North
Parton people who had gathered to
meet them at the little station. 1t was
more-it was disappointment as well.
1T certainly isn't treating us square
ly," grumbled old MIR. Brooks, as Luz
viny, with a pleasant nod to all, briskly
looked after the baggage, and led the
trio of stolid-faced youths to the wagon
where the hired man awaited them.
NO procession, nor no paint nor feath-
ers. Looks IS if Luviny intended to de-
ceive US"
''Luviny'd ought to know North Par
ton folks better" said Miss Myers.
we didn't aim to be dead set against
the savages, but bringing EN- here dis
guised like civilized beings amt the
thing. Its imposition and looks to me
like treachery, and Miss Pope's got
grounds for her prediction"
1t was too bad; but Luviny did not
know that the people were disappoInt-
ed as she saw her charges safely in the
wagon, and nodded good-naturedly
again to those watching her.
Miss Pope received them with solemn
resignation, and that night she heard
Luviny's plans concerning them with
the same subdued spirit, only signing
as she whispered:
well, l hope you'll live to carry out
these plans. if you're set ont. As for
me, / know / haven't got long to stay
here, but L must say 1 hain't ever
thought that when 1 went, it'd be by
scalping,"
mean?" exclaimed Luviny.
'Luviny, you've never been an Injun,
even if you have lived a whole year
among 'em. A leopard can't change has
spots, and it's Injun nature to scalp
when there's anything to scalp, and it's
horne in on me that mine'll go before
fall. But it's right to protect yourself,
and I've got double locks on the doors,
and the Injuns mus. sleep in the wood
house chamber"
So they slept there, while Luviny
cheerily laughed at her aunt's fears,
and kept the boys busy about the
farm until Jake, the hired man, lost his
qualms concerning them.
The redskins are proper nice boys"
he observed al the shop one day, "only
it seem S if they'd ought to have Injun
names, instead of being Joe and Ed
a 1t m
so set against 'em that Luviny's going
to see about sending 'em 10 the school
where they were going to be sent in
the fall
And 1 don't wonder. I've noticed
L'rilly's hair s getting grayer in front,
and 1 guess Luviny's kind O. shaky of
'em herself. Talk about civilizing In
juns and sending 'em to school, Bet
ter send 'em to-Halifax." Miss Myers
eontemptuously ended.
The day before Luviny had set to take
the boys away, she said to Jake:
They'll have to go, and you may as
well take us to the station in the
morning."
Cant, anyway, tomorrow" he re-
piled decidedly. THAT hays got to
come in before it gets a soaking It's
the sewingbee at Miss Myers, to-mor-
row, too, and Miss Pope isn't going 10
lose her scalp in that time, especially if
she's with the women"
So the departure was deferred one
day, and Luviny went to the sewing
bee. leaving her aunt to finish the bak-
ing before she came.
THAT wopple-sided Spot-on-the-Face
Joe's up in the woods, and the other
two re with Jake, SO amt afraid but
I'll get over to Miss Myers when the
bread gets out" she Lad said, in urging