Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-06-03
INSIDE"
DY DORA a. CHASE.

Olive Palmer laid her work aside and
sat thinking of other days. Everything
about her seemed so dreamy and drowsy
that she could not work this afternoon.
Even Belial was not purring, but lay
curled up in a little ball at his mistress
feet, fast asleep.
Olive had changed very little, only she
was u trifle sad at times, and there was
new sweetness in her fao2 and manner
since Abe went away.
Suddenly, as she sat there under the
trees, something occurred that aroused
her attention and drove away her rem
iniscent mood. A team was driving up
to the next house, whish had long been
unoccupied; u team laden with furni-
ture.
''For the land sal1e!" cried Olive, soft
ly; "who can be movin' into the old
Stiles house, wonder!
"Almiry!" she called in a low tone,
come here. We're goin' to have some
new neighbors-"
Almira appeared at the door. They
amt much," she shifted, "or they
wouldn't be movin into that old, dilap-
idated house."
The furniture that went to the next
house was evidently costly, or had been,
for it was in rather disabled condition,
and showed evident signs of i'll usage.
After the furniture came o carriage,
from which alghted a tall, ungainly
man, with an exceedingly plain face and
a slight limp. He assisted q sharp
nosed, ferret-cyed woman to the
ground. After her came two of themost
forlorn looking little people Olive
had ever seen. The youngest, girl of
eight, was clad in pink dress, which
came to the heels, and q hat that beg
CARED description. The boy, lad Of
ten, was arrayed in q suit full two sizes
too large for him. The whole family
wore an air of the most woeful neglect.
WELL" remarked Almira, after she
lad observed them in silence for few
minutes, folks talk nowadays about
their ancestors comm over in the May
flower, but I'm sure these folks came
right out of it, furniture an all.
"He's lame an the furniture's lame.
The whole tribe looks about q hundred
years old"
Indeed, the little girl seemed the
only lively thing among them, and she
was laughing and dancing about like
on,y bo,n1, child of 1,a,. oUn
The remainder of the afternoon
passed very quickly with the two wom-
en-, who watched the proceedings of the
new family with great curiosity.
One thing they could not decide,
whether the sharp-nosed woman was
mistress of the houseor a'servant. This
new interest served as topic of con-
versation for the two lonely maidens
during several days.
Olive found it very pleasant to specu-
late about something outside of her
own quiet life.
After few days the gentleman next
door began to so away at certain time
each morning and come back again
each evening.
Olive was pleased to see that the chill
dren always went to the gate with
him, and that he always kissed them
tenderly when he left them.
She felt Il curious sense Of relief one
morning when she heard him call
back: Maggie, you may have tea at
five tonight" and heard a voice reply:
Yes, sir"
"She amt his wife, she's help" Olive
informed Alnlira, land I'm kind of
glad"
Don't see what's is to you if his wife
is a Fiji islander" responded Almira.
Nor I, either" laughed her mistress,
"on!y he's such soft-spollen, kind
loollin' man that I'd like him to have o
good wife"
In Il short time Olive discovered that
the help was cross and incapable. The
children were dirty and neglected,
and. during their fathers absence,
they were scolded and slapped without
mercy.
Olive was very indignant, but Almira
told her tersely that if she was going
to begin, at her age, to manage her
neighbours affairs, she would have her
hands full.
One day Belial wandered into the
neighbours yard, and the little girl
chased him home, calling: "Kitty,
kitty" and trying to catch him, much
to his disgust.
Olive, who dearly loved children,
called the little one to her, and soon
had her on her lap, enjoying a seed
cake and story at the same time.
In short time the little boy arrived
in search of his sister. He raised his
hat, saying, in quaint, grown-up
way: 1--WE come for my sister. Thank
the lady, Sylvia, for the cake"
"What is your name, little boy?"
asked Olive.
"My NAME" he replied soberly, sis
David Leonard, and that's fathers
name, too. My mothers gone to Heav-
en-" he continued, feeling with child's
quick instinct that he had sympa-
thetic listener.
"AIaggie's only the servant. She
slaps us sometimes, but I don't tell IA
ther, cause it would make him feel
bad, and don't mind much, only when
she hurts Sylvia"
David told his new friend MANY other