The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-17

ments. A breath OF spring seemed TO
have invaded the autumn.
Wouldn't believe he was guilty ef he
swore hit," said voice somewhere an
there was applause which was prompt
ly suppressed. Hiram did not hear the
comment. He was lost in his dream.
Then the baby come; but before he
come 1 saw Cooney begin to change.
Shed sit an droop an brighten up an
droop ergin, looltin' away off; an her
step got slow. Then one day hit come
to me; she was homesick for her ma.
Well, gentlemen, reckn twas match
nj at that time. She never had said
nothin' but the way her ma had done
an the way she had talked about me
was the grief of her life. She couldn't
see how she was goin' to meet the new
trouble alone. I fixed hit for her.
took her out on the porch where she
could break down without my seemin'
to know hit, an tole her as how hit
did look like hit was a shame for her
ma to have to live off at her sisters an
her own chile keepin' house, with a
comp'ny room; an 1 believed I'd drive
over an tell her to let bygones be by
cones an come an live with us; that
didn' set no store by the hard things
she'd said, an we woUld dc or best for
her. Well, that got CoOney. she
dropped her head down in my lap an
| knowed ia done hit the nail on the
head. Natchully l was happy along
with her.
well ! went an made my best
talk, an when l got done. gentlemen,
what you reCk'n Cooney's ma said
what do you reck'n7 She said: 'IIow's
Cooneys Poly says l. I thought So,
ses she, 'er you wouldn't er come. I'll
get my things an co. But Cooney
was so happy when she did come !
caught the fever too an thought me
an the old lady would get on all right
at last. But we didn't. Seemed like
pretty soon ma begin to look for things
to meddle in, and she got er new name
for me e'vy time l come eroun.' 1
didn't answer back because she was
Cooney's ma grit my teeth and went
on. But she'd come out an lean on
the fence, even, when l was plowin',
an talk. Look like any fool she said
one day, look like any fool would know
better'n ter lay off land with er twist
er. Whyn't yet git er roun' pinted
shovel? NY Ian was new, gentleman,
an full of roots, that's why.
AN she'd look at my hogs on say,
L allus did despise Berkshires. Never
saw er SOW that wouldn't eat pigs
after erwhile. Whyn't you cross EN- on
the big Guinea?' An then the chick
ems. 'Thars them Wyandottes! Never
knew one to raise a brood yet; an
one rooster takes more pasture than a
mule An paid ten collars for three,
gentlemen. An then Cooneys mornin
glories made her sick. An she didn'
like sewin' machines, they made folks
rant more clothes than they ought to
have, an made the wash too big. An
what she call 'jimcracks' was Cooney's
pretties in the sittin'room.
But l stood it; she was Cooney's
ma; only when the mockin' birds cage
door was found opened an he gone,
l like to have turned my mind loose,
for 1 had my suspicious an have yet.
He was a little bird when l found
him. / was clearin' my Ian an one
of these new niggers come along with
a single barrel sun and shot both the
old birds right before my eyes with
one load. I was that mad 1 took up
a loose root an frailed him tell he
couldn't walk straight an 1 bent the
gun round er tree an flung hit after
him. Then ] went to the nest in the
haw bush an started out to raise
the four young ones. I couldn't find a
hug to save me, though it looked easy
Cor the old birds, 50 ] took them home
and tried eggs an potato. Well, one
by one they died until but one was
left. When Cooney come he was
grown an with the dash of white on
his wings all singers have. But he
never would sing-I think he was lone
some. The first night she come, 1 woke
to hear the little feller singin' away
like his heart was too full to hold it
AL. / turned over to wake COoney
that she might hear him too an what
do you reck'n? The moonlight had
round a way in through the half-open
blinds and had fell across her face.
1t shown out there in the darkness like
an angels, and that little lonesome
bird had seen it for the first time.
Hit started the song in him just like
it had in me, an God knows" his
voice quivered a moment and he looked
away, a slight gesture supplying a con-
clusion.
"Then the taby come, an when
Cooney said, Wen name hit Jessy, af-
ter ma, 1 said good enough Cooney.
Hits natchul'
Looks like that ought to have made
it easier all Ground, but it didn't: 1t
all got worse; an to keep the peace
1 got not to comm into the house till