The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-26

visitor paused to take breath, eff we only
krioWed what we WAS laying up for our
selves, there's many of us'u turn back at
the church door an say. Much obliged.
but III change my mind an no. my name >
You may well say that sighed the
other. when / married Flinders he was
in the bricklayin' line, till the side of a
ouse fell on i'm an crushed is leg like ii
az bin mace o wax, an thought ii fine
an a donkey to drore it, by way o. compen-
sation. Though times an times I've said
since, as I'd rather ave i'm as he were,
stead o with a leg as unStrapS an stands
in a corner at night. an gets SHE'D at you
permisc Gus when the drink in i'm or
things not jest to is likin But there, .
the towel, I'm keepin' you from yer tea,
only some'ow / felt as | must relieve my
mind to somebody, an you bein' neighbor,
let alone 'avin seen trouble
All, you're right, there! Wicks were a
'andful in is time, though ] wouldn't wish
to be casting it up agen i'm now he's gone,
an it's ALWAYS been a comfort to me to
know as done my duty by i'm with three
Grape tucks round my skirt when many
a-saId two was plenty"
We'll, don't say l wouldn't do as much
for Flinders, come to that, but then we
women's that forgivin'. ANYHOW I'll get i'm
bit o fried fish or saveloy for is sup
per-"
Mrs Flinders oozed out of the room, en-
countering Miss Wicks on the threshold.
who gave her a cool salutation and eyed
the towel with distinct disapproval.
Why, Emily" was her mothers greeting,
what time you've bin, amt you?''
Wei. / wasn't going to be put off with
ard roes, not if / picked over the whole
stock. But I've got two beauties"
. Half an hour later, nothing remained but
the skeletons of the feast
m thinking, said Mrs. Wicks, as she
set down her empty saucer "as I'll jest go
up to Mrs. Midgetts's an arst 'er for the
loan of 'er big Bible The districk visltor'll
planning last time as the print in ourn was
too small being near-sghted. and she do
read SO beautiful it's treat as l don't like
to miss, an Mrs. NUGGETS an mes the best
O friends. an she'll be only too pleased
to lend it,
I've nothing to say against Mrs. Mid
as keeps 'erself to 'erself, and 'er place like
a new pin. III wash up" she added, gra-
ciously, and if you've. mind to stop and
Having put herself into visiting trim by
the simple means of turning down her
sleeves and twisting her apron round her
waist, Mrs. WickS set out. She had only
to turn to the right along dark stone pas
sage, ascend flight of stairs, turn to the
left down another passage. and knock at a
door at the very end-a drab- colored door,
which lorded itself over it's neighbors on
the strength of a little iron knocker and
slit for letters which last innovation some
what stank in the nostrils of the other
Inhabitants of Barker's buildings, who
were content to have their miSSives polSed
under the door. The knocker, as tending
to lessen the wear and tear. of knuckles.
was regarded with comparative favor.
Mrs. Wicks's progress, however. was not
rapid as it reads, in consequence of her
having to pass the time of day and respond
to the various salutations of those she en-
countered en- route. Moreover; at one
point the way was blocked by Mrs. Prig-
gins, the prima virago assoluta of the
buildings. who happened to be in particu-
larly good form.
LiZabeth Ham, it appeared, had been
guilty of calling names" after a neighbours
child. and had thereupon been threatened
with bodily chastisement by an indignant
M nsC bod n Dnsr facsy
who. accustomed as she was to beat her
offspring black and blue, and any number
of intermediate tints, herself naturally re-
scented any encroachment on her maternal
prerogative. She, accordingly, took adj
vantage of an accidental meeting on the
stairs to make a plain statement of what
would be her plan of campaign-with re-
srect to sundry eyes and limbs-if any out
slider much as laid the weight of her
little finger on the said 'Lizabeth Ham;
sense of having reached haven of refuge
that Mrs Wicks found herself confronting
the drab door with the little iron knocker
ductive of an invitation to "come in
'Lor, Mrs. Wicks. that you? Why. you
be sure I've bin out a-washing. an don't
mind ever to a-felt the eat so before
$ far as outward appearances went Mrs
twin sister. she was about the same
height and build. possessed the same nom
descript collection of features and crowned
the very double of Mrs. Wicks's headgear.
She was also a widow. the late NUGGETS,
like the ditto WickS. having turned up any,
thing but trumps in the matrimonial VEN
ture.
Mrs. Midgetts's room was, like herself,
clean to the rOint of responsiveness, bur
differed from Mrs. Wicks's apartment. mas
much as there was no mangle; Mrs. Mid
getts's bed. with it's blue and white check
counterpane occupying the place of honor.
To make up for which disparity, it APP
hat (Whn lie
covered at tea when in literary sense the
curtain rose upon herr was engaged with a
bloater which might have been connection
Wicks and Emily had just made themselves
personally responsible.
IF you'll promise to go on with your tea
same as though / wasn't ere" the visitor
stipulated, "else I'll go, an COME back a
bit later"
You won't do no such thing" peremp-
toriy. "Set down, now, do ana take cup
a-longer me. I'm sorry there amt another
bloater--"
Don't you mention it, now, Mrs. Mid
gets. don't Men Em'lys but this minnit
finished; what's more, we 'ad bloater same
well" was the answer, 81 must say
enj'ys q little somethink with my tea. Din
ner don't get much time for, cept it's
Sundays; And 'ow's you an Emily bin get
tin on this while?'
"Oniy middlin'. Emily. she can't abide
'erself agen the Flinderses next door, an
what with one thing an mother, she's al
ways a-grumbling. Fack is if it weren't
for me an the mangle, she'd like to go out
to service. She always was genteel from
child, was Emily, and 'er minds set on
them long-tailed caps what they're a-wear-
ing now"
''Well" said Mrs Midgetts, as she wres-
tied with broken spouted tea pot for its
last dregs. we're most us set on some
thing. come to that You'n me, we've got
our fads an fancies, / shouldn't wonder.
only we keeps 'em to ourselves more"
'Ah, you're right there, Mrs. Midgetts
you're right there. l dunno 'Ow tbs with
you. but if there is one thing as I'm set on,
it's the country. There amt nothink /
wouldn't give, if I'd got it, to be able to
go back to them parts ] come from, as
ty year. I'm feeling it worse'n ever just now,
an I'll tell you why. There's my brother
Jim's wife-he was a good bit young
er'n me, was rundown at Whittebridge,
she writes me a letter to say as old Mrs
Jerners going to give up business, going
to live a-longer 'er son what's well to do
an don't like to ave it said as lis mother
gets er living by the washtub while he
drives is own greengrocer'S cart, quite the
gentleman. And a nice little business it is,
too, goodwill and iixters an the lease O
the cottage all going for twenty pound
Twenty poundl 1t might s well be a
'underd only there tits. an moren one
night I've lay awake thinking on it. Once
I dremp I'd got the money somehow an
bought the business. an was doing wonder
full I don't say nothink to Emily cos she
amt one for the country-not being born
an bred there-and wouldn't understand
But there, you wouldn't believe 'ow the
thought o. that nice little business, an the
I'LL ov,t fxxf.r