The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-04-22

EAIl s ): s i: s:'.' Il ;::: :::: E:
%SSS"7sN "And I'm very
glad, mother, that we've got the rus
set apples safe into the cellar, for It's
on them I place nv main dependence
for the interest money this year"
Mrs. Robbins sat knitting in the
cushioned rocker wrinkled, bright
eyed little old woman, whose caps
were always spot!essly clean, and
whose dresses never seemed to wear
out.
'.Frost, eh?" said she.
81 rather guess so" responded Elsa.
with sbiver. "Stars shinin' like so
many little diamond specks, and new
moon behinl the pines"
"Well, it's q good thing We amt
stinted for wood" cheerfully observed
Mrs. Robbins.
"You're always finding out some
good thing or other, mother" said
Elsa, q little petulantly.
ssLa, child. the world is full Of
'emi" said Mrs. Robbins, who had q
sweet, plaintive voice. "Fhe Lord,
Hes deal better to Us than We de-
server
'Well, then," quantity remarked
Elsa, s.l may as we'll tell you, now, as
ever, that the roofs leskln' dreadful
bad"
s.Leakin', Is it?" said Mrs Robbins.
ssWhere?''
cup garrett" said Elsa. cover the
west store room"
"weli, it's lucky it amt leakin'
over the rooms we live in" said the
inveterate old optimist. elf 1t was to
leak at all. it couldn't have selected q
better spot
'tAnd the fence is down in the north
lot," remarked Elsa, "and neighbor
Carter's cattle are all in"
ssBless mel" said Mrs. Robbins.
ssWell, there amt much but rock and
mullein-stalks in that lot. anyhow, and
Neighbor Carter don't half feed his
cattle. I'm glad the poor creeturs can
have a good bite for once in their
lives"
'.And I've had letter from Walters
widow" added Elsa; ''and she wants
to come here with her children"
''Tell her to come," said Mrs. Rob-
bina ''It amt fine city place, and
maybe she and the little ones will find
it hard to make ont on mush and mo-
lssses and baked potatoes, as We do.
But she's my nephew's widow, and
she'll be welcome here"
"But, mother" said Elsa, ''thirk
what you are doing. Another family
In this cramped.up little house. lot
of NOISY children, racing and scream
ing sbout-a fine lady to be waited on,
who is certainly as able to take care
of herself as We are to take care of
her. And You know that We owe a
large bill at the grocer's, and we
haven't paid for the COW yet, and the
tailoress business is getting duller
ever year, now that folks have taken
the notion to go to the city for their
little boys suits."
"Well, child-well," serensly inter
posed the old lady, s'God viii pro-
vide. He always does. And it's a
dreadful thing to be q widow and
homeless. Write to her, Elsa, and tell
her to come"
'.But she mas no money to travel
with" bluntly added Elsa 'She
wants Us to send her twenty dollars.
She has written to Cousin Msrrett, up
at the grange, and they won't even
answer her letter"
"Dear, dear! that's bad ]" cooed
Mrs. Robbins. "No money at all.
Poor soul! poor soul!"
"Weil-but, mother" pleaded Elsa,
eve haven't got any money, either-to
spare!"
"There's the chicken money" said
Mrs. Robbins, looking wistfully up.
''But, that was to buy you a warm,
new cloak, mother"
swell, I'll make the old gray shawl
do for another year" said Mrs. Rob-
bins. "And Walters widow must have
money to pay her travelling expenses
poor thing! 1t was very wrong OF
Olivia Marrett not to answer her let
ter-very. But Olivia and her husband
was always close. It's their nature, l
do s'pose."
And Elsa broke out laughing, with