The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-09
.GETTIN SHET OF HER.


Of little Nebraska town--the town OF
Bubble.
The little woman was crouched upon
the carpet sofa In limp heap. She looked
Ill, but sanguine-exhausted but relieved.
The remains of the midday meal were on
the table. There were traces of ashes about
the stove. The baby's gown was begrimed.
In spite Of these facts the mistress OF the
modest home smiled sweetly.
"Well," exclaimed her visitor, one COM
prehensive glance embracing the unwont.
ed neglect Of the place, II heard you were
not feeling we'll, but did not know you
required assistance with your Homework.
I supposed, of course, your friend Mrs.
Mason was with you."
The little woman looked up with
sparkle in her eye.
"Oh, I'm well enough. was sick
enough up to last Tuesday. I've been get
tin better ever since. I'll have the table
red off an things Strengthened before Tom
gets home. If I feel like it now, can let
things be. There amt no one to notice.
Mrs. Mason, she don't come over. Truth
Is, we've got shet of Mary Mason. We
just" in emphatic repetition, chad to get
shet of Mary Mason. ,"
The visitor was sympathetic. The little
woman was confidential.
"Me an Tom," she explained, "have
lived on farms all our lives. 30 when we
rented the farm an moved into town
thought the change was fine. N.Y. / says
to Tom. Amt 1t nice to live in a large
placer never before suspicioned how COM
Portable 1t was to live reel near to folks an
have them folks neighborly. Out'n the
half section we might be two weeks 18th
out seein q body to speak to. An here
we've got 800 people in this town, an two
trains O day, not to mention the freights-
an houses all round us. It's awful NICE
says to Tom, but what's incest Is Mrs.
Mason. Why, she comes in that often l
amt got bit of time to be lonesome for
the stock. There's only herself an her
husband; so her work don't count. She
can't read or write only Bohemy, an she
amt got no use for that language since
she married out'n her folks. Take 1t alto
gether, she's willin to neighbor lots, an
that says to Tom, will be mighty perk-
in for me-
eyes" assented her visitor, with ris-
ing infection on the monosyllable.
"Tom, he didn't say much He's kind
Of slowlike. He jest said, What suits you,
Eliza, suits me-. Well, Mrs. Mason, she
come She kept comm. Sometimes, II she
got Samyel off early, she come In before
our breakfast She allus come In before l
got the dishes done up An she staid
She staid all mornin-even wash morn
ms. Sometimes che talked. Right along
she kept nibblin. Sometimes twas bit Of
cheese, or couple Of crackers, or hunk
Of spice gingerbread, or the top of a jar Of
| jell L can't hear you when I'm a-rubbin,
| I'd say. That never mattered bit to her.
She'd wait till got through rubin an
was a-bilin. But whether she talked or
| whether she didn't she allus come, sure as
| the daylight did. She allus kept a-nibblin,
| an she allus staid."
| The narrator treated herself to tea
spoonful of medicine out Of q bottle on the
window sill before she proceeded.
"Our girls get home from school at 49,, "
went on the Frustrated ohatelaine, IAN I
allus have lunch for em then. Sometimes
it's reel good. Sometimes It's only scraps.
Anyhow, it's the best Inc an Tom can af-
ford, Don't you think she staid for every
one of them lunches? My, yes. She don't
have to get dinner for Samyel till /, an
she lowed that she most generally got
| peckish about noon. So she'd set down
with the children regular an then go across
home to get dinner. Lots Of times they d
be just a snag Of pork, or gumption Of
fried potatoes, or as much jam leayin as
| you'd sneeze at. There amt nothin here,
Mrs. Mason to ask you to have bite Of,
| l says to her often. oh, laws, she an.
swers, whats good enough for you Is
good enough for me-. An she sets down. u
| "Then she would stay all afternoon.
She was allus here when Tom come home
to supper. Her husband took his supper at
the hotel, so she used to jine us. Samye]
never got back from the store before II. SC
she'd stay at our house to pass the time.
Tom, he'd 60 for the mail an come back,
an there she was. Read the noos, she'd
say. Tom, who is natchilly petite, 'ud read
it, He'd read an read an read, 'Lan's
sakes, Mary Mason 'ud put in, go on.
could jest set here all night an listen An
she did--pretty near"
There was mournful silence.
"On the farm" continued Mrs. Robin
son, "me an Tom allus went to bed at 8.
How was we to go to bed even at 10 with
| MARY NhsOh u-sttblh tncicl bdhu VI WV
livin!' she'd say, seein me a-patchin. I'm
glad l amt got emmy children to keer
a-slavin fer-they do take such slew Of
work, But when got through the mend
In an Tom had read every word in the pa
per- even the advertisements, there sht
was Tom, he'd yawn an yawn. I'd tel
as how was dead beat, not havin go
much sleep the night before with the baby
that was croupy. She never pretended t.
hear By'm by Tom, he'd go into our bed
room that's off the settin room, an he't
haul off his shoes an sling en- on the flool
real hard. That didn't stir her. 1t was
awful provokin."
at must have been," her visitor acqui
esced.
Then they was the borryin. Not that
Mary Mason called it borryin. She said she
hadn't bit Of use for folks that borryed
She said when she wanted anything from
q person she neighbored with that she just
went in an took 1t, reel friendly like.
That's how our groceries kept a-meltin.
''Taint worth while me buyin q package
of yeast that costs 5 cents, she'd say,
= i l. q