The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-12-10

S BY SOPHIE SWIFT.
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- leave. She was to do tie same al
the high school. the work being given
10 the poorest girl)
"Now they see what we can do. Moses
and l." She said 10 herself. For Moses
vas 10 go to the high school. too. He
was Marth' Abby's twin brother, but
they said on Haycock Hill that if Moses
ever got anywhere il would be by
Marih Abby's pushin' and steerin'.
No one on the hill believed that Moses
was "smart"-no one but Marth' Abby.
Marth' Abby was the best scholar in
the Haycock Hill school. especially in
mathematics. She had made up an
arihmetical puzzle which had been
published in the Poppleton Times, and
Ha,cock Hill was proud of Marth' Abby
Stark; that is, MS proud as il could be
of anyone or anything. In truth, they
were discouraged people up there on
the hill; the Center called them shift
less. They were farmers and the soil
was poor: their courage seemed to
give ont before the rocks did.
Marth' Abby said it was easy to put
on airs when you never had to tussle
with rocks. These were her Uncle
Alonzo's folks ut the Center. Uncle
Alonzo was the richest man in Popple-
ton. and his son Leander went by Moses
and her with his head in the air. And
/, was only because Grandfather Stark
had seen fiji to leave his land nj the
sterile farm on Haycock Hill to Level
lyn. Marth' Abby's father.
"Now they'll see what IIaycock Hill
eTs can do" said Marth' Abby. with
swelling heart. when she gained the
very highest per cent. of correct an
swers Of anyone at the examination for
admission TO the high school. Moses
did better than anyone expected that
he would Sarah Beggs. one Of Martin
Abb,'s friends. had the examination
Papers Of the year before. and Marth'
Abby had drilled and coached Moses
upon them, thinking this years papers
might be similar-as they were. There
were six younger ones than the twins
IN the poverty-stricken. "shiftless"
house on Haycock Hill. and Marth' Abby
knew that she must keep school, out
in the back settlement. an even poorer
place than IIaycock Hill. just as soon
as she could; but she longed to have
Moses have a chance to be some body"
That meant TO Marth' Abby's mind. TO
20 to college. II worried Martin Abby
almost as much as the poverty and the
"shiftlessness" that Moses showed no
ambition in that direction. In fact.
Moses showed no particular ambition
ID any directions; he would "tussle with
'ocks and dig potatoes. day after day.
without ever owning that his back
ached. and he liked TO go into the woods
In the winter with the men who cut logs.
and be always knew what was goingon
az his uncle's lumber mills. where
Marih' Abby never liked to have him
90.
People said that they were the queer
- pair Of twins-Marthy Abby Us thin
as rail. snapping-eyed and eager; and
Moses stocky and sto,id and slow. 1t
was generally thought that "it was
pity Marihy Abby hadn't been n boy"
In her heart Marth' Abby wished
mat Moses were like Leander. Uncle
Alonzo's son. AT least in being fond OF
books. The finest scholar in the Pop
pleton high school was Lean6er Stark
we was the one who "helt his head in
me air" when Marth' Abby and Moses
passed him in the street, She didn't
Mish Moses to be "a sissy" as Iaycock
mn scornfully called Lcander. with
~ eyeglass. and perfumery on his
handkerchief, and a flower in his but
'ohhoie; but to be the first in his class
anu go 70 college, as Leander was going.
W write Latin verses which the min
s'er praised while he was only in his
second year in the high school-if
"oSes were like that. Marth' Abby said
- herself that she wouldn't mind il she
never had any good times.
Moreover. she wanted Moses to get
"o'e Leander: she wanted to see the
''ne when she and Moses could go by
-sahder with their heads in the air.
aii' sorry TO tell this: fear il will be
uncut to make you admire my hero
'"e-ior Marth' Abby Is my heroine.
~" mat you know 1t; but please re-
."'u'per that she had always been shut
su' q good times. that she particularly
s'ihed 10 be looked down upon dixie
N many OF us.), and that she had heard.
p iohg as she could remember. that all
,' lather's poverty was due to Uncle
','"n<o. may as well tell all the worst
Marth Abby at once, and have IL
win. She was almost glad that
''ander was delicate. so he could not
e'uu! all the time as he wished TO do:
~ she was downright glad that he
"aN bright red hair, which caused mis-
Nn.f'ous urchins to shout .House
"-nre' 4 after him; and lilly Dobbins
"no uldn't like sissy to nickname
oim "0leander."
M hrst morning when they went TO
'He hlgh school Leander stood on the
Ups anu stared at them through his
seg.asses. The color flashed into
S''',n Abby's dark, bony little face.
IA. mad picked berries and bought her
new bright plaid dress. and she
NV 'rlmped her hair for the first time.
a