Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-04-23
MARY MASON.


looked Ill. but .sunguine-exhaust
but relieved. The remuins of the mid
day meal were on the table. There
Were traces of ashes nbout the stove.
The bahy's gown was bcgrimed. In
spite OF these facts the mistress OF the
modest home smiled sweetly.
We'll" exclaimed her visitor, one
comprehensive glance embracing the
f'nwonted neglect of the place, II heard
you were not feeling well, but | did
not know you required assistance with
your housework. supposed. of course,
your friend Mrs. Mason was with you
The little woman looked up with Il
sparkle in her eye.
20, LIN well enough. | was sick
enough up to last Tuesday. I've been
gettin' better ever since. I'll have the
table rcd off an things Strengthened
before Tom gets home. If feel like
ii now can let things be. There ain't
no one 10 notice. Mrs. Mason, she don't
comc over. Truth is, we've got shet
of Mary Mason. We just" in emphatic
repetition, had to get shot of Mary
Mason"
The visitor was sympathetic. The
little woman was confidential.
ME an Tom," she explained, shave
LIVED on farms all our lives. So when
We rented the farm and moved into
town, thought the change was fine.
My! says to Tom, 'ain't il nice to
live in large place. never before
suspicioned how comfortable IL was to
live reel near to folks, an have them
folks neighborly. Out'n the half sec
ton we might be two weeks 'ithout
seem body to speak to. An here
we've got 300 people in this town, an
two trains n day-not to mention the
frcights-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 IL bit of time
&c 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 mint got
no use for that language since she mar
ried omt'n her folks. Take it alto
gethcr, she's willn' to .neighl,or lots,
an that l says to Tom, will be mighty
perkin' for mel"
Yves" assentcd her visitor, with
rising infection on the monosyllable.
"Tom, he didn't say much. Hes kind
OF slow-like. He jest said: What suits
you. Eliza, suits mel Well, Mrs. Mason
hhe' some. She kept comm. Some
times If she got Samyel off early, she
come In before our breakfast. She
nllus come in before got the dishes
done up. An she stayed. She stayed
nj !, H.,
Sometimes she talked. Right along she
kept nibblin'. Sometimes twas u bit
of cheese, OF couple of crackers, or n
hunk of spice gingerbread, or the top
off a jar OF jcll. Il can't hear YOU when
yp u-rubbin',' I'd say. That never
mattcred bit to her. She'd whit till
got through rubin an was a-bilin'.
But whether she talked or whether she
ciidn!t allus come, sure as the daylight
did,. she allus kept a-nibblin', an she
allus stayed"
Yhe narrator treated himself to n
tcaspoonful of medicine out of bottle
Oh the windowsill before she pro-
cceded.
''0ur girls get home from school at
IT, WENT on the Frustrated chatelainc,
"anf II nlliIs have lunch for 'cm then.
Sometimes it's reel good. Sometimes
frs only scraps. Anyhow, it's the best
me an Tom can afford. Don't you think
she stayed for every one of them
lunches? My, yes. She don't have 10
set dinner for Samycl till one. an she
lowed that SHE most generally got
peokish about noon. So she'd set down
tyith. fhaf oh il.i,.nn ~
ucross- Home TO get dinner.
Her visitor sighed softly.
Then She would stay all afternoon.
She WINS nlEs here when Tom come
home to supper. Her husband took his
supper at the hotel, so she used to line
us Samyel never got back from the
store before IL, so she'd stay at our
house to pass the time. Tom, he'd go
for the mail. an come back, nm there
shewas. Read the noos!' she'd say. Tom,
who is nntchilly petite, 'ud read it.
He'd read. an read, an read! Lands
eakes!' Mary Mason 'ud put in. go on!
i could jest set here all night an listen
An she did-pretty near!"
There was mournful silence.
"Dn tho farm" continued Mrs. Rob-
inson. me an Tom nllus went to bed Mt
eight. How was we to go to bed even at
ten. with Mary Mason a-settin' there?
land O. the iivin'!' she'd say. seem me
a-putchin.' I'm glad amt got emmy
children to Keep a-slavin' fcr-they do
fake surfi a slew of work. But when
got' through the mcndin', an Tom had
read evcry word in the paper. even the
nJvcrtisemcnts-the she was! Tom
led yawn an yawn. I'd tell rs how
was dead bent. not havin' got much
sleep tile night before with the baby
that was croupy. She never pretended
to hear. By'm by, Tom. he'd 60 into orr
Bedroom that's off the sittin'-room. an
He'S haul off his shoes. an sling 'em on
the ffooFrenl hard. That didn't stir her.
VI was awful provokin'."
TT must have been!" her visitor nc
Hutescea.
Then they was the borryin'. Not
Fiat Mary Mason called it borryin'.
She said she hadn't n bit ofuse for folks
that Tborryed. She said when she wanted
anything from person she neighborcd
with that she Just went in an took n