The Universalist., 1897-01-30
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NuihOo oiS h'' CilCO VIC Olu huoOuhN'
81 mean-I swum! | never useter
sware. Not by goldarned sightp
he exploded again. "W'y, Sary, you
an mes ben one so long the thread
will snap ter stretch it so!'
"Oh, oh, OH" cried the little old
woman, clasping her thin hands.
''Ef it on'y would My, myl | didn't
go fur ter say tbetl I'm jes ez well
took care Nv ez anybuddy ken be-
wen Rilla's got the butter Nv ten
COWS ter see ter, an all"
They're my cows! I've raised 'em
ev'y one! ! let Rila tex car Nv ten,
an Gusty ten. Ev'y one Nv ems
sucked my fingers in the trough.
The little black heifer'd foller me all
roun' the place ter get apples out'n
my pocket. An the grade Jersey,
she wouldn't let down her milk ter
anybuddy but me. You mind thet
day the Durham got in the slough?
Thet critter she he'd more gump n
Silas wen he went ter help me git
her out. She come NV a greet herd.
An Rilla pertends ter-day they're
hern-"
81 don't pertend to say anythingW
cried a shrill voice in the other room,
over the thud of cradle rocking on
the bare floor. II pertend ter say
that no woman's more'n mortal, an
thet it's Gusty's turn now ter hev the
wits jes pestered out'n her! An
you're a-goin over there to-morrer,
'cordin ter agreement, an you
needn't say another word about i'll"
"You're an onnateral child"
roared the old man, stalking to the
door his great height filled.
ooh, Siah, Siah" called his wife.
81 don't care wat We say" retorted
the querulous voice from the other
room. "I'm jes beat. It's enough
ter hev the trouble O. ma'am an
Gershom, an | don grumble about
thet. But it's all | kin du. An
Gusty's gotter hev her sheer. 'Taint
fair. She amt chick nor child-an'
you've gotter go"
"An' leave ma'am7"
"Ma'am can't CO."
you'll tex my dead buddy fust,
then" he cried.
"Oh, Siah, father" cried the little
old woman, reaching out her help
less hands, "you keep still"
keep still wen I'm drove fun my
own door, fun my own wifeP' wheel
ing about in the doorway. "Keep
still! I'll raise the roof fust-"
you're a-raisin' Nv it nowl" ex-
claimed the voice beyond. "An' l
hope you're satisfied. You've woke
the baby fur good an all. An me
sltn tnet lnlng-
"I'm glad | hev! I hope it won't
never go ter sleep agin!"
"Oh father, father" cried the old
woman.
81 hope ye won't never know wat
tits ter sleep again yerself-"
"Oh, Siah! Husband!'
"Waal-I mean-that is ter say
gazing bewilderedly at the wall,
where time and smoke had deepened
to the brown tones of the room the
pictured bits of the illustrated papers
that Rilla in pathetic attempt at dec
Grafton had pasted there. "Waal,
Rilla-there-ye give me the baby"
holding out his trembling hands;
"I'll git him off. Lori I've put ye
ter sleep yerself, Rilla, many's the
time, wen yer mothers arms wuz thet
tired they couldn't hold ye. I've ben
a good father ter ye, Rilla. Ye amt
a-goin' ter SEN yer old daddy out in
the cold"
"'Tain't out in the cold. It's on'y
ever ter Gusty's-the other side the
wood-lot, whar yer useter think 'twuz
pleasant enough livin' afore ye built
here"
"'Twuz. 'Twuz pleasant. We'en
yer mother wuz young an spry, the
brightes black-eyed gal in the county
sweet ez a peach, you wuz-sweet
ez peach, Sary-an' the leet'e bab-
les comin'-I he'd a welcome fur 'em
eve'y one-thet's you, Rilla; thet's
Gusty; thet's Car'line, ez hes ben the
sorest O. sore troubles" he SAID, with
a trembling voice. "She'd "a ben
prop ter the house." he said, and
paused a moment. "Yes, | wouldn't
a come ter this eff I'd a-hed Car'line,"
hs began again. "W'at'd she want
book larnin' fur? Could it a-helped
her mex bread an mex cheese7 Could
she eat it7 But she mus go ter the
'cademy fur book-larnin'. An wen
she's got done 18th the 'cademy,
'twan't enough book-larnin' fur her.
An she hires OUTER help in the kitch-
.n. M Jarfarf Nv dartar h;ras