New-York tribune., 1897-01-10

Have poor luck dryin' your clo'es. Mis- Drop
pers?" she inquired glancing pointedly at the
garment.
Hannah's eyes followed the glance. curious
| spark came into them She looked full at the
woman before her.
mo. didn't have poor luck" she answered.
Il tore that myself, jes' now"
"Ohw
Mrs. B.air grasped the cup. She stood holding
1t a minute. her good-natured, sympathetic gaze
on the face before her. She thinking that
she didn't see how any woman could stan 1t
with Keliup Droppers. And yet In after
clause. you couldn't bring nothin special aginst
him. He a good provider; he didn't drink
nor gamble nor after women"
Here, Mrs Blair. who a great deal older
than Caleb Dropper's wife. took a step forward
! and touched Hannah's arm.
Now. don't We go n git all down to the heel"
she said gently II can't bear to see ye look so.
| Amt you got everything a reasonable woman
wants?-a good home. respectable man, nm
so FORTH"
The speaker laughed little at the ending of
| her sentence
The strain Of something that seemed almost
like tenderness in her visitors voice broke Mrs.
Droppers down. Without the least warning she
put her hands to her face and began to cry
aloud, swaying back and forth she did so.
Mrs. Blair hurriedly set her cup of empty
ngs" a chair and took hold of her COM
panion's shoulders with firm grip She backed
her toward the lounge. and pushed her down
upon it.
There, there" she said, placing herself also
on the lounge. and speaking as If she were ad-
dressing a child. "Sh-sh-don't take so.
spose you've ben overdoin on them hogs
,, f,,I hor1
putin UP pig, l always thought. 1 dread It
more n more every year. N Mr.. Droppers
killed two this fall. didn't he?"
"yes he did" was the smothered answer,
"but tant tryin' out leaves-Td be wlin to try
out leaves all my life Tiff Kellup d only be
difrunt' with an explosive finishing Of her
sentence
Mrs. Droppers had never in her life before
spoken Of her husband in such terms. But 70
think that he wouldn't let her touch that hun
dred-dollar bill-her own money too. And the
worst OF it was that 1t was just like him. He
never allowed her to handle any money. She
didn't know the feel of it. lie bought every
thing and he had every cent IF the butter and
egg money. though she made the butter and tool:
care Of the hens-and she was willing to do It,
Sometimes she saw women with purses that had
silver and bills in them. The sight Of them
made her blood grow hot with longing. She
knew that she lodged and clothed and f-d
well any of her neishbors. Some of these
neighbors were allowed to have a small sum per
week.
Once she asked her husband to allow her
something If only 10 cents week; she promised
to be careful of it; she would not be extrava-
CANT.
Mr.. Droppers had looked at her in amazement
Then he had said mildly that he guessed she
must be crazy. and didn't know what she was
talking about.
She had lived fifteen years with her husband.
ard why should she expect him to change? She
didn't expect it, and yet
AS she lay sobbing the old lounge she had a
terrible feeling that things hiI got to be diff
ferent."
There! there!" she heard Mrs. Blair repeat
ing, as she softly patted her back You're all
wore out, n your stomach amt right"
Hannah Droppers suddenly sat up: her hands
had fallen from her face. Her eyes were fash
ing.
Il ant wor1 out neither" she cried, "'cept as
I'm used up with him treatin' me s If a
child, n not fit to handle money-'n what be
longs to me. too I won't bear it, I've borne
it long 'nough. want to git few Things into
the house. I want to git fowin' blue dinner
set. I'd give anything to have a fowin blue
dinner-set: N 'twouldnt cost very much. l
shouldn't spend but little, 'Taint that l want to
spend, was always savin. Mar used to say
was real savin'. ! won't stan it, and my own
money!
These words rushed and almost tumbled over
each other as Mrs. Droppers sat up on the lounge
and kept pushing her hair back from her face
with both hands as she spoke
Mrs Blair took one of those hurrying hands
and held it closely. She trying not to show
that she was frightened.
Nov don't you git excited" she said entreat
ngly, amt you got no soothn stuff of any
kind in the house? Shan't put some catnip
to steep? l spose you dry some catnip every
year. don't ye? It's good plan
Mrs. Blair was trying to distract Hannahs
mind"
Mrs. Droppers became a little more quiet. She
smiled slightly. she replied:
Yes she said. i've got lot OF catnip up In
the attic | always throw away the year be-
fores: don't never none, but l save II.
! save everything. | don't want none now.
You're real kind. Mis- Blair. amt spok,
out before. hope you won't tell nobody amt
one to complain of my husband. You won't
mention IT. will you?'' beseechingly.
Not SYLLABLE the response; and Han
nah knew she could trust this woman; she had
known it when she give way" though she had
not meant to act like this. But already she
conscious OF a slight relief and of a longing. for
still more There a curious sensation OF
strangeness and triumph in her pulses. as If she
had loosened her shackles.
She fixed her shining eyes upon the large.
anxious face before her.
"Tain't fair" she said. "and l amt gon to
bear it. Jest cause he's my husband he needn't
act so. amt goin TO bear it. tell ye."
Mrs Blair was silent She thinking that
she didn't to meddle between man and
wife, she didn't believe in it. All the same, she
was conscious Of feeling of thankfulness If
there was any prospect OF "Keup Droppers'
gittin' his cOme-uppance."