The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1898-01-13


l will be out of the way then. and not
kill joy to your New Years party"
You amt doing this to please me,
Elizabeth, you're doin' it just to be
mean" Tears had risen INTO Miss
Barbara's eyes. and there was a lump
in her throat that prevented her from
speaking clearly.
You can have your own opinion
about that, of course" Elizabeth did
not look at her aunt as she spoke 1T
is enough that [ have decided to go
to Mrs. Rucker's"
She hung up the dish pan on a nail
over the sink and went up stairs.
When she came down she had her
shawl and hood on and small satchel
in her hand.
You won't have bit nice time
over to Mrs. Rucker's, Elizabeth :"
said Miss Barbara, rising from her
knees near the oven door as her niece
came in. They never make no fuss
about New Years, md you'll get sick
ter death O hearin' Isabel fret
Il can stand it, l guess, better'n
eating my New Years dinner with
panpers and imbeciles."
"Well, good bye, if you must go,
El1zabeth.'
Good bye"
Elizabeth trudged off through the
snow of the high road, never once
looking back Had she done so she
would have seen her aunt standing in
the little path by the side of the house
gazing after her, the tears streaming
down her cheeks.
1t was two miles to Mrs. Ruckec's 5
and three to the village. Elizabeth
mad in her satchel the letter she had
written to Emma Griswold. She no
ped to find chance to send it to the
post office. Perhaps she and Isabel
could walk to the village in the after
noon. But there was little chance
for that. Isabel was so averse to ex
ertiOns Of any sort. She was a pee
wish. discontinued girl, always fret
ting for things impossible for her to
have. She had begged Elizabeth a
hundred times to come and stay q
few days with her, so Elisabeth felt
sure that she would receive warm
welcome. She did not mean to tell
the Fuckers about her aunt's New
Years party.
The Rucker homestead lay some
dlstance-Otf the main road, and as
Elizabeth turned into the lane that
led to it her foot went suddenly down
into hole by the fence, and she sank
to the ground with cry of pain.
She knew as soon as she tried to
stand again that she had sprained her
ankle. She could not put her foot on
the ground without suffering intense
pain. She hung her satchel on one
arm, and then, with the aid of the
fence managed to hobble along to the
house. A sudden fear seized her as
she noticed that no smoke was issu
ing from the kitchen chimney.
'It can't be they're not at home"
she muttered.
But when she reached the little
back porch and sank down groaning
on bench there. she needed only one
glance around to be convinced that
the place was deserted. The barn
was closed, the dog was gone, and
every shutter in the house was fast
ened.
Elizabeth did not sit long thinking
over this chill disappointment, forsne
was very cod. and the wind blew
keenly across the porch. She made
up her mind she must get into the
house. No doubt the Fuckers would
return some time during the day, and
until they came she must get along
as we'll as she could by herself
She succeeded, after some difficul
ty, in getting into the kitcnen through
! door communicating with the wood
shed, but was dismayed to find no fire
in the stove. 1t was evident that the
Fuckers had been away over night
There was plenty of wood piled up
back of the stove, and Elizabeth made
fire and heated some water BY
this time her foot had swollen a good
deal, and did not feel much better af
ter being bathed
When noon came, and still no sign
of the mother and daughter returning,
Elizabeth began to wonder if there
| was anything to eat in the house.
With the aid of stick she hobbled
to the pantry, and investigated the
bread box and butter tub. There was
plenty of both, SO at least she would
not staive or freeze.
But how lonely it wasl As hour
after hour passed, Elizabeth could
have cried Just because of sheer lone
| illness; and then her foot was very
painful. Night came and she lighted
a lamp, ate slice of bread and butter,
and tried to interest herself in book
of etiquette. But the sense Of isola-
ton was SO keen that she could not
| keep her mind upon what she read
Mrs. Rucker's bed room opened
from the kitchen, and when eight
O'Clock struck Elizabeth vent to bed
and any one eau imagine how utterly
wretched she felt She did cry now
cried until the pillow was Thorough
| ly wet and had 20 be turned over
! Her tears were those of anger and
disappointment at first, but a differ
ent mood followed She began to
SSe lHdl SIe dSltt III very updu
strong, disagreeable manner, She had
shown herself uncharitable and pos
sessed of a petty pride. She had
wounded and disappointed the aunt
who had always been 50 good to her,
too. What right had she to dictate
to Aunt Barbara about her New Years
guests? She was as much dependent
Ton her aunt as those five paupers were
on the county.
Yes, as Aunt Barbara had said, she
had left home and come to Mrs Ruck-
er's just to be mean, and she was be
ing justly punished. She deserved il
all, even the sprained ankle.
The wind howled around the house
the big trees in the yard creaked and
groaned. and the fire in the kitchen
went out and miserable Elizabeth al
last fell asleep, her cheeks wet with
rel en- ant ter
Oh. how cold and dreary it was tc
OF n ~ taa