The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-22
GOOD FRIENDS AND TRUE.

her thoughts were remote enough from
fiecks of sky, green leaves or splashing
buttermilk.
Inside the dim sitting room her mother
nodded to the musical rhythm of the churn
and the buzzing of two flies, high on the
window pane. The needle. stuck half way
through the cross stitches in the heel of
Mary AIMS stocking, was held perilously
close to the grey head bending over it and
bobbing up again at regular intervals. The
warm, dangerous June day courted sleep,
the churn dasher outside rose and fell mo-
notonously, and it's cadence mingled with
Mrs Smitherss dreams
Presently there came rap of bony
knuckles at the front door. Mrs. Smith
ers's head gave a final jerk upward and her
eyes blinked open. She rose and FASTENED
to the door, the stocking still in her hand.
ooh, is it you, Liar" she said. Come
right in. L was half asleep when you
knocked; these long summer days make one
so drowsy"
Liza gave her skirts a shake. Its awful
hard for people to keep clean in Kansas"
she complained. with the wind blowin' the
and glanced smilingly about her. It's nice
in here, though" she added, land I'm
mighty glad 1 found you at home, because
4
Il hope you didn't come Begin for the
church,, said Mrs Smithers There amt
a. red cent in the house and won't be until
Mary Ann finishes the churnin' and sells the
butter"
That's her churnin' now, amt it?" asked
Yes. why?"
her to hear, that's ALL She took off her
mittens and smoothed them out across her
lap.
Sarah" she began solemnly, after an
friend 10 you, haven't II?
Bout as good as any friend I've got"
answered Mrs. Smthers, with a curious in
tonation which was lost on Liza, so intent
was she upon the subject in hand
We'll, I've come to do you friends turn
now Here she paused again, and Mrs.
Smithers, drawing her needle Through, held
1t suspended, waiting to hear.
Sometimes" Liza went on, peoples own
kinfoks is the very last ones to hear things
that's goin' on-talk, / mean-and that amt
right If the there's talk goin, on, the ones
yours, Sarah?'
1T depends" said Sarah dryly.
Liza rolled the mittens neatly together and
Now supposin'," she said, at a slight
loss los, for words fol, once, that 1 had girl
Mrs. Smithers involuntarily started. For
second she shook as with chill.
And people was goin' round talkin' about
tell me?'' ~ o0---0 anu
Mrs: Smithers old not reply Her wrinkled
race mad turned palish yellow under the
tan from the Kansas winds. The stocking
had fallen into her lap
of course, it would continued Liza,
I think you ought to know it,
She coughec twice behind her hand be-
fore she began again
M AS near as l can make out" she said
1T was this way: Jake Saunders was
comln. along the road from Mulvane Satur-
day night think it was; yes, I'm sure it
was Saturday highland he saw two young
people drivin' towards him in a buggy in
the shadow Of the trees. 1t was bright
moonlight, you know, and when they come
out from under the shadow the young fell
low threw his arms around the girls neck
and kissed heri Kissed her right there in
the moonlight where Jake Saunders could
see, where anybody could 'er seen what had
mind to look! Why, in the name of com
mon sense, didn't he kiss her when they
were IN the shadow of the trees? That's
what I'd like to know Sarah that young
fellow was Charlie Sullivan and the girl
well. the girl was-Mary Ann!''
her work, and was slowly running the long
needle through the heel of Mary AIMS
stocking. She pressed the threads down
with her thumb nail and shipped off a stray
END with her scissors. Her face was emo
tionless as If carved in stone, but the fingers
that held the scissors trembled a very lit
You know Jake SaunGars," Liza went on.
He can't keep nothin. That was Saturday
night, ana DeIOro mOrnin the whole town
was alive with 1t. Everybody knew it, even
the little children. Such things go like wild
IRE once they get started and the worst of
1t is, they keep addin and addin'. Won
wouldn't 'er known the story by SUNDAY
they put so many frills and furbelows to
She looked hard at Mrs. Smithers search.
ing In her stony features for some slight
announcement to proceed, but, finding none,
sne proceeded, anyway. Now, SEEM I'm
your best friend, Sarah, thought it would
be Kindness to come and tell you what
they We're sayin'. 1t seemed sort of pitifuI-
IKE to hear everybody talkin about Mary
Ann, ana you Smilin' around unbeknownst
-smllln maybe, at the very people what
was dom the worst talkin'.''
She INJECTED a moment, while the sound
said to Jane Hawkins, she he w ssnfe up lame
~, lit wasn't right: If nobody else would
Mrs. smithers cleared her throat. 'T see
wheats gone up. Thatll be- I good Tina hhas
charge morn it's worth to haul it AWAY
This ought to be a good year for Kansas
with such big wheat crops and the corn
Yes, the corn's fine enough right now"
retortea Liza, but there's no teilin' what
til I'll be be BET before the seasons over Like as
bUe tne not winds VIII kill it, or the chinch
She tipped a speck of dust from her
sleeve sSe bad ana aft took up the old subject where
with one daughter, and people was taikin'
about her I'd thank somebody to come
and tell me- That's what l would do
try not to think of the chinch- bugs, Z"
SAID Mrs. Smithers. 'If they come, let 7em
come Anyway. half a crop in Kansas is
better than whole crop in any other State
mat WHAT'S the matter with Kansas. Her
own people run her down.
Liza suddenly left her chair and stood
erect her starched skirts rustling with in
9lgnation;,, You're queer creature, Sarah
Smithers," she said. ''You never were like
other people and you never will be, 1 guess
When friend comes to do you a kindness
you am got a civil word in your head for
her ThlS is the last time I'll go out of nv
timei' A"s1
Mrs Smithers remained seated. "You,u
excuse my not goin' to the door with Won
nope said she, without offering any
visitor Haunted out of the house and down
the walk alone, heedleSsly brushing against
the lnoHensive rows of phlox and sweet
williams as she went.
loud click, Mrs. Smithers raised her head
and listened for the sound of the churn
1t had ceased
Mary Ann" she called softly.
"Ma'am," answered Mary Ann from the
pantry, where she stood molding a shining
pat of butter
Come here a minute"
Mary Ann printed a clover leaf on the
Dutter, laid 1t a plate and appeared in
the doorway. holding it out upon the palm
OF her hand. Look at this" she said,
amt 1t yellow as gold?"
Yes smiled her mother 'but put IT
down and come here"
She put the plate on the table and an
preached her mother, her face flushed with
the exercise of her work. She knelt down
by her.
There's something want to tell YOU. ;"
she said, claSping the old WOman's waist