Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-03-08

tFiuk Indut Cunuudht VI Wh'h hiS
master and the boys were afeld, and
when his mistress turned her troubled
blue eyes in his direction he assured her
in advance Of his full sympathy by dig
nified oscillations uf his handsome tail.
Your master and me have made
mistake, Duke, q terrible bad mistake,
and don I see any way out of the mess.
That's what's pesterin me. We'd better
NV lef' well 'nough alone, Duke, but
we didn' have the sense to see 1t at the
right time. y
Wiping her fingers free from the
stains Of pea pods, she reverently lifted
All imperial photograph from where 1t
had been propped against the back of
the chair in front Of her.
This is her picture, Duke, your lit.
tie Miss Elias, that used to pull your
ears mos out by the roots, and YOU new
er even snapped bout it. She signs her
name Liza now, like it was spelled
with double ee. How Martin laughed
when she wrote US word how to pro-
nounce our own child's name! But
reckon she's outgrowed you, Duke,
along with the old name You used to
watch over her mighty good, old boy,
whenever laid her down ON the risin
sun quilt she used to think the world
and all ON. When the pink Grape myr-
ties was shading the sun from her purity
eyes and the risin sun was just under
her fat little fingers and you a-curled
up nigh her, / could go up { big house,
IL need be, and stay hours with an easy
mind.
Mrs Martin sighed ponderously aud
fiecked grain of dust from the smooth
surface Of the picture. Il was sorry
when the wind blowed the pink myrtle
tree down, Duke, cause we always call
ed il Liza's tree. The rising sun is
packed away in the press right now Its
colors is as bright ~ when put il on
the gallery floor for you and baby to
romp on, but you re sight Older than
you was then, Duke. and reckon she's
outgrowed you along with lots Of other
things. It's eight years Duke, goin on
nine. since give my Liza up because
they all said l had oughter." With a
certain fierce regret she tapped the
smooth oval cheek Of the photograph
with her work roughened finger.
We've done you wrong, Liza, we
can't never undo. We've sent you off
and made lady Of you, and we hadn't
oughter done no such thing. It's her do
in's, all hers "
Mrs Martin shook her fist vindictive
" in direction Of the governors man.
sion, whose cleaning white walls, sur
rounded by clustering gardens and or
chards, were just visible from where
she sat.
The odor Of scorching meat smote mp.
OH her nostrils. Duke lifted up his
voice in howl Of reproach. The din
ner was burning up and no summons
had yet been sounded OH the big bell.
She came back to the sordid require
ments Of the hour with violent start
that sent the remainder of the beans,
pods and all, into the pan like rattle
Of musketry.
GOOD God! It's higher than IL.
That pictures got me all upset-plum
outdone"'
By Way Of remedying the irremedi-
able, Mrs. Martin gave the bell pull
two or three startling, vigorous jerks
before proceeding to examine the incin-
Grated dinner
Soon from out q cloud Of dust, amid
a mighty clatter Of hoofs and trace
chains, to the discortiant accompani-
ment Of yelping ours and kissing geese,
Manager Martins broad shoulders and
florid face appeared. He was carrying
his coarse straw hat in his hand and
mopping his moist forehead with du-
bious bandana handkerchief.
For the first time in her married life
Mrs. Martin regarded her husband crit
ically.
How would he strike Liza!"
Everything in her microcosm was be.
ginning to revolve about that test ques-
ton. AS he galloped past her point OF
view, conscientiously minded to see that
the brutes had their feed before he en-
joyed his own, she challenged his atten-
ton by waving her blue cotton apron
vigorously at him.
Don't stay long at the lot, Eben.
I'm in hurry for you.
Across the clatter of hoofs, the yelp-
ing of ours and kissing Of geese clear,
wholesome laugh fioated to her.
"You rung that bell like you was in
o hurry. Consult the shadders "
She consulted the shadows Eben had
always told her when she had any
doubts about the harsh voiced clock that
had been her mentor for 10 years to
consult the shadows about the roots OF
two sentinel China trees that fianked
the front steps II the shadows were
plumb round" she was to ring. The
shadows were slanting toward the cart.
"It's the picture. 1t got me all fius
tered up"
With this apology for herself to her
self she went inside and made ready foI
"the old man" and the boys with q
great ado over her bone handled cutlery
and her heavy queensware plates, all OF
which suddenly inspired her with al
intense scorn Of their clumsy coarseness.
"How would they strike Liza?"
With spiteful emphasis she Emoothed
the wrinkles out Of the red checkered
tablecloth that never had shown such
suspicious marks Of hard usage as 1t did
today, looked at with her newborn dis.
trust Of all her possessions A few
grease spots, more or less, wouldn't
"feaze the old man. nor the boys, bui
she shouldn't wonder II Liza had forgot
how to eat OF red tablccloth, and like
as not she was used to napkins every
day. 81
| Her preparations were still incomplete
when Eben put his shining face through
the open window nearest to the role,
towel, which was just then In active
service.
"Short 'lowance of time for grub,
] Becky. How come you to forget usl
i Never imowed voa do Il before"