Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-08-06
A Suffering Saint.
By HARRIET PRESCOTT sPoFFoRD.


The river was sparkling, the boughs
were waving the bees were humming,
MARBLES fell from the topmost top of ths
sun tipped pines and cedars, the warm
air was full of the scent of flowers and
the laughing of children, and suddenly
on all the sweet tranquility came the
harsh clang of bell, huge brass din
ner bell
"Oh, that poor sufferin saint" cried
Mrs. Mather, running TO her window. II
declare eff it amt too bad Idunno how
she ever STAINS It'll There they go. them
fellers. SD d think they'd be ashamed
to deathi' And while she was exclaim-
ing the man in his short sleeves in the
opposite dooryard, with a white face
and black burning eyes and tangle of
uncombed hair. went on hourisbing his
great dinner bell over ais head, ringing
it with all his might, and half a dozen
men who had just thrown down their
tools were running TO answer it.
"Come onl Come on rs ne shouted with
a strange hoarseness and thick articula-
ton. "Come outl Come out Up with
vel Up with YER And then u woman
darted out of tho house and skipped up
on the horse block, half laughing, half
crying and tossing her apron over her
face.
Its shamel It's Twin shamei"
cried Mrs Mather, eagerly peering be-
hind her sash curtain. II declare |
don see why Humphrey Lavender don {
fall dead, poor critter Aud all them
fellers gawkin and gapin round. I
sh'd think you'd have somethin better to
do 18th youself, Tom Brierl'' she called
Lord, Mis- Mather, faint my
fault said Tom, stopping a moment
under the open window TO tie his shoe
<'She wants US 60. She's asst US partic'-
der. She says he's got to be humored
wen he hes the spells, she says. She
says it's her cross, and his'n too. Lord,
faint our fault I've got TO 90 and bid
her in now And he ran off posthaste
Come now" cried Humphrey, still
hourishing his bell about his blazing
face. Hurry up. l amt no time to
waste. Who'll bid her ON? Here she is
-ain't worth her weight in sawdust.
Who starts the biddin? Sally Lavender,
feet 8, as old as her tongue and lit
tleolder than her teeth, and her tongue =
hung in the middle and goes at both
ends Five oentsi 10 Burns your mon
ey's burnin hole in your pocket.
Do hear 10? No sort of a wife-I0-
10-10-fragile, no account creetur.
Ten, do you say-the price of drink.
Yes, she amt wuth much. but she "a
wuth that. Speak up there Ten-l0-
do hear l5f Who bids | 8 for blamed
rag doll? / amt a-takin you in--you
know her--ain't one redeemin trait
temper of the old boy-idle-shif'les less
you biddin, Tom Brier? I'm lettin her
go for wat she'll fetch--yes be.
''Fifteen-20 -goin-2O-am offer
ed 90? By CORY, she won't fetch a
quarter. Gone, at-20-to Tom Brier.
And you can take her now or hev her
later" And then the woman sprang
from the block and ran into the house
as if she could not bear it one momen,
longer, and the men dispersed, and
Humphrey pocketed his 20 cents.
Tain't enough TO fill the Jug" he
muttered as he went into the house.
"Guess III hev TO sell her over agiin. "
sHere, dearie, you take this, said
Sally meeting him with a bowl into
which she had hurriedly poured the con.
tents of skillet.
Don't be a-dearyin mo now," he
said 1T amt proper thing
well, never mind all that Just
take this. It's beef and barley broth, and
billed pepper and an yingin in it.
It's real good and nourishin. 1"
"Well" he said, "perhaps I will.
You amt no objec' now in maxim way
with me, so don't suppose you We ben