The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1898-08-11
GOOD FRIENDS AND TRUE.

OF Virginia creeper whic covered the
lattice; but her thoughts were remote
enough from feckS OF sky, green leaves
or splashing huttermifk.
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
hall way through the cross stitches in the
heel of Mary AIMS stocking, was held
perilously close to the gray head bending
overlt and bobbing up again at regular
intervals. The warm, dangerous June
day courted sleep, the churn dasher out
side rose and fell monotonously, and it's
cadence mingled with Mrs. Smither's
dreams.
Presently there came rap of bony
knuekles at the front door. Mrs
omlther' $ head gave final jerk upward
and her eyes binked open. She rose and
fastened TO the door, the stocking still in
her hand.
oh it is you, Liza?' she said. Come
right in. | was half asleep when YOU
knocked-these long summer DAYS makes
one SO drowsy.N
Liza gave her skirts shake.
1T awful hard for people to keep
clean IL Kansas, she complained, with
the wind BLOWN the dust all over crea-
ton She seated herself and glanced
smAngty about her. Its nice in here,
though, she added, land | am mighty
glad | found you at home, because | came
on special business -
II hope you didn't come Begin for
the church., +" said Mrs. Smithers. ssThere
ain a red cent in the house, and won't
be until Mary Ann finishes the chulnin'
and sells the butter.
That's her clurnin now amt it?'
asked Liza.
Yes. Why?7
I've got somethin' to say | don't
want her to hear, that's ali She took
OF her mittens and smoothed them out
across her lap.
Sarah, she began solemnly, after an
awkald pause, II We always been good
friend to you haven't I?''
Bout as good as any friend I've
got, answered Mrs Smithers, with
curious information which was lost on
Liza, so intent was she upon the subject
In hand.
well, I've come to do you friends
turn now" Here she paused again. and
Mrs. Smithers, drawing her needle through
held it suspended, waiting to hear.
Sometimes" Liza went on, ''people's
own klnfolks is the very last ones to hear
things that's going on-talk, l mean
and that amt right. If there's talk
goln on, the ones nearest of kin ought to
be the first TO hear it. Leastways, that
my opinion Amt it yours, Sarah?n
1t depends said Sarah dryly.
Liza rolled the mittens neatly together
and turned the hem of one over both
Now supposin', ~ she said, at slight
loss tor words for once, that had girl
like Mary Ami
Mrs Smithers involuntalily started,
For second she shook as if with a chill.
And people was goin' round talkin'
about her? Wouldn' it be your duty to
come and tell me9''
Mrs. Smithers did not reply. Her
wlinkled face had turned a palish yellow
under the tan from the Kansas winds.
The stocking had fallen into her lap.
"OI course it would, continued Liza,
ana SO m goln totell you this, because
/ think you ought to know it,
She coughed twice behind her hand be-
fole She began again.
AS near as can make out. ." she said
sit was this way Jake Saunders was
comm along the road from Mulvane sat
urday night think it was, yes, i m sure
1t was saturday highland he saw TWO
young people drivin' towards him in a
buggy IN the shadow of the trees. 1t was
bnSht moonlight, you know, and when
they come out from under the shadow the
young fellow threw his arms around the
glll neck and kissed her, Kissed her
night there in The moonlight where Jake
saunders c0u.d see, where ANYBODY
could er seen what had a mind to look ! /
W ny, IN the name of common 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-MaTy Anu
Mrs. Smithersi had mechanically taken
up her work, and was slowly running the
long needle through the heel Of Mary Ann S
stocking. She pressed the threads down
with her thumb nail and shipped off
straT end with ler scissors Her face was
as unemotional as if carved in stone. but
the fingers that held the scissors trembled
a little
You know Jake Saunders,' Liza went
on. He can keep nothin That W as
Saturday night. and before mornin' the
town was alive With it. Everybody knew
1t, even the little children. Such things
60 like wildtire, once they get started, and
the worst OF it is they keep atldn' and adj |
ON gu wouldn't er known the story
bF Sunday. they d put so many frills and |
furbelows to it,.
She looked hard at Mrs. Smithers,
searching in he stony features for some
slght encourage ment to proceed, but find |
ing none, she proceeded, any way.
Now, seem I'm your best friend,
Sarah, / thought it would be a kindness |
20 come and tell you what they were say
M it@seemed sort of pitiful-like to hear
everybody talkin' about Mary Ann, and !
you smilin' around uubekno " nst-smilin' /
maybe at the very people what was dom
the worst talkin'''
She fdgeted a moment, while the sound |
OF the churn filled up the silence
LAS | said to Jane Hawkins she |
wound up lamely, ''it wasn't right If |
nobody else would come and tell you, l |
said, | would
Mrs. Smithers cleared her throat
II see by the mornin' paper she said,
that wheat gore up. That II be a good |
thing tor kansas--that is, if the railroads |
don't charge NOR its worth to haul it |
away This ought to be a good year for
Kansas with such big wheat crops and the
corn SO fine.
es; the corn's fine enough right |
now, retorted Liza, but there no tell
IN what it'll be before the seasons over. |
Like as not the hot winds will kill it, or
the chinch- buus' II aat II all M,