The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1898-07-06
FOURTH OF JULY
AT TOOKER'S.

The Sd of July at Orrs Mills was
full of the singing noises that seem to be-
long to very hot, breathless days. 1t pre-
saged even hotter things for the Fourth of
July.
Mrs. Tooker was ironing in her little
sitting kitchen. Her meek. thin face was
upwontedly flushed and trickling with
little streams of perspiration.
Windows and doors were shut. There
were no screens, and Lavinia Tooker
couldn't "abide" flies. 1t was the only
thing she had ever felt courage enough 20
abide or not abide.
Adam Tooker lounged outside in the
shade in his shirt sleeves. Aunt Lois
Knapp, next farm said a body hadn't
only to look once at Adam lockers chin
to see who was head Of that house.
Mrs. Tooker looked at it now through
the window, but she saw only the grizzled
forerunners of a beard. In its firm, hard
lines and masterful curves she saw no
significance.
Seems as if l never knew starch to
stick the way this does' she groaned
scraping little flakes of it from the iron
with case knife. And just when I'm
in an awful hurry too / wish Adam
would let me try that satin starch Aunt
Lois brags about. But he won't. It's 5
cents pound more" She sighed gently
The sitting room door opened suddenly
and Mary Tooker came out. She had some
sewing in her hand.
"Why, mother" she exclaimed, you'll
melt This kitchens like furnace OF
fire. If you d only have the window open!
But, anyway, I'll leave the sitting room
door open-that'll be some help "
mo, no. Mary, don't! There don't need
to but one of us melt.
"Well i guess l can stand it as we'll as
you can. I'm going TO see If can {. "
She edged herself gently into her mothers
place and wrested the iron from her tired
fingers. Her sewing slipped TO the floor
Was 1t the influence of Independence
day, forerunning tia little, that put the
accent of command into Mary lockers
voice and the little jerk of mastery into
her shoulders? Her mother succumbed TO
them weakly.
II am tuckered, she said, but your
father shirts got To be done up, and the
collars and cuffs. He decided he's going
to the celebration over to Stratford. "
Eyes he said he was at dinner, moth
er, the girl faced about resolutely. why
dom you go with him?'
'Mey Why, Mary Ann Tookerl Me-"
Eyes, you. / guess it won't hurt you
any to have one good time in your life. !
guess you deserve it. There, there, you
needn't look so scared. Father won't hear
me. He's fast asleep. You go up stairs
and lie down, mother. III finish the iron
ing"
Mary Tooker was 90 years old, and she
Cooked It, Aunt Lois Knapp said. over
nj. 10 -; Il
had it's gray lining, which Mary kept
snugly covered as long as she could. Her
shoulders stopped a little Even her skirts
had renowned the folles and the frills of
youth and fell scantily around her, like
an old woman's.
Mary Tooker had never been young in
her life There had been short, young
month"; to be sure, when John Tracy came
nearly every afternoon up the front walk
and staidly drank tea with her out of the
best china teacups, but could being
>=oung" be crowded into month? When
Mays father came back at the month
end, NE lines in his chin had deepened OBJ
stinately, and John Tracy, in pity of
Mary's frightened distress, had agreed to
stay away.
Until you call me back, Mary" he had
said gravely. II shall wait J."
But that was years ago Now John
Tracy's hair was thinning, too, and grow
ing gray. His shoulders stopped too.
Would Mary ever call him baok9
Mary Tooker ironed the sticky shirt
bosom with conscientious care on July 3
in the little sweltering kitchen. Every
crease she pulled out painstakingly. Ev-
cry speck she sponged away, bending over
IL with nearsighted eyes. When the work
was done, she got supper and called in her
father.
Father, she said bravely as the SOL
emn meal went on, 1--WE got TO go down
to the village on an errand tonight. It's
so bot-I'm considerable tired-I was
thinking perhaps-could have the team?'
Her sallow cheeks Redeemed anxiously.
Mrs. Tooker held her spoon suspended
In helpless dismay. Was Mary crazy2
Thore was nothing further said until "fa-