The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-16
THINGS THAT HAVE
REALLY HAPPENED
The Ogress.


See here, sissy. if you don't keep in
your own lot, I'll get the policeman after
your
The biggest mud pie of all fell from my
dirty hands and looked up at the speak
er. 1t was the ogress. 1 trembled This
was the first time L had seen her so close.
thought your mother didn allow
you outside the gate, she continued in
her gruf voice. How did you get in
here?'
Climbed the fence"
We'll. suppose you climb back she
said. with such a look that / did not
stand upon the order of my going. but
went at once.
When / was safely hidden among the
gooseberry bushes in the next lot l took
a good look at her. The large, bare feet.
fixed as firmly and easily on Il heap of
stone as if it had been Il velvet carpet
first attracted my attention. Then my
eyes travelled up the loose, slouchy skirt
over the torn, ill-fitting waist and rested
with childish curiosity on her face. 1t
was not a pleasant face. 1t was deeply
wrinkled; the features were large and
each wore u different scowl. Her gray
hair hung about her face in thin, untidy
strands. In her left hand she held an
immense coaloil can. The top had been
taken off and two holes made Opposite
each other through which a stick mad
been thrust. This served the purpose OF u
basket and was now filled with scraps or
bread. In her right hand she had Il
'shood'' the chickens and coaxed them
up again by fastening Il bit of bread on
the end of it. Suddenly she caught sight
of me and shook the switch with a will.
You had better keep home, she
shouted, and vanished into her hovel.
There was just one lot between my
house and the ground of the ogress- Inc
next day | went into this lot to play with
some children. They had bench under
the trees and were preparing for a glor-
ious time, when the ogreSS made her ap-
pearance. The bench extended just one
half an inch onto her ground. II was too
much for human nature such as her ).
and in a great passion she picked up the
bench and threw it away with Such IOrce
that its back was broken found myseH
rubbing my hand unconsciously over the
long row of buttons down the back OF
my dress What if she had treated me in
the same way yesterday? For Il long time
l kept away from Mrs. Grubb.
But | grew bigger and started to SCHOOL
A person can save so much time by gong
to school cross-lots, that, of course, II
seemed the proper thing to pass through
Mrs. Grubbs lot. As usual, Mrs. GruoD
objected. But one individual must not
stop the progress of a whole community.
and so many OF US chiidreh had 70 20
through that it became a great annoy
ance to have her continually at our heelS.
But it was fun when she would chase us
We used to send her ugly valentines; we
used to catch her chickens and pretend
to wiring their necks; and we used to take
her wild plum blossoms. We all had
plenty of wild plum blossoms at nome,
but they were not nearly so pretty as
hers were.
One day came up the street alone. The
ogress was standing by her gate
stepped out near the ditch so that would
have room to run. and said mischiey-
ously:
She looked at me impatiently.
Il have a good notion to tell your ma,
she said. You killed my chicken
Il didn't" / answered. Il caught II,
but | didn't hurt it,
Somebody killed il.
Wen. if you weren't always up to
something. 1 could believe you. better.
I'm not telling you a lie, har eSl;
chicken is killed"
Then 1 expected the gate to fly open.
But it remained closed, and the old wom-
an behind it looked at me frowningly,
then turned and walked away.
. L never leased her any more and rarely
saw her.
But one day again saw her standing at
the gate / knew more about her now,
and felt sorry for her. 1t seemed to me
that she must be very lonely living there
in that old place with only her cat and
chickens to keep her company. while her
only son lived in the fine house her
wealth had brought him. The last time
l had seen her at the gate came to my
memory. | felt ashamed. A desire 10
atone for the past seized me.
How do you do. Mrs. Grubp? Don
YOU want some violets?" L asked, holding
them out to her.
A look of real pleasure came into her
face. ..--,-..,,
''Oh, can you spare EN-? Don't give all
to me. Just few
From that moment we were good
friends. She ceased to be the ogress ana
became only poor lonely old woman;
whom to treat kindly was duty ana
The years passed and still we met often
Her smile grew brighter. but her step
weakened. Then there came time Wnen
/ met her no more. 1 went to the mouse.
All the doors were locked. The cmckenS
were summing about on the inside, ana
the cat, more dead than dilNe' was Clou0A-
ing on the doorstep.
/ found out that she was very Ill ana
had been taken to her sons home
smiled a little bitterly as entered MS
gate. / went to the back door and was
Shown into a dark little room near the
door. She was in bed, watched by pald
nurse supose she never saw ner
dai1gbter-in-law. ! scarcely knew her,
She was so changed. She did not speak,
b1It she looked glad when l entered 10
When l arose to so she said 1eeoly:
can't talk, but like to see you.
| went again and again once more
she slowly stretched her hand out to me
and said: Il like to see you.
When l went again 1t was to place Il
bunch of roses on her coffin lid. She
looked so peaceful and so happy lying
there. I was glad to know that Sne Wa
1T rest and hoped that some day the
ogress and 1 should meet again.