Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-03-09


followed her into the house, saw him
come back again in a state Of sullen dis
pleasure, which disappeared as he came
upon me still standing by the gate.
"Ah, Miss Butterworth, you can do
me favor. The old creature is in one
Of her stubborn fits today and won t
give me hearing. She may not be SO
deaf to you; she isn't apt to be to wo-
men. Will you cross the road then and
speak to her? l will 60 with you. You
needn't be afraid"
The way he said this, the confidence
he expected to inspire, had almost a
CHASTITY effect upon me. Did he know or
suspect that the only thing feared in
this lane was he? Evidently not, for he
met my eye quite confidently.
1t would not do to shake his faith at
such a moment as this, so calling upon
Providence to see me safely through this
adventure 1 stepped into the highway
and went with him into Mother James
cottage.
Had I had any other companion
would have been glad of this oppor-
tunity. AS it was, found myself ignor-
ing any possible danger might be run.
ming into in my interest in the remark
able interior to which was thus intro
duced.
Having been told that Mother Jane
was poor, l had expected to confront
squalor and possibly filth, but never
have entered cleaner place or one in
which order made the poorest belong
ings look decent The four walls were
unfinished, and so were the rafters
which formed the ceiling, but the floor,
neatly laid in brick, was spotless, and
the fireplace, also of brick, was as deft-
ly swept as one could expect from the
little scrub saw hanging by its side.
Crouched within this fireplace sat the
old woman we had come to interview.
Her back was to US, and she looked
helplessly and hopele9sly deaf
ASK her." said William, pointing
at her with a rude gesture, eff she will
come to the house at sunset. My sisters
have some work for her to do They
will pay her we'll"
Going toward her, passed rocking
chair, in the cushion Of which dozen
patches met my eye. This drew my eyes
toward a bed, over which Counterpart
was drawn made up of / 900 pieces at
least of colored calico, and noticing
their varied shapes and the intricacy
with which they were put together I
wondered whether she ever counted
them. The next moment l was at her
back.
Seventy" burst from her lips as l
leaned over her shoulder and showed
her the coin which had taken pains to
have in my hand.
Yours" said 1, pointing in the d.
rection of the house, if you will do
some work for Miss Knollys tonight"
Slowly she shook her head before
burying it deeper in the shawl she wore
wrapped about her shoulders. Listening
a minute, l thought heard her mutter
Twenty eight, seven, but no more. l
can count no more. Go awayn'
But I'm nothing if not persistent
Feeling for her hands, which were hid
den away somewhere under her shawl,
1 touched them with the coin and cried
again:
This and more for a small piece OF
work tonight. Come, you are strong
earn it.
"What kind of work is it?'' l asked
innocently, or it must have appeared
innocently, of Mr.. Knollys, who was
standing at my back.
He frowned, all the black devils in
his heart coming into his look at once.
''How do know! Ask Loreen; she's
the one who sent me- l don't take &C.
count of what goes on in the kitchen. !"
l begged his pardon, somewhat sar-
castically own, and made another at
tempt to attract the attention of the old
crone, who had remained perfectly cal
lous to my allurements.
Il thought you liked money, said
For Lizzie, you know, for Lizzie"
But she only muttered in lower and
lower gutterals, 81 can count no more, +"
and, disguised at this failure before
William, being one who accounts fail
ure as little short of disgrace, I drew
back and made my way toward the
door.
"She's in different mood from what
she was yesterday when she snatched a
quarter from me at the first intimation
it was hers. don't think you can get
her to do any work tonight. Innocents
take these freaks. Isn't there some one
else you can call in?''
The scowl that disfgured his none
too handsome features was a fitting pre-
lude to his words.
"You talk" said he, "as if we had
the whole village at our command.
How did you succeed with the lock-
smith yesterday? Came, didn't he'
Well, that's what we have to expect
whenever we want any help"
Whirling on his heel, he led the way
out of the hut, whittier I would have
Immediately followed if had not stop
ped to take another look at the room,
which struck me, even upon second
scrutiny as one of the best ordered and
best kept I had ever entered. Even the
strings and strings of dried fruits and
vegetables which hung in festoons from
every beam of the roof were free from
dust and cobwebs, and though the dish
es were few and the pans scarce they
were bright and speckless, giving to the