The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-08-17
HER PROPOSAL.

Debeccs Hale, as she skipped along
10 road. 80, look, there's q dear
iittles striped squirrel with bushy
tail and such bright eyes, like BLACK
heads. O, don't you wish we llved Out
doors always ,,.,;,o,
"Becky, don't jump about so,' chided
.ho hov. an ancient philosopher OF lU
aors vno 80 or so. "Therc. | knew 1t.
Sn,'ye burst out that hole In our shoe
that sewed up carefully, and one OF
YOUR mittens is gone;
"But it isn't cold
Ono. hut that's no sign that we never
shall have any cold weather again. BE-
sidos. Aunt keziah is dead -,
"WeU, don't care for that said
tbe little one, rccklcssly. " Aunt
Keziah was old and cross, and boxed
our ears, and said we we're the piagucs
OF her life.' u>,, .o.o
Is no one to take care OF US now lhat
Aunt Kexiah is dead on shoula
consider that, Becky. :,
mo one to take care OF us cchoeq
Becky, standing still q, hlIiy,
didn't think OF that.
Mrs. HARDWOOD WAS frying dough
nuts over the great cooklnE-stoVG IN
the back kitchen. An Immense htnc
and white checked apron cnshrondcu
her spare form and pocket hanGkcr'
chief concealed her hair. Mrs. liarc'
wood was not pretty at her BEST ID
this, impromptu uniform she was SIM
ply hideous. ;.
said Mrs. Harcwood, fishing the Drown
curls Of paste out Of the boiling liquid.
Now, Michael, who Is IL; Ana "h"C
do they want
cts the two children from Aunt
K ziah Proudfoots," said Michael
Hardwood, q tall brown.facCd man OF
20 or there abouts. "Thc old woman
died last night"
"Wen, what OF that? - said Mrs.
Harewood, who had gone back TO the
table and was cutting long strips OF
dough, and twisting them into spiraIs
ready for tac pot OF friz1ling lard.
"Tbey'l bury her, suppose. And
after her long sickness, the dear knows,
nobody'Il be very sorry
But the little children. What to
to become Of them - said Michael,
softly.
"Why, send 'cm 70 the poorhousc,
OF course. There's nothing else - he
done, as know Of, - snapped the dame.
"To the poorhouec, Maria ThoS"
pretty, delicate little children kat"
Haic's brothers Childrcn---tO TIC poor
house ~
." Well, don't see why not" said
Mrs. Harcwood. Thirty'fOur, 81
Three dozen ought to be enough. II
Kate had cared 50 much about Gcr re
lations, she might Il stayed to hum and
looked after cm, Instead Of runnng
away with ship's captain and .onu
10 China, or India, or Numschntka, or
the Lord knows where. After shr was
engaged to you, too And---'
"Neycr mind abou, tina, now
Maria" said the brother, with a. slight
elevation Of his eyebrows. "lt is ali il
thing OF the past; and Kate could not
forsec, when she left her native coun.
try, that ner brothor's liltlc ones would
soon be alone in the world orphaned
and without resources. 50 it has
CHANGED, at all events. The poor little
things are in the sitting room now"
"And 'spose thcy,vr coma h ,ro Iva.
cause NV husband il nnnr nins,or ).
said Mrs. llarowood, drdupjnT IN her,
fresh batch OF douUhnn,s r7 nnn nv w nnn mo-
"Well he won't be home nforr Snon >
:" was not thinking of thai Narin "
said MichonI JIarn,Is,T n.ns " '''"', .f"'!";
occurred to me, that, ncrhnn. sine"
you had no children of vonr own--I
THAT I'd nlI nv housr WIKI aI ,ho
pauper children of the ncigh hnrhnod "
said Mrs. Harowood. :" Sn Nlichnonl li,Ion
Uarewood vou'rc mis,ol,nn' ,t' Ir o"'o
wouldn't have Jim Unin's vovnr n,ol
in my house after the wav Ea,n trooinS onr
you, not if WAS TO he Vaid ~ inIIar u
day. And besides, ! ain', m,Hron "' "a
the pooa house. "
Then what are they TO do -
Mrs. Hardwood shrugged her nonv
shoulders.
It's no business OF mine" she said
lndliierently. Nor amt going To-
concern myself in it,
Michael urewood went back 70 thc
room where the two little ornhnns
were admiring a stuffed parro, thn,
swung from the ceiling. '''"'
Children" said he, "sct q, ,o,.
things" '0"'
"An't us to stav here ~ ni,ooro,,.
demanded Becky, Pm 50 iirn1 ,uT1say any
hungry We didn't havo anv W. Nroa1' "'lu
fast this morning y ' u '""
"Please, Mr., Harcwooa ~ so,a pm.
where are we to 20? Nobody wanis ny