Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-12-02
HIS WOOL BOOTS.

HIS WOOL BOOTS.
John Sylvester came up from the field
where he had been working and went into
the barn chamber, which he had occupied
since his second cousin, Ellejenette, had
come to live with him and his mother in
the five roomed farmhouse.
"Oddie! Oddie!' called his mother 40
he crossed the path which led to the kitch-
en- porch.
He neither answered nor looked at her,
great barn door.
"What's he come up to the house for,
E%llejenette? Do you know"
Ellejenette signited that she did not.
Mrs. Sylvester took her knitting and
placed herself upon the kitchen porch, SO
that she should not fail to see her son
when he emerged. She was past 70 years
old, and a natural propensity toward
inquisitiveness, s%edulously cultivated
through a long life, showed itself in the
unlovely form of a thirst for knowing the
most trivial things her son did. Elleje.
nette often wondered at Johns patience,
and warmly sympathized with his trials.
II don't see what he's after up here
this time of day! Ellejenette. fetch them
peas and shell 'em out here! l want some
company"
II suppose he's through work today,
Ellejenette ventured.
"Why, no, he isn't, Ellejenette. What
are you thinking about? Don't you know
he said at dinner he shouldn't be through
with the south meadow before tomorrow
nightS"
She rose, walked across the grassy
yard, and, standing in the barn door, called
again, "Oddie! Oddie!'
Presently she returned.
II can't get nothing out Of that Teller ex-
cept, All right, pretty soon.' Ellejenette,
you 20 and call him. He. always answers
you"
"Oh, / don't want to now, Aunt Char
lotte! I will when he ONE down. Won't
that do?"
well, yes, s'pose so. Strange he left
off work this time of day. and Mrs. Syl-
vester continued to ring the changes on
this theme till Ellejenette's mind wan
dered far away, and she took refuge in
day dreams from the fretting and nagging.
The round, fat peas slipped from their
cases rapidly under her deft fingers. She
did not need to keep her eye on her work
and looked instead out into the lovely
summe world. Her home for the first 20
years of her life had been in a tenement
house in q large city, its surroundings lit,
tie short of squalid. Her father was a
Woodworking mechanic Of small caliber.
her mother always an invalid. The two
died within a few months Of each other,
and, oh, how gladly had Ellejenette given
up her position as salesgirl in a depart
ment store and cone at Mrs. Sylvester's
request, to make her home at the farm.
John came out of the barn. Ellejenette
saw that his working clothes were gone
and he was dressed in his Sunday best
all except
"Oddie! Oddie!" screamed Mrs. Sylves-
ter. "Where are you going2 Why didn't
you tell me you were going awayy'
"I'll be back pretty soon," said John,
rolling out the light wagon and a mo-
ment later leading out the driving horse.
"Can't you tell us where you're goingf"
pursued Mrs. Sylvester. "What you SO
secret about? Should think you were 60
ing counting" Her gaze reached his feet,
and her querulous tones fell to a shocked
and dismayed key. "John Sylvester
you've got on our wool boots!'
well, mother" replied John, "it
you'll only stop calling me Oddie, I'll
keep them on night and day."
"You go take those boots right of!
know where you're going; you can't fool
me, and you can't make such a show Of
yourselfi You're going to that wedding,
YOU know you bel" screeched the old lady.
IT guess Tip Farnham won't like it very
we'll for you to march into church with
them wool boots or and all your Sunday
Clothes How you look! Folks won't get
through talking for a year! E~llejenette,
you speak to him!"
Ellejenette shelled peas.
II should think you'd be ashamed All
the Farnhams' city boarders will be there.
60 get your other boots on! You shan't
behave sol You JUST
John was In the wagon, rolling smooth
~ over the grass and out into the dusty
road. As he passed Ellejenette an early
summer apple spun across the short. crisp
growth and stopped at her feet. As she
picked up the gift shesaw Johns eyea
twinkle, and she nodded her thanks.
II do DECLARE" Mrs. Sylvester began ia
whimper, coming back to her seat and
dealing the kitten, who had been playing
cats cradle with the yarn, a hearty slap,
"seems as If that boy was possessedl Tip
| Farnham wanted him to stand up with
| him and he wouldn't-Oddie wouldn't;
he's 10 bashful''-
Ellejenette had her " opinion about
Johns b%ashfulness.
snow, the Methodist church is going ia
be filed cram full Of folks this afternoon.
You see If it amt. Tips girls got lots Of
relations over at dalubrity Four Corners,
and they'll every one be there. Elleje-
nette, did you know eddie could have had
that girl II he wanted herr And now he'a
going to her wedding In that nice gray
suit and them old wool bootsl Oh, dear
Oh, dearl Old folks might as we'll die al
soon a. their children are grown up to do
a. they're a mind tor
Aunt Charlotte, " said Ellejenette with
. now or never feeling, for she had long
Ago resolved to make this remark to her
aunt when she had m opportunity, "don't
you think John would be more communi.
oative sometimes If you didn't irritate
him at first off by calling him that-that
pct nameP"
Ellsjenstte considered Oddie anything
but a pet name, but she thought she
would put 1t this way.
LAND alive, child, I've always called
him Oddiel He always was odd; he's odd
now, going to a wedding with wool boots
on-wool bootsi" And the song contin.
ued with variations throughout the after.