The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-02-02


Clarissy. I guess not" answered
Jonas, duly. He crossed to the
mantel and took down his pipe and
blew the dust from it. A little CLINT
of eagerness crept into his eyes-it
was so much like shaking hands With
an old friend again.
"Where are you going to?
@!est for little smoke, Clarissy-
jest for little smoke
"Land of gooduess--at two O'Clock in
the afternoon! Jonas Kenp,you aren't
losing your faculties, I hope!'
Jonas peered up at the Old clock
above him and then a. the afternoon
sun riding across the heavens. He
looked dazed. The pipe slipped
through his fingers unnoticed and lay
in two pieces on the bare floor.
"I guess got. mixed up, Clarissy;
T thought twas after s,ipper,3' he ex-
planned with an apologetic attempt at
laughing. II guess I'll 60 ont and
wait spell, till it's"
But at supper time Jonas did not
appear. Half-past five, six, half-past
six-still no Jonas. At quarter Of
seven Clarissa was frigLte led. Dim
foIebodings tuggedat her heart-striugs
till they vibrased dismally.
's'I'll go hunt Jonas up" she said
bri~kly, shutting her ears to the sound.
Its just as likely as not he's fallen
sound asleep somewhere. He's get
ting real old, Jonas is"
She went through the. porch and
carriage house and then with quick
+ ened STEPS up to the barn. It was a
new trip, up. over the stony path, for
Clarissa, and the stones hurt he: feet.
'tFor the land of goo lue5s' sake!'
she criel shriHy at the barn door.
| The flowers ii. the windows-row on
row Of them-dancei diAzily before
her eyes. In Clarlssa Kemp's and
Clarissa Collins life she had never
been so astonished.
One OF the windows was raised a
little, and the b eele crept in and set
all the bright flowers nodding, friend
ly-wlse, at her.
Row on row, shelf on shelf-for the
land OF goo lness' sake! But how coy
and homelike they looked! How
pleasant the weathered old, barn
looked! :. ::
| Then GEarissa went in. As long as
she Ii, ed-and the CoiEnses came of
long-li7ed race she never forgot
the things she saw that afternoon ia
Jonas kemp's barn. The strip Of car
pet by one,ot the windows. the broken
chairs set about Alwildy's mothers
spanning wheel, tue light Of the sun
through tha geranipm leaves and, dian
", OF the haymows behind and on all
the cobwebs and cobwebs-and Jouas
there, asleep. Clai.issa saw them all.
She saw them over and: over again till
she died. :. -,
'Jonas!" ":she called softly, after a
minute. or two. "Jonas, it's supper
time-J onasW
She weat up to hin and prodied his
shoulder with her thin oled finger
Clarissa:. nearly always wore her
thimb!e, to:have it handy.
'sJonasr' ~. :
she tilted his idrooJ ing old face
toward her, and the light. It was
twisted AMI white.
ooh, he's got stroke-Jo2as!-
Jonas! he's gotta stroke.!' .Clarissa
cried wildly.
=: Jonas opened his eyes and looked
at her in an unacquaintad,. troubled
way.
OTIS pleasaut-ont here, " he mur-
INJURED thick V. :Erhe plauts-aou't
take 'em away" ::
"Jonas, lea; Jonas. you must. get
right up and come into the hon,. 9 with
ms-me, Clarissy,r Jonas. Don't YOU
know Clarissy?".. -:
:<'I know sonebodv-AlwiIdy,"
murmured Jonas, tryin to smile. with
his twisted lips: Que arm hung. limp
beside him, aud he>touched it curious
'ly with his Other Gand:. 49,.
=, sit doe ID t-beloag to me- he said.
After little while his min | g CIV
quite c..ea: agaia, au,l then he pleaded
to stay with his flowers.
.'Couldn't lay in b d oat here, Ga
rissy?" lie aszel tiln:dly. 'Jest' till I
feel better? Tue- -plants'll miss ine-
an I-lke-.it ont h :re-I like it out
here-1Gike it ont he. e.''
Again and again he nauulbled it
wistfully. - -.... <::: ~. ~.
The tuno Clarissa'ss heart-strings
were wailing almost broke: her hear.
She got help at a neighbor':, and
they took Jonas shome: He was doz-
ing all the. way: It. wa 5. fnos friday
later when Jonas fully awoke. (:
''Ain't it. pea ant ont. here in
the barn, Clari,sy::" he whispere
happily. ''I like it out here-don't
you?'. - -. =:
yes" Clarissa said brightly. 'I
like it out here Jona:.''
The greeu-painted shelves had back
their old tenants aad new tenants,
row upon row. Tile windows.opr rosite
Jonas bed were full Of geraniums and
gay purple and red iuchsjas, and the
cactus Was there that Alwi da had
loved. Her mothers spinning wheel
stood on strip of carpeting near
Jonas. How pleasant it looked cont
therer' How the sunshine fltsl ed
through the geranium leaves and made
dancing traceries On the wall. \ spris
of the sun leaves lay across Clarissa's
face, and Jonas smiled at it like:
pleased child. =.
"Clarissy," he whispered eagerly,
"can't We stay ont here always? /
like it out here.''
Clarissa's eyes fell: on, q tiny litter