The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1899-08-24

chain Of street cars, now into the faces
Of passers-by. She was a countriiied
old woman. stout and plain, yet with
such goodness IN her face, such simple
i;y, such all-embracing human kind
ness. o. to make II, for eyes that really
ace lovely To look upon.
II was a hot summer afternoon, aud
she, too. was warmly clad In dark,
homrly garments. Near her feet on the
curbstoue WIS large enamel-cloih
satchel with robust cotton umbrella
strapped to II. On her left arm hung
good sized basket filled with growing
plants old.fashioned things seldom
scrn outside of farmhouse gardens,
With her right hand incased in gray
cotton glove. she was tanning her heat
ed face with a corner Of her black shawl.
Her pleasant gray eyes wandered from
face to face Of the hurrying throng, ~
II seeking sympathy, but few gave her
even a casual glance, and of those few
only now and then one gave her sec
oud look III mp with momcninry curl
Usiiy or amusement The woman was
90 obviously out of placc-Hs much No
rs an apple tree or ciump of CHINA
mon roses would have been.
The Ruileless wlstfulness of her
bright old eyes pierced the hard crust
~ vnrldlinrss and cou,eutionaliiy, and
Crrpt into their hearts. and more than
one was moved to ASK the stranger "
she needed help or Information, but the
little crrvice closed quickly and they
passed ON. Only the look remained inn
prisourd in their bosoms, and they re.
rallied that day things they had not
though Of for many year.
The woman had arrived ON noon
train, expecting her nephew, William
Henry Farmer, tO meet her at the sta
ton. She had waited n long time for
him, then, thinking her letter had mis-.
carried, she decided to go ON to his
house up town She had been there be-
fore. and she knew how 10 reach ID,
bat she was timid about going alone,
William Henry was her only ''-pthcrs
child, and had grown up ON farm.
lie was smart boy, and had grown
NJ into a smart man. lie was pros
porous provision dealer in New York
nov, married TO nice girl from his
own township, and living comfortably
iu his own house out Harlem way.
Whenever there arose "a domestic cmer.
Prncy IN his family and they arose
with astonishing frequency Aunt Nb-
by came on 10 nurse William Henry 4
wife. For that matter, they would
have liked TO keep her with them all
the time; but Aunt Abby would no,
leave her home-the home of her
humble farming ancestors for several
generations. She wak essentially of the
soil, a country woman in every fiber Of
her being. The city was 10 her a
monster, splendid but full OF terror
whose glittering scales panied her
eyes, whose iuceggant roar hurt her
ears, accustomed to the quiet fields and
woods. Not for worlds would she live
in the city.
hut she dearly loved William Henry,
and LuCilla and the children. aud WA
glad to come and stay with them dur.
ing emergencies like the one pending.
Lucilla was country girl. too. and
loved the old place, and when Aunt Alb.
by came in she always brought some.
thing from her old home. This time II
wns some plants for Lucilla's window
garden, from the place where William
licnry's folks used 10 live. She had left
good deal Of soil about the roots, and
that made the basket very heavy. Her
arm aehed sorcly. but she would not set
the basket down for fear some one
might tread on 1t, or even steal 1t while
she was not looking. and she kept a
Sharp eye also on the black satchel
Aunt Abby read the papers, and her
opinion of New York morals was not
high.
She began to feel very tired, and
wished William Henry had not missed
her, and wondered how she happened
to leave her palm leaf fan on the train
I'm gettin' NIL bet upl" she said 10
herself, YEARLY.
She had thought that she knew Jus,
which kind of car TO take TO get 60 her
nephew's house. but they came along nc
fast, and looked so much alike that she
was getting doubtful. And ghe meant
60 bc very cautious. She was morally
certain. that once on the wrong car
her doom was sealed. There was nc
knowing to what dreadful den she
might be lured, robbed and murdered
and no one would ever know what be.
came of her. She had read of number
Of people disappearing mysteriotsly
that way. SO she let ear after car mass
until she could feel quite, quite sure.
When she had been standing there
some time in the hot sun, = handsome
coupe stopped near her, and an old gen.
.l-nsn stepped out. He was very fine
looking old gentleman. indeed, clean.
shsycn, rosy, and somewhat pompous.
His hair was silver white. and 80 were
the heavy hrows under which were
eyes as hard and bright Ms polished
steel. his mouth was the mouth of q
man who loved pomp and pleasure, hut
~ war hna atsoEeHttf cfuff fnoata. "a
he stepped on TO the curb he noticed the
waman standing there with her basket
OF country plants. looking varuels
about her. and tanning herself wearily
with black shawl.
lie had quick sense of The pic.
turesqus, this smooth-sherrn old Fcn.
tleman. and he was one OF tine few issho
looked second time. Hin ryes softsned
little, too. II was AZ II n breath Of
clover fields and orchards had been
waited 10 him BY that Bit Of black shawl
In the rcston-einved hand.
sssms 0ns IN pasziHg had broken %
spray fren ep& Vt The pIhnts, en4 4
nv wiIttsg - ths bot eurbstcss. n