The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-11
CHANGE PARTNERS.


! recovered consciousness in either Of which
! cases he would be able to express a more
! decided opinion about her symptoms. Al
/ present they puzzled him. aud he content
/ ed himself with looking grave paiting John
| Emanuel on the back and tel ny E;m Z
keep up heart and hope fol - oesL When
| he was gone the husband sat and stared at
| the fire. with his empty pipe in his hand
| There was a certain enjoyment in the
| knowledge that everybody in the village
would soon be talking about his wifr's ac-
! cident
''Tha naabors II mebbe COON in Ia st:
J Soosan." he said aloud rehecrively; and he
| put down the empty pipe on the mantel
shelf. with its cheap clock that seemed TO
| tick more loudly than usual. and its two
! pot dobs which smiled as foolishly as ever
in spite of the calamity which had come
| TO the house.
There was a gentle tap at the door be
| fore he could sit down. and John Emanuel's
| face took a shade OF deeper gravity and
( Importance as he crossed the room to open
it.
'Oh. it's thoo, Cousin Sarah" he said.
as a buxom woman of thirty or so entered.
"a thowt tn news d be getting roond the
place
Its rare an sad news" said Cousin
Sarah, as she shut the door behind her. "A
met tn doctor, as war coomin', and he
says it'll be tn end O. Soosan. Tell US
how it COON abawt. They say as thee
fawnd 'er when thee COON hoam to tina
| tea"
'Yaas.' said John Emanuel shaking his
head slowly, ''joost ath' foot o tn ladder.
an thowt she wor dead. Hoo long tn
poor thing had been thear a don't know.
but she ha MT mooveG a syllabul since. an
| doan't think she ever will
''Tha woan't find another like her in a
hurry" said Cousin Sarah, who had be N
skirmishing around the place while sire
talked, and had just discovered a table
, cloth. which she proceeded to lay on the
wooden label in busting, workmanship
manner.
~ man nun have his vittles, COON what
may" she said. in answer to his enquir
ing glance. AN be boond tha's had nowt
sin tina COON hoam."
"A liant thowt on it, said John Eman-
uel looking a little brighter. as the bust
ling woman poked up the low fire and put
on the kettle.
"Tha' woan't find another like Soosan in
a hurry" she suggested again as she re-
turned to the table; and John Emanuel
nodded.
"Oop early and ia bed late she went
IN, AN hazard at it all tn time; she wor
i wonderful woman. What wor she DOOM
when she toombled off tn ladder"
withdrawing, said her husband.
"A thowt as much
We'll, thoc'rt joost such another" sug-
gested John Emanuel. as he watched her
busting about over the meal. Ave often
said to mysen' Soosan an Coosin Sarah are
tn only two wimmcn as a'd like ia see
abawt ma place. IL Soosan shOod be
took ave said to myseu agaan and agaan.
Cousin Sarahs tn lass as q shoed maak
Missis Smith
The woman stopped in the act OF carving
huge slice of braed.
Tina doant mean ii, John Emanuel
she said staring at him.
"A do that" said John Emanuel. with
determination; but. of coorse, there $
Patrick in tina way nav.
"Of coOrse," said Cousin Sarah going on
with her bread-cutting, and her tone be-
came more conversational again Pat
trick COON with me as far as tn hoose, -
she said. He sad he'd stop an smoak in
tn garden. He's no good in time O trub-
bic, amt Patrick"
Hes noa nearer marryin', A spoase 90
said john Emanuel thoughtfully. COUSIN
Sarah shook her head.
''Patrick's bone idle, 4 think"
Then why doan't three glib him oop?"
said the man, looking down at his boots
Give Patrick oop? Whatever fJeraa"
said Cousin Sarah, with an excess OF in
nocence. and the man still stared at his
boots as ne answered:
Why, ia marry me. of cOorse 4 shall
want somebody ia fend an to do for me
when Soosan's goan."
Cousin Sarah put down the knife again
to stare across at him.
"Dost Ia mean it, John Emanuel"
"A do" said he.
Then, all goa and tell Patrick that
caan't keap company vim any longer
she said briskly, and she opened the cot
tage door to put her plan into execution
as she spoke.
John Emanuel looked meditatively into
the fire when she was gone. The kettle
was beginning to sing. The cheap Ameri-
can clock seemed to tick more cheerfuly
"A wonder what Patrick II saa" he re-
marked to himself aloud, and then he star
ed into the fire again.
Cousin Sarah came back just as the
kettle was beginning to boil. and she made
Il uaSn LOT II Win the teapot IN heT ndnO.
''Tha's not taken long abaat it," said
John Emanuel. What does Patrick
saa?"
oh he doant mind
Has he goan hoam?"
"Noa; he's Talking IA that Mary Emily
Quipple next door over tn hedge"
Am glad he takes it kind" said the
man as he began his tea. 'Tha's not
woman in these parts aid like ia see in
Soosan's place but tina. Cousin Sarah
Tha's made this tea joost she does and
three loomps o sugar. too
"A spoase you'll be burying Soosan on
tina Sunday" said Cousin Sarah. who had
been following a train of thought of her
own. "Tha' better get tn coffin made in
Yoark. tn COON cheaper than il tina
give it ia rompkins Ia do. He's rare an
dear. What's tina matter, John Eman-
uel?"
For the man was staring with a white
scared face toward the narrow. ladder
like steps that led up to the room above.
As she spoke she. too heard the sounds
of steps descending. and they both sat
with mouths ajar, staring.
The next instant they started simulta-
neousiy as a well-knovn voice said qucru-
lousy:
Here's 4 fine to DO, Me lying in ma
bed ill all tina daalights goan an tn out
hose not haalf doom yet Joost because
ave had bit of a fall off tn ladder. It's
like thee. John Emanuel. laain' me there
in tn best clean sheets wi my dirty shoon
and cloase on. Why whats tina TO do
now. that tina looks as if tha'd seen a
bnggle?"
Ten minutes later Cousin Sarah called
her former fiance, who was still conyers-
ing with pretty pink gowned country girl
nypr the hedge that divided tho frnuf