Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-02-20
5 BORN TO WED}
How n Texan Voman's Inheritance,
q Pair of Mules. Gained Her
Second Husband. {

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
The sandstorm had passed, leaving
the air vibrant and electric. The lash
ed earth was distorted from the pun
ishment 1t had endured.
Mrs. Elliott emerged from the far
thest corner az the lee room-there
were but four-and made an attack on
the heaps Of alkali dust that covered
the door. Her weapons were fire
shovel and a coal scuttle. A mere
broom would have awaited no more
than feather.
She was Il northern woman making
acquaintance with the new southwest.
Domestic help in the southwest Is a
case of Chinaman or nothing. Mrs. e.
lott would have preferred a cobra.
A shadow fell silently across the tiny
entrance way and soft voice said:
Good evenin."
Madam resented the sOuthernism. 1t
was only afternoon. However, she
looked toward the open door and &C.
cepted the challenge.
"D'y'all want girl?"
Mrs. Elliott gripped her shovel firm
ly to prevent herself from throwing
her arms around the wOman's neck.
"Will you walk in!'
She family remembered tradition
regarding servants entrances and 9TH
err devices Of civilization, but they were
intangible vapors, beating idly against
the rocks Of primitive conditions.
The Texan smiled gently. and her
brown eyes were as friendly MS dogs.
She seated herself unasked. calmly
rocking back and forth and apparently
seeing no reason to pause In the chew
ing Of her gum.
Are you looking for placer"
YES Y'see. m husban' has jest
died, an of c'ose l cayn't live alone in
tent out on the plain"
Mrs. Elliott bowed in recognition of
Texan conventionaltes.
81 thought mebby VII 'ud low me to
put my tent in y'all's back yahd. Then
I'd be safe, an cu'd wo'k feb y'all."
The idea was good. Mrs. Elliott
grasped it with concealed eagerness.
Eyes. NJ husban' lef' me a shack an
pa'h O. mules an wagon"
Her shipper could not be called purse
proud. but it was certainly well salts
fed.
Husband been dead long?"
"Bout three weeks" Her cheerful
ness was suspicious.
"Was he good to you?"
81 reckon he was as good as most
when he was sobeh. Sometimes when
he'd been drinSin he use to beat me-"
This had apparently been no cause
for resentment, but was regarded with
mild unconcern as the usual course Of
nature.
what Is your name"
"Loo-eyeza.
Mrs. Elliott gasped but her necessi-
ties were great.
"Loo-eye-za," she said. with gulp,
"you may come tomorrow"
Early the next morning the shack
and shackhold effects appeared in
charge of a lazy. shftless looking and
unkempt Texan ranger, smelling vilely
of tobacco and whisky. Looeyeza fol-
lowed with smiling deliberation.
"Who is that. manw asked Mrs. FL
hott.
"He says his name is Mack Taylor"
In New Mexico it is the part Of wis.
dom to take mans word for his
name and to make no further inquiries.
as he friend Of yours?"
"He lives off yondeh, an got him to
move m shack feb me. never saw
him befoh."
When the full New Mexican moon
hung overhead that night. flooding the
plains with silver sheen for hundred
miles, unwonted voices reached Mrs.
Elliotts ear. She made an errand into
the back yard. On bench in the tent
door sat Looeyeza and Taylor. His
feet were on another bench, and he
had shed his coat. He had the air Of a
man perfectly at home.
II jes' come oven t see eff I'd got
Mrs. RENDERS shack fixed all right"
he exclaimed. thrusting his pipe behind
him and trying to appear unconcerned.
Looeyeza's smile was conscious and
silly.
Looeyeza took no trouble to adjust
herself to her new conditions. She let
them fall around her and drape them
selves as they would Her smile was
Mrs. Elliott's despair. She ceased to
wonder her husband had beaten her.
On the third day Of her advent she
Joined her mistress and caller In the
room dignitied by the name of parlor,
ieated herself, with serene interest in
the newcomer. and smiled on both Ia
dies benignly. For few seconds the
atmosphere Of the room was peculiar.
"ThoInas Jefferson's ideas Of democ-
racy were crude and limited" remark
ed Mrs. Elliott to her friend.
Every" said the lady, with ready APP
probation. '"Thomas should have lived
in Texas"
These remarks not being Of interest
to Looeyeza, she decided to sit on the
front porch, from which madam dis
lodged her later by an errand.
"rhat Taylor comes every evening
to see Looeyeza," said Mrs. Elliott to