The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-26

&A6tA 66AA = a
Their died, there did't seem to be any man
>handy TO take his place, so they put Liza
In as sexton She'd been doing about all
the work about the church before. She
was plenty strong enough. and there
wasn't any reason why she shouldn't have
the place as well as a man. So Liza was
sweeping and making the fires. and ring
ing the bell, and she gave perfect satisfac-
tin except for being a little ahead of time.
and gettin' folks TO meeting a quarter of
a hour too early now and then, and put
ting a linen towel over tire top of the pull
pit TO save the veIvet, and a tidy on the
back of the parsons sofa and a braided
mat in front of the communion table.
Folks didn't think those things looked quite
appropriate, but Eliza Sam was firm. She
said the velvet on the pulpit and the sofa
was getting all worn out and there was a
thin pace in the carpet and she had her
way. The minister's wife tried to get the
tidy and the towel off at the conference
of churches, but she couldn't fetch it.
Well, that November night, it was the
week before Thanksgiving he lay in wait
FOR Liza Sam just as usual, hanging around
the door while she shut up the church and
saw to the fires. then she came out. and
there he was alongside. Then she faced
hin.
See here" said she. W be you here
for?"
why. I'm going home with you, Liza"
says he. Sinking up to her.
What be you a going home with me
for?' says she.
why. to protect you, Liza" says he.
Protect your grandmother" says she.
Now. sir. 1 want you to understand once
for all, / don't want you to go home with
me. I have no need of your protection nor
your society"
He didn't say anything, but he just
smirked up at ner, and he went right along.
Did you hear me?' says Liza Sam.
He just smirked up at her again, and
tucked his hand through her arm. Then
she got desperate. She didn't say another
word, but she just turned about, and she
begun walking down the old road to Cliff
ford; they had passed it a little ways back.
The wind was in their faces and it was
bitter cold. hadn't moderated enough to
snow. Well, she walked on and on, with
him hold Of her arm. Didn't try to shake
him off or nothing, but just went on.
a hoA "a SpCdhc, hilu VI I'LL 10 you
know this amt the way home. Liza Sam?'
says he.
Sh didn't make no reply. She just went
on. She was dressed real warm, and she
never felt the cold much any way. He was
always a real shivery son of man, and he
hadn't got on his winter overcoat.
Presently he spoke again. Guess you
TOOK the wrong turn without meaning TO.
Liza SAM" says he. She didn't make any
reply, but she walked along with him kind
of trailing at her arm.
Finally she began to think she'd have
tc carry him if she walked much farther.
Shed gone about three miles, and she
turned round, and walked toward home. He
tried to talk then and be real clipper and
agreeable. but she kept her mouth shut
tight She was thinking how she could
shake him of. When she got back to the
main road. she stopped a minute, then
headed for the graveyard on the right, and
in she went, dragging him with her. He
acted kind of scared then. She said she
guessed he begun to think maybe she'd
gone clean out of her head.
Guess you don't know where we're
going, Liza SAM" says he, but she didn't
say anything, just went right on stumb-
ling over the graves. 1t was quite a dark
night. Well, she couldn't shake him off
that way. so she sat down on an old fiat
tombstone in the Greenaway lot, as much
as fifteen minutes, with the wind right in
their faces. with him side of her. He tried
putting his arm around her waist, but she
sat up so straight and stiff that he settled
back, and hemmed, and acted as if he
hadn't meant to. He kept asking her If
she wasn't afraid of catching cold, but she
said never one word.
Presently she rose up. and straight back
to the church she went. She took the key
out of her pocket, and unlocked the door
and went in with him at her heels, he ask
ing real gentle and timid if she'd left any
thing, and If she was afraid the fires
wasn't fixed right. She never spoke, hut
in she went, and kind of thrust him off
her arm when she went through the door.
The church was as dark as a pocket. She
| just slipped past him, and before he knew
1t she was outside. ard had locked him in.
Then she went off home and left him. She
could hear him calling after her kind OF
feeble. but she let him call.
| wen, Liz gam ELL MIN tnere tl ABOUT
2 o'clock in the morning. Then she be-
gun to get uneasy. The wind was rising
all the time, and the snow coming thick.
| She begun to think maybe his mother and
| sisters were sitting up watching for him,
and that she was furnishing them more
than him So she got up. and dressed
herself, and came through the snow to my
| window. 1 lived right across the street,
| alone except for dogs. i had five beside
a number Of puppies at the time.
One of the dogs begun to bark, then the
| others joined in and woke me up. and ]
raised my window. and looked out, and
there was Liza Sam standing under the
window with the storm driving past her.
7 didn't know her at first.
''Who is it?' said /.
Its me, Liza SAM" said she.
Then / knew her right away. whats
the matter?' says I.
Then she told me what she'd done,
speaking kind of quick and trembly. fol-
Liza Sam is a woman after all, and though
she has spunk enough to do things another
woman wouldn't, she can't get over being
scared at them afterward.
I'm dreadful afraid his mother and
Maria. and Jane, are sitting I'D worryine