The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1901-05-02

1ngly at the OpeH-WOIk en- Vi Oiuti
with which it was adorned.
Althea smiled assent and went on
shipping and drawing OFT threads.
1t was a hot June afternoon, and for
the sale of the slight breeze, Althea
had brought her work out en- the
porch For companionship Mrs. Swan
had followed her and sat nursing her
arms on the top step. Every few mo-
ments Mrs. Swan would arise and
hurry into the kitchen to stir some
thing that was bubbling and boiling
on the stove. Every time she moved
her clean. crisp calico dress rustled.
"Althea." she gasped, as she sank
down and wiped her face on her apron
after one of these hurried journeys to
the hot kitchen. "Althea, I'm going to
ask a queer favor of you
"Yes?' questioned Althea. in sur
prised interest. She had never known
Mrs Swan to ask favor OF any one.
Il want you to loan me dollar"
Mrs. Swan made the request with evil
dent reluctance. She went on quickly
before Althea could reply, You en-
take it out of your board money"
why, certainly said Althea, in
amazement. u owe youmore than that.
can let you have more than that
wish you"
No" interrupted Mrs Swan, zone
dollar is all shall need. ! want to get
a piece of linen like this. want to
make my sister Sue a bureau scarf
fer birthday present
Mrs Swan smoothed the shimmering
surface of the linen with caressing fin
gers. Longs haven't the right kind.
/ want the dollar to go to Vents and
get piece lust like this
Althea drew out long shining
thread and wound it around her hand.
81 know you think it strange that
should ask you for the money instead
of Hiram" continued Mrs. Swan, look
ing suspiciously into Altheas face for
some sign Of inquisitiveness. But AL
thea bent placidly over her work.
81 did ask Hiram for it last night.
But instead of giving me what l
wanted, what do you suppose he did,"
Althea bit off thread and made a
slight negative motion of her head.
She knew Mrs Swans peculiarities too
well to risk a verbal reply. A word,
especially the wrong word, might have
disastrous results.
He took piece of money out of his
pocket, laid it on the corner of the
mantel and went off to bed without
saying a word. This morning when /
looked at the money | saw that it was
a $40 gold piece. ] thought of course
that Hiram had made a mistake; you
know a $40 gold piece and a silver dol
lar are about the same size and heft,
and it is rather dark in the room; for,
since daylight lasts so long We hardly
ever have light. But at noon when
| asked him about it, he said no, it
was all right; he hadn't made any mis-
take, and kind of grinned, and that
was all ! could get out of him"
Mrs. Swan paused and Althea knew
that some response was expected from
her. A person unacquainted with the
intricacies of Mrs. Swans mind would
have been sure to blunder, Althea
might have been consumed with Curl
osity as to what happened next but
she only threaded her needle with
great deliberaticn and remarked casu-
ally: "Well?"
What actually did happen made AL
thea catch her breath and shrink away
from Mrs. Swan as if her friend had
struck her.
It's just Hiram's meanness." eX-
claimed Mrs. Swan. bitterly. And it's
just like him He thought it was fool
ish extravaganza in me getting the
linen. He thought if he gave me one
dollar l would spend it for something
that didn't amount to anything, but if
he gave me twenty dollars | would put
it in the bank and save it. Save, save;
j get sick and tired of saving"
Altheas eyes sDarkled with indigna-
ton at what she thought to be an un-
just accusation. She opened her lips
to speak, but thought better of it and
closed them again.
Mrs. Swan, blind to everything but
her own grievance, went on with her
LlIduS. II just SllAiSA nc hACW
/ wouldn't break into $40 gold piece
just to get little piece of linen. 1t
wouldn't be over 60 cents, and |
counted on getting the thread besides
with the dollar. I've earn"
A loud kissing sound, mingled with
the odor of burning fruit Juice, came
from the kitchen, warning Mrs. Swan
that her supper needed immediate at
tention.
Althea heard her lift a basin from
the stove, empty the contents, and
carry them to the ice-box. 1t was
stewed cherries, and the delicious
spicy odor filled the air.
When she came back Mrs. Swan
seemed little ashamed of her anger.
She sat silently gazing at the horizon
for few moments with haunted, burn
ing eyes. When she spoke gain it was
with moderation.