The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-24

kitchen and dining-room. the cook
ing being done at an pen hearth, be-
fore wnleh vas a frfinE.pan, an old
Irou te4-keltIe. ard tso brown stone
cr0cks. il the middle ot The room was
a pine tahle IS appointments
B ing Of the commonest ana cheap
est description. The cr0ckery was
thick aud heavy. and badly Clipped;
the knives had crooked bone handles,
the forks were tNO tined. and a un
tomato can served as a coffee pot
ssNe0w Bist 20 over In the corner
thar en- rake T.ge ofIan that stool, "
said the woman, referring 10 large
yellow dog sitting on a puncheon
stool in a corner OF the room. zen
draw up On this side yell find
pickles, en on uother, ingOrns Jes'
cut butter en- make a beginnin.
We're mighty people ter live at home,
hyah. Won Z Ye hev some o. these
greens on yer plates They're power
ful well shortened. viii ye heY
short sWeet'neB' OF long sWeet'nen' in
ye e0Gees ONE likes it one way, en-
some ernothen"
John. who had a decided 'sWeet
tooth. said he preferred long
sweetenine. thinking 10 secure an
extra allowance OF sugar; ana was
rather dismayed when the old
woman took up a small iron spoon
and put into bis cup Two sp00nfuls Of
sorghum. But be said nothing ia
protest, fearing 70 offend.
Meow. Iist reach en take; ye're
slttin. handy. said hIs hostess
John was so hungry that he was
able 10 make a hearty meal upon
the course fare provided for him;
and, having declared himself highly
pleased with everything. was told 70
20 into the .big house" again while
the old woman washed the dishes
and "hTeshed about a Bit
As be crossed the narrow space be-
tween the two houses, an old man
with long VII te hair came slowly
across the yard from the shoulder
ing fire. and, entering before him,
took a seat by the hearth.
.Thar's another cheer over thar
by the bed. stranger" he said, n d.
ding 10 John.
He was a sorry looking old man 10
his patched. faded. homemade
clothes. and with his wrinkled, sal
low face. faded blue eyes, and long
white hair; and he was evidently not
given % l0Quaclty. fOi after his re-
mark about the chair he kept silent,
staring into the fire in a dreamy way,
his withered hands clasped tight TO-
gether
The woman who could not have
been over so years OF age. though she
looked mucn Older-came ia pres
entity and sat down in a stiff wooden
chair on the opposite side Of the
hearth from John.
"Why don't you take the rocker?"
John asked, glancing toward a big
rocking chair with a soiled patch
work cushion. which stood near the
one window.
"She can't spoke up the old ipan
quickly a sudden flash In his faded
eyes. That's Mans
John looked inQuiringly az his
hostess
Eye mustn't pay no heed ter him;
he amt Just right In his mind, she
said frankly. MAN. she died hyah
a spell back goin' on four months,
reckon an pap he amt ben iist right
since He tux on fearful when she was
laid out He couldn't pear ter sense
il that she wouldn't come back no
more He's mighty tryin' sometimes
He won't let nobody set in that thar
cheer, en- he goes reg'lar every night
ter set light on mans grave. Nam
she was a great hand ter have a light
'soon's 10 war dark, en- Pap he amt
forgot it,
ohm nodded.
Il saw the light there" he said.
II wondered what It meant"
There cayn't nobody git him
Outen them notions" went on the
woman. so we uns iist let him be
IL don't hurt nobody
"Yes, It's better 70 let him have
his own way" John said.
Soon after this the small house
hold retired. John icing told to 90
up ladder, where he'd Ind a snake
down which he would have 20 share
with pap
Having become accustomed to
strange bedfelloWs'dnring the year he
had been fEayeling 10 the interests or
4 tobacco warehouse John took this
information philosophicallY, and was
soon IN the loft under him a big
feather bed, and over h m th ck
patchwork quilt Of the log cabin
variety. The wind whistled through
the chinks in The roof, and pap"
vas extremely restless, tossing and
tufnlng and muttefing 70 himself In
D way which would have diyen John
wild had he not been so desperately
sleepy. But as It was, he was soon
in the land Of dreams
Was it a dream thatsometime dur
ing the night be heard the rain dash
ing against the roof, and some one
moving about the lofts Did be
dream that be heard a thin. weak