The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-05-21

aIngled with those of ripen-
.wberries and pungent garden
Pollen-dusted bees and irldes-
cent butterflies fitted about IN the sun
shine, and among the ftendrlls of the
grapevine above her head was the half
nest of a yellow warbler.
Nothing was afraid of Keturah. Even
now one of the warblers was twittcr-
ing a contemplative interlude not three
feet away from her clicking needles.
But Keturah was in a disturbed
frame of mind this morning, and was
not even conscious of her tiny friends
cesenae. She could hear the Con
,erer bustling about In the Kitchen
r kitchen, now = rafting dishes,
ening and shutting oven doors,
nistling -yes, actually whistling-to
.he canary bird and now and then in
dulging in a snatch of high-pitched
breezy song. Keturah listened with
mingled emotions. The Conquerer
was a splendid housekeeper; she was
glad to admit that, both Tor her
brothers. and her conscience's sakes;
but she was so energetic and so strong
minded and SO capable. She did all
her house work, and looked after the
poultry and flower. garden; she was
president fthe Missionary Society and
found plenty of time to visit and re-
ceive calls. Keturah admired her
vastly, and even liked her in a rcbuifed
sort of way; but somehow even from
her vantage ground of inside spectator,
she could never quite understand how
N woman could accomplish so much.
Every morning her conscience made
her offer to help with the work, and
every morning the Conquerer looked
at her with a calmly superior air and
said that slow help was a bother.
And that is why Keturah's mornings
were spent in the grapevine arbor, or
out making poor calls. She wanted to
like the Conquerer, and tried to with
all the strength of her tender, shrink
ing heart. Was she not her brothers.
wife, and was she not the best
housekeeper and most capable man.
ager in all Meadowville?
And there was another thing. For
three and twenty years Keturah had
been the undisputed mistress of the es-
tebllstment, doing the work in her
quiet, prim, lady-like way, and never
dreaming that the years would bring
other changes than what rightfully be-
longed to them. She had been house,
keeper for her father until he died, and
then for her brother; and although she
had once thought-and hoped-that
her brother might marry, such a posi-
bility had gradually been lost sight of.
He had just passed his fortieth birth
day, and she her forty-third, when the
COnquerer came.
Keturah was not cOmbative, and she
honestly tried to take the new order of
things according to the light her con-
science Indicated; but her resolutions
were not as strong as the nature hand
ed down by half-a.dozen generations
of cultured ancestors. AT the end of a
month she had gone to her brother and
asked for hershare of the property, so
that she might go off and live by herself.
AT first he had been incredulous, then
sarcastic. Their father had expressed
a hope that the property need not be
divided, he had told her; and, besides,
he could not let her have her share
without selling the homestead, and he
would not do that. And, furthermore
he had advanced the unnecessary
argument that she was too old to live
by herself. She had WINGED u little at
this thrust. 1t sounded so like the
brlstling assertions of the Conquerer
that she turned away, hurt and silenced.
But it was true, she told herself, re-
morse)essly; she was getting to be
quite an old woman. And she went
o the glass to overwhelm her worldi-
ness with a proof of the fact. But
omehow the glass did not carry out
he fact. Her skin was still soft, and
her cheeks had the same delicate flush
that made her a belle IN her far-off
days of her girlhood; and there was
a single gray intruder among all
the glossy brown hair that was coiled
and massed upon her head.
A quick step on the gravel walk
brought her eyes from the needle and
her thoughts from the future.
sob, here You are, Miss Keturah.
I've looked for you everywhere" and
tied into the arbor and pumped herself
down on The seat beside Keturah. Flor
ence was eight cen, very vivacious,
very dumpy and very much in love
with herself; and added to this, she
was the pride and admiration of the
heart.
aOh, Miss Keturah, have you heard
The news2n she cried, as soon as she
could get breath. "The Rev. Charles
Barden, missionary to Japan, Is COM
ing to Meadowville and is gong to
TO the Missionary Society next
week, and is coming here TO stay.
What do you think of that? Going to
,tay here with us a whole week."
Keturah rose quickly and then sat
Town sad began TO ply her needles
With desperate energy. She did not
notice Tint she was knitting back
yer the same needle.
What do You mean, child?n she
,asped In a voice that she intended TO
d calm. GLOW do you knew2"
7" Why, what a woman you are,"
auqhed the girl. Gone can't even
aenfion missionary work, but you go
ff into the 1dgets. Catch me ever get
.pg so struck on charity as that. But
Us true. Your brother was at the sta
ION when he got off the train this
corning, and he invited him here. /
in your brothers. store and saw
liz, and he's just splendid,' enthpsi%