Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-11-22
It.s quite a long Inc sInce go heen

well, I wouldn't mind, anyhow. ef I
| was yo1," said Mrs. Muzzy, looking at
| the girls weary face and changing her
tone little. Let him 90, ef he wants
| to. just show him you don't keer."
The girl WOKE up liIJsc al that. Show
| him / don't care She cried passionateiy
| He knows I care. 1t would be n dis
grace to me if / didn't care after I've
| beer. going with him for three years and
hc leaving me for a new face. Its no
use pretending | don't. | dent see why
| folks tell me to. My heaTt ought TO be
broken. and it is.
I'D hey more sperrit"
"Would you? Well, I'm made differ
ent, | suppose" said the girl, and her
face took ON its listless expression again.
Her aunt finished her second cup of tea
and began to clear away the table.
Are you coming over to our house
Thanksgiving or Uncle Andrews p
asked Lizzie after Il little, with some
faint appearance of interest.
Il amt a-goin' nowheres; I'm a-goin
to stay to hum an do my pig-work.'
''Pig-Work:'
Yes; I'm a-goin to hev 'em killed
Tuesday"
Her surprise made Lizzie for n minute
look like another girl. BAT, Aunt Jane,
why! | never heard of such a thing.
Pig-work on Thanksgiving day.
Mrs. Muzzy braced herself defantly
Look a-here. Lizzie Munroe," quotn
she: ''yon think you're down as fur as
anybody kin be, because you've lost your
beau. Well. I've lost my husband that
I've lived with for forty year. and that
was more than any beau, an I've lost
my daughter, both of 'em this year an
two year ago this fall my son John, an
| don't see as I've got anything to be
thankful for. | amt a-goin' to keep
nDN on mt
plum puddin'. feel enough sight more
like doin' pig--worE, an I'm a-goin' to-
The girls dull eyes seemed to catch a
CLEAN from her aunts. For a minute
she looked strangely like her Mrs
Muzzy's passionate, defiant nature fired
her niece's more unresisting, hopeless
one.
well, Aunt Jane" she said, in tone
like an echo of her aunt's, II don't won
der you feel so. And-I don't care about
eating turkey and plum pudding either
III come over and help you"
Mrs. Muzzy looked startled for a min
ute. Perhaps her own spirit reflected in
another looked differently to her
ell, Lizzie, jest rs you like" she
said then. III be glad of your help; it's
Gonsider'ble to do pig-work all alone, an
I've never been used to it"-Wth a sigh.
We'll, I'll come. Aunt Jane"
There was long silence; then the
girl took her sad face out Of the door,
and her aunt, having set away the last
of her tea things, went back into her
warm sitting room; the kitchen fire was
going out and it was growing cold
Thanksgiving morning. Il week later.
was gray and cloudy and the air felt like
snow. Mrs. Muzzy's kitchen was full of
steamn@. glowing heat. She had two
imcnse iron kettles on her stove and was
busily cutting pork into small square
bits to try out.
Lizzie was helpin" there, too. She had
come over early. Her sad yGun@ face
looked sadder this morning The cold,
gray light brought out all Of the pitiful,
dropping lines more plainly. She had
probably been weeping instead of sleep
ing the night before. Her dun-COlored
hair was put back plainly aud neatly:
grief did not with her manifest itself
in untidiness, though she never crmped
her hair now Lizzie looked like an
other girl with her hair crimped Her
dark print fitted over her slender shout
ders TRINITY, and she Wore a little white
.rufiie IN the neck. She was cutting pork
too; her wrists, though small, were muse
ular, and she worked steadily and effect
lively though with pathetic Indifference
Mrs. Aluzzy'S firmly set face betrayed lit
tie Of it. but she really eyed her niece
from time to time with furtiyc uneasi-
ness.
She had an inner consciousness. eyer
present to herself, that her state of
mind was highly cUlpable. but she under
took the responsibility for herself with
Sullen defiance 1t was another thing
however, TO he responsible for similar
state in another. Lizzie, standing there
with her dull, hopeless face. indefatigably
cutting pork. seemed to her like the Wis
lbe fruit of her own rebellious nature.
'ltev You seen Jenny BostWick lately?"
asked she, with desperate determna-
ton 10 alter her niece's expression
No. replied Lizzie slowly. Joe has
MT left her. They're always together
| can't bear to 20 there"
Il know" said Mrs. MuZzv with n
quick, sympathetic recognition of the
feeling. Il felt that way after John
died. couldn't bear to go into Mis-
Mann :. because there was her Edward
shed had him spared, an my boyd
been taken"
There was something startling in the
frankneSs, almost ShamclCSSncsS. of the
girls ay0wal Of CuviouS misery aud her
aunt instantaneous sympathy with It.
It WAS as If their two natures were grow
ing more aud more into IN evil accord.
About 10 o'clock the front door bell
rang.
You go TO the door Lizzie" said Mrs.
Mu2zy; YOU look hcttpr'n t."
Lizzie took off her apron and vent
ob"diently. Time was when The tinkle uf
the door bell could make her trembIe al
over, but she was calm enough now. K
was six months since George Alien had
been to see her, and she had given up all
hope of his ever coming again.
Mrs. Muzzy heard the door open AMI
smut. then a murmur of voices in the sit
ting room. One of the voices was I'M
queStionahly. a mans, low pitched and
earnest, Lizzie seemed to break into
SsobS now and then, and once she
laughed. Mrs. AIuz2y started when She
heard that; she had almost forgotten
how l.izzie's laugh sounded.
Who on earth has Lizzie got in
there she muttered to herself: hut she
was woman who could keep her
curiosity in check. She went steadily on
with her work till the sitting room door
opened and Lizzie came out
But was it Lizzie? The girl with those
pink checks aud radiant eyes and that
@mphng mouth: Mrs. Muz2y laid her
knife down aud stared mt her
ITS George, George" said Lizzie in
a happy trembling whisper that seemed
a,moSt ready TO break ont into Il scream