The Grit-advocate., 1903-02-20


talkin' I've seen more bad luck than
any man livin' and it does seem some
times as if the Lord or the Old Boy
I dunno which-had a pertickler spite
ag'in me, and took delight in pilin'
on the whacks! Who would ever have
'sposed big, noble lookin' woman
like B'lindy would have dropped on
right in the dead of winter when my
rheumatic and lumbago, and ashmy
and brownkeeters, always rage the
wust kind? o, dear. what shall l
-do?" and Ebenezer Pert. little
wizened man. with pale watery blue
eyes. and scattering wisps OF yellow
hair, buried his nose in the depths OF
a gingham handkerchief yard
square. and groaned dismally.
DO" responded cousin Deb. why.
spunk up and put the best foot for
ward. A widderer of your age with
nine children on his hands has got to
hustle. You can't lay round and eat
ana sleep and smoke old cob pipes
same as you always have DONE
Il never disputed Jobs troubles"
smiled EbeneZer. and he flourished
the gingham handkerchief spasmodic-
ally. "never-he had 'em like me-but
his comforters was angels compared
to mine. 'Twould melt heart Of
stone to see the way I'm fixed. But
my sufferin's air about over-I shall
never climb winter hill feel it in
my bones. amt had a decent thing
to eat sence poor B'lindy died, nothin
but dough cakes and slops. and my
stummick is all out of kilter. Poor
Blindy! what treasure I've lost! SO
prudent, so clever natered!"
Look here, EbeneZer, I've advised
and advised. but what has it amounted
to? II there is anything | despise 1t
is snivelin' man that has got no
gumption. You've got to face facts.
Blindy's gone, you've lost your ber-
den bearer, and all your howlin' won't
bring her back" and Deb. flashed
glance at her elderly relative which
was far from sympathetic.
Il know it, Deb" he whimpered,
''but my poor heart is buried in ner
grave. Nobody knows my feelin's but
myself. / shall never find another to
take her place-not if live to be as
old as Methuseller! She took all the
care Of the critters and the milkin',
and the barn and the house, and the
young uns, and if"
III" broke in Deb sharply. you
don't stop your wailins IA leave this
house inside of twenty minutes. bag
and baggage. I've hearn it jest as
long as I'm a goin' to. have been
here two months and you've not made
the least effort to git a housekeeper."
I'D like to know who I'm goin' to
git?" queried Ebenezer, and he eyed
her warily through his fingers.
"Well there is plenty of widders.
heard Elder Trigger say there was
twentyseven drawin' pinshins out Of
the government, right in this neigh
borhood"
"Well," said Ebenezer in a resigned
tone, its pooty cold weather for a
man of my years to start out lookin
up widders. but 'spose it's got to be
done. Do you think of any pertickler
one you can rickermend?"
"Well-let me.think-there is Mis-
Eyes, but l won't have her, she is
homlier than hedge fence.
Mis- Davis is a pretty good cook
but she is slow
81 won't have her nuther, she Is
crosser lookin' than buttermilk, and
would jar on my feelin's."
How about Mis- Brown, she is very
capable"
II don't want her. couldn't relish
her grub. She's got false teeth, caus
I watched her handlin' 'em down to
the donation. when she thought no.
body was seein'."
How would Nancy Green do?"
Nancy Green!" and he opened his
little eyes in horror. Cousin Deb
Potter. air you crazy? A woman that's
hoan SiSyorctod from tbreo iy{pb hua.