The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-05-19
MANS HUNDRED
TUNE ORGAN
BY G. w. OGDEN
Copyright, leoa, by T. G. Mcclure

Nam sat on the bottom step of the
three leading into the house, her el-
bows on her knees and her chin In her
palms. She'had swept the gravel walk
running like a lava scorched strip Of
barrenness to the front gate, through
the soothing green of the uncut lawn.
Her broom leaned on the steps beside
her
So the little yellow horse drawing
the weather banded buggy passed un-
der her eyes as 1t made a great show
of hurrying by the house and turned
without guiding rein into the road
leading near to the kitchen door. At
the well the horse stopped and plunged
its nose greedily into the trough Of
water.
A sparely made woman climbed from
the buggy and stood the egg basket
with its load of groceries beside the
curb. She looked at Nam wrapped in
the sound proof mantle Of her reverie
and led the horse away.
Presently she returned, slung the
heavy basket on her arm with the in
cense of coffee and green tea rising
about her. placed her burden upon the
step beside the silent woman and said:
"well, Nam"
ELS Ann, you homer queried Nam.
/ turning her head slowly.
"what're you thinkin' about Mamr
Els Ann asked. untying the strings Of
her broad brimmed hat and swinging
| It at her side.
| Her mother was silent.
\ "You know it's a bad sign In you
when you think. Man," Els Ann said
| anxiously. "You amt goin' to git
| down with the malarial or flanders,
air your
"D'you git any mail, Els Annr
Nam asked evasively.
| Els Ann put her hand on Mans
shoulder and looked into her face,
wrinkled and brown as a tobacco leaf.
"No use o. you tryin' to put me on,
Man," she said. What air you think
in about this time, Mann
Nam turned her back to her persist
ent questioner, raised her eyes to the
dim rim of the horizon again and an
swered with a quiver Of remorse and
regret in her voice:
Its a organette this time. Els Ann." "
"a organetter' gasped Els Ann, with
| q spasmodic intake Of breath. Then
she dropped down to the step. The
shadow of the house stretched down
the gravel path and drew the gate
posts into its refreshing embrace.
| After awhile Nam sat down beside
her. Neither spoke.
So it was an organette this time.
The last time Nam had a 'thinkin'
spell" it had been induced by the visit
Of a portrait agent to whom she gave
81 for an enlarged picture of her dead
husband Seven dollars was a heap
for a picture, even life size and OF
ones father, when one knew Dave
| Croker, the grocer at Monticello. gave
one just like it with $40 worth OF
goods.
At length Els Ann arose. where ID
1t at, Mam?" she asked
'In yander on the table," answered
Nam, with the guilty feeling Of a pen
itent robber disclosing the hiding place
of his spoils.
Els Ann went in and sat down a
the table beside the little vanished
box. Nam followed and stood beside
her. Els Ann felt the shining surfact
with her calloused, toll toughenet
hand, traced the gold trimming around
the top and the gold lettering, "Or
ganette," and asked:
How much did you give the felleI
for IT, Mam?"
Mans face frightened. "Only lever
dollars" she answered, IAN the fellel
he said it plays a hundred tunes
. That's heap more'n your cousin Nan
ME can play on her'n with all hel
. hans an feet, an you jess set dowr
an turn that little han'le an thu
music fiows-that's what the feller h'
said"
You paid him 'leven dollars outer
the twelve Tweddle gave me for ole
Shows calfT
Yes, Els Ann, but he said 1t wal
, worth ten times the money. He sale
you'd have to pay S5 to git into thu
, operay an hear only part O. then
tunes played an here you can sit righ
in your own parlor an have 'em at an!
time, day or night, without extra cos
| whatsoever"
Els Ann sat motionless a long time
. | The chickens went to roost, and Man
. again took up her pensive vigil on th'
front steps.
, The gloom deepened in the room
where Els Ann remained alone. Sh
was overwhelmed by the debris of al
the plans she had built on the 81
: | Nam had so foolishly spent for tn
: worthless box with a roll of perfo
= rated paper inside. She should hav'
e carried the money with her when sh
D | went to Monticello instead of leavini
= | it in the bureau drawer and tellinl
: Nam to watch out that a tramp didn'
: sneak in and get it Seemed like then
2 there agents always waited till sh
5 went away TO flock in on Nam. Mus
: all know about her. Orto be som
e law ag'in agents. An where was sh
: to get money for that new winter jack
a ct now? Butter'n eggs didn't fetcl
n any more than would buy groceries ar
j shoes, with a dress for Nam now al
!, ag'in. She'd been wearin' that oil
o jacket for years an years. Let's SEE
q how long was It? Well. hard to tel
+ exactly. but ever since the winter The
n Brassfield begun to keep comp'ny wit
her-for at least seven years comir
r twict a week, winsd'ys an Satd'ys
L as reg'lar as prayer meetin', an neve
a word about gittin' married Cours
keepin' other fellers away. Everybod
thought they'd marry-had been thin1