The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1904-05-23
MRS. PEPPER
sAN By
IHOIIOO HARRIET
WHITNEY
Copyright, 1903. by I. c. Mcclurs

and the smoke of I1ouizy Cottonwood.
wash fire In the back yard was thread
NJ lis blue haze into the fresh. early
tir.
Lsuizy's father. Lyman Cottonwood
;friking out cross lots. Jagged a little
while lie started his after breakfast
ID pipe. His gaze .lwelt ruminatively
poi the big ash hopper u few ma
.lcIits. then Travelled back TO the form
It his daughter just appearing from
he sniOkeliouse with a tub in her arms
"!.aaisy".
The young woman turned her head
round. set her tub moon n K less
hair and came forward. her how. Hat
Toes patt;ng softly over the short
GOOSE grass" Her ii.ur" .ook.d Skinnl,
II It's blue calico wi>itin. he,
mks were iielnpy In coior and not ttn'
.en.:fnl. she had .sihrr.ri them Nv
he outer corners of her eyes wef.
irawn upward like those Of II Chimes.
woman.
.LouiZy." said her father. leaning an
nlbOw on Il corner Of tit. hopper. Il was
yoin' to tell YOU an furgot the Wilde"
Peppers n-romin' MP today fer II baskr
o. wiudfalI Spy applies To make dun
plin's. an. g0tter be ut Harris all da.
hplpin' thrash. You show 'er where
the good ones Is nj. an dom o s:,s
'er none; " u~nderstandg'
81 amt carin' how many Spy apple
she gathers. l;ecknn apples wasn't tn
only thing yon III. her WAS settiir
about yrstiny "vtnin-"
Will" Lyman looked of slantwis,
across the hopper. II yot 'er In'nntd III
~ clost - you ever kin pen Il woman
The darncd contrary birds won't
give you :: %s,Ilars, ott Yes I'LL after Tin
preachers sent fer. But ymu kin coun
on hayin' II Ste1ptna before pumpkins i
ripe"
u wouldn't think. tl.4n. paw.
LouiZy's voice became mildly reproa'l,
full. "seein' how happy you're a-roih
to b., you'd begrutch me -an-an
Sam
Her father came up from his lOuns
ing attitude with a jerk.
"I.ouiZy Jane Cottonwood. how many
Zines ! gotter tell you that's diffrnnt:
Now. listen yere"--he licked off his
points with the foretinger OF his right
hand in the spread palm of the Lift
told you TN. wliutfors an whysos yes
day. an THAT'S huff said. An now lis
ten at this: Fl ! don't find Sam Dor
kins ut Harris lhraslin' today it's a
sign hes over yere. an IT he is yon1l
see me back. an you'll see me bounce
Sam over the fence into the hrlsh quick
enough to jolt his ears crooked. Now.
mind wl,nt I've told you"
Louizy SHED so many tears over her
wash that morning that when the fat
little Widow Pepper came with her
basket she cast many sharply inquisi-
tive gIa ut the red rims of the for
.orn ma .den's eyes.
"LoOky here. LoniZy Cottonwood
said she al length rs the two trudged
up TO the orchard, lyon amt been act
IN the baby cause our paw wants to
marry ag'in. hey your
~"I.auiZy shook her head.
II wouldn't care n speck II he mar
ried tomorrow if he'd have the man
ners to leave me an Sam Dorkin.
alone"
.Humph." said the widow. "Whut'>
he tayin' up against Sam"
"Noihin' artickler. but he low
half a dozen years er so. He's countin
on takin' u lot OF city folks to board .
summers after you an him air married
an he says Two women III be needed l,
.ook fer EN-"
We'll. | say" Mrs. Phebe Peppe
brought tho exclamation out with .
chop. Then she stepped In the patti, ano
laughed with a heartiness that threai
enel to break her apron strings. Mrs
Pepper WAS short and widp.s and he
little round. dark face expressed Il mix
ture of good nature, slIrewdness an,
obstinacy.
He's a curious old plant. our paw
81 said she. hut I've jist got this I,
say: Ef any man o mine eve take
any summer boarsiers he'll do the cook
in er else he'll hire it done"
I4ouizy shook her head dissentingly.
You'll think different when paw get
YOU"
He amt got me yit.r said the widow
cheerfully. .Looky here. Louizy. bow
old air your"
"Thirty-three. confessed Louizy. will,
q slight blush.
The law me, An you're scared t.
marry without your paw says you
The blush widened. taking in Loui
zy's ears.
You don't know paw" said she dis
nally.
~couldn't more than Kill We. could
he:"
Some folks tongues is worse than
kiliin'.'
The widow trudged forward in silent
sell. communion. which lasted until
they reached the Northern Spy apple
tree. Lonizy began to fill the basket
with the bright streaked windfalis. but
Mrs. Pepper pumped herself down
comfortably into the clover.
-Sam Dorkfns Il goin' on forty" said
she m~editatively. He's q sight higher
GMt