Middletown transcript., 1904-12-17

~ by reason Ot advancing
wears. Susan Briggs had
haor wbat Ills irreverent generation
tarms "a hustler from her early girl
hood and MORNING, noon and night that
pitched, strident voice mla"t g
heard bv anH passer-by, now beratlne
Cvnth;a-now \urging on the slowest and
dnIlast of hired bo,s in all the region
round about.
"Cynthy Now where can ti'e c',''e, !.
ho9 never seel her beat for sinkin' oil
r.hon sba was most needed. Here's a
h;e thunder sbowe er coming straight over
sh.vwam. and ain tile wash TO pick up
ana the chickens TO feed and coop, and
there's that pesky Abner SKuie't ia@ :"
o,ono with the cows as If lie was h"ppled
like jumpin' steer.
susan shaded her Sharp gray eyes from
+bo rove of the setting sun with freckled
lnottv to;l-worn hand, and peered anx-
iously down the valley road, when ieu
10 the brUufk and thrice TIT " . %innllle
devious ascent around the base oi ohas.
wan Hill, with its b.etllng iedees anu
scraggy crown Of wind-t9rmehted. tousleu
old pine trees. The sunlight sun pa.heu
the gray, low-roofed Briggs house 10 =
food Of golden glory, but upon oi'ag-
wants sleeps broode !, otnlhousIt sl'e''
,l
as vet, the darkness Of the coming tenn
pest.
"And Cynthy amt got any rubbers, 4
Thought her sister, anxiouSly, land her
CAPS hangin' on the nail by tie butry
door. It's a wonder she's 9 ven got her
sun-bonnit. sl.e'l git wet through and
pit the gallopin' consumption, like her
moor ma Abner," as that worthy
leisurely followed tile milky mothers
m the lane to tile bar-way "" Ahner
Skillet, hev you teen any signs Of Gym
thy?'
Abner picked up stone, examined u
critically. and SHE'D il with precision
gained by long practice at straylng
COW. The wanderer, titus warned, SKIP
ped nimbly over low place in the stone
wall. and made for Miss Susan's bleach
green. where the snowy garments lay
scattered in great profusion. Susan darted
after the offender, overlook her, and
came back driving her VIGOROUSLY, just
as Abner was alowly lifting the heavy
top bar into its place.
ssHow many times hev warned You
to put up all them bars-tle hull four
on 'em? I asked you if you'd seen
Cynthy--"
sSee her about three haours ago daown
to the BRIDGE" drawled Abner. She
was p'intin' to'rd'st Shagwam then, with
the middlet-sized tin kittle. | consid'
cred then she was goin' blackberryln'. /"
= "Blackberryin' alone on Shagwam y
calculated Miss Susan in great alarm
ssLike as not she's fell down a ledge
or been bit py a lattIer, or had ieI
throat cut by some tramp.
'Seen tramp daown the road piece,
said Abner, in calm confirmation o.
Susan's worst fears. Twas she
tramp, though. She was tawny as al
Iniun and she he'd blue handkerclie
put on her head in funny way, anc
her eyes made ye feel queer they wash
like other folks eyes-ye iust he'd TO ioot
inter 'em till she let ye 60. Made fellel
feel like a bird with snake charmin
it,"
\ ssStuff and nonsense! When an.
human power makes YOU feel less log,
than a canal boat, I'd jist like 70 know
it. Talk about Lirds-When'd YOU se'
The tramp? Can't you speak Y
sOh, mebbe an haour ago, mebhe tw'
OF. more. l wus a-startin' to 90 dao"i
to- Miller's to borrer hoe. brok'
ouF'n a'clippin' at hoppelt'ad behint
a stun. She was settil' OH a rock
a'riekin' herself about, and a'M Gavin ant
a'gabblin'. She had sunlthin' shiny int
her hand"
"Yard them critters" commanded
Susan in a tragic voice, ''and foller me
quick I It's bore in upon lie that Gym
thy's layin' murdered behind some wall
Them tTamps is all furriners and Papists
and you can't expect nntlin' less o.
'em."
without further parleying Miss Susal
threw her apron over her head an,
started upon her quest after the los
sister. She had, however, gone but
little way when . prolonged whistle
followed by string Of amazed expletive'
from the lips Of her hired boy, cau-el
her to turn back.
The sight which met her eyes was b,
no means calculated to quiet her per
turbed spirit. Truly Cynthis-the miss
ing Cynthia-was slowly coming toward.
her from the open big barr door. Bu
in her arms-could Miss Susan see Alright
she held blue bundle. whence pro
ceeded fine. pin-pointed wailings Of
nature never to be mistaken by woman
even though she be withered spirste
upwards Of sixty.
"By jingo p exclaimed Abner, hi
round eyes like two full moons. Here
lark r.
Thus saying, Abner sat down on
convenient hen coop to recover his stray
ing wits, while the forgotten COWS placidl,
munched Miss Susan's clove-pinks ant
sampled the nasturtiums.
"Cynthia Mary Elderkin Briggs" de
manded Miss Susan, after what seemed
to the culprit at least an hour-it wa
really only minute, but Cynthia fearet
that voice more than anything els
earthIy-"aghat hev you got in you
arms?''
"a baby" whimpered her sister il
scared tones, but hugging the blue bun
die closer, with eyes like some desperate
dumb animal.
"A bdbyr
"Oh, Moses r. sllreiked Abner, rollinI
off the hen-coop in sudden anguish 9
mirth. "a baby-Miss Cynthy! Oh