Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-01-21
A SISTER TO BALAAM.

Miss Martha was washing the cream
pitcher, pitcher of the quaint blue
ware which had belonged to her grand
mother, and che did not look around
until the delicate operation was fin
ished. Then she turned squarely and
faced her caller. She was trim, &C
tive little woman who had not lost
her youthful slenderness, and though
she had begun to speak of herself as
an old woman, her friends were in
clined to regard the title as joke.
The girl in the doorway was of eI-
aggerated slenderness that made Miss
Martha seem almost portly, and her
eyes met Miss Martha's with the un-
wavering intensity Of one who claims
a right rather than asks favor. After
a moment she repeated her request.
If you please, I'd like to borrow
fresh egg"
"H'ml" reflected Miss Martha (;
yesterday it was a half a loaf of
bread, wasn't it?"
That's what I asked for" said the
caller; "you gave me whole loaf.
"And the day before" continued
Miss Martha, taking no notice Of this
reply, "it was cup of milk.
The girl in the doorway nodded,
still keeping her unwinking gaze on
Miss Marthas face. Miss Martha,
vainly scrutinizing her callers face for
any trace of embarrassment, was an
noyed to find herself flushing to the
roots of her hair.
Il cant say that I approve of bor-
rowing" Miss Martha went on. "If
I run out of soda or moasses l just
tell myself that it serves me right for
not being more foresigbted. and l get
along without what l want till I've
had a chance to 60 to town. And as
long as I've got principles against
borrowing" she concluded, swallowing
lump in her throat, ''it's no mors'n
reasonable that l shouldn't believe in
lending"
"Then aren't you going to let me
have fresh egg?" asked the girl in
the doorway. She spoke dispas'ion-
ately, as if .h. were merely interested
to know how far Miss Martha's prin-
ciples would carry her.
Miss Martha rallied her forces. mo,
l guess not. You see this things got
to stop some time. And it might as
well be now as ever.
"Good.by," said the girl, turning
away. Then, as if she feared che had
been abrupt, she halted on the door
step to say, "It's nice morning. "
But Miss Martha dropped into chair
and wiped her damp forehead.
my that girls case, )" she ejacu-
lated, with a distinct sense of relief as
she heard the gate click behind her
visitor. She's brazen, that's what
she is The way she looks at you
makes you feel as small as if she had
caught you in some mean trick. 1
suppose I'll have to buy that Bailey
place yet, and tear that house down
to get rid of the neighbors it brings.'
"The Bailey place" was, in fact, the
bitter drop in Miss Martha's cup. The
tumble-down house was hallway down
the slope of the hill which was crowned
by Miss Martha's neat cottage. Much
of the time it was empty, and then
Miss Martha suspected it Of affording
haven to tramps. The rest Of the
year it was occupied by shiftless
tenants, whom she rated below the
tramps inasmuch as they were so much
more in evidence. The last occupants
had been in possession less than a
week, aud the various steps in their
acquaintance had been outlined BY
Miss Martha in her conversation with
he girl in the doorway.
The hours went by, and even al
niehtfall Miss Martha had not regained
her accustomed equanimity. Either
the day had been peculiarly full o.
small ve1ations, or her morning.
encounter with her neighbOr had beer
more disturbing than she would &C
knowledge. Even the counting Of th'
eggs was a disappointment. Mis-
Martha's pride in her hens was equalet
only by the admiration Of the womer
in the neighborhOod, who were in tn
habit of declaring that they would
give the world to know what Mis-
did to her hens to made them lay 60.
At this season of the year she could
depend upon them to do their duty
about as she depended on the sunrise
but today the number fell short one
! And strangsst of all, it was sPsckl