Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1904-09-16
TIRZAH'S CHIMNEY.
BY CLARA PARKER.

UTeen haQ asked IlrZan HITCHCOCK TO De-
! come the second Mrs. Green, she had
tartly refused the honor. Il amt much
OF beauty" she had told him, but no
warmed-over affection fur me, thank
you, Solomon Green"
Solomon had reasoned all in vain.
Why, Tirzah," he pleaded, lit amt
no ways natural fur wimmen to live
| alone. Every mornin' your chimbly is
| the furst thing look at, an if l wasn't
to see the smoke a comm out of it, I'd
be scared to death thinakin' you was
robbed, or killed or sunthin'.
What's the use in us keepin' up two
houses when one would do jest as well?'
Since that time the two had hardly
exchanged dozen words. Solomon had
not married, neither had Tirzah. and
| now on the night before her fortieth
| birthday she sat looking around her or
DERBY little home with the most desOlate
feeling at her heart she had known for
years.
| She had heard that day that the
| widowed cousin, who usually kept house
for Solomon Green, had Unexpectedly
| married.
Of course, this was nothing to Tirzah,
| but still-here she shifted two or three
times, and then, without particle OF
| explanation to the astonished cat, who
| had come forth demanding her allow
ance of milk, sat down in her cane-seated
| rocker and burst out crying.
| For five minutes she cried, and then
she dropped her apron and looked guilt
| lily about.
A thought intruded itself upon her
which she considered in the light OF a
secret crime. Over and over again, de-
| spite herself, she rehearsed Solomon's
proposal, each word as it had been
spoken, until, suddenly, like the hand
! writing upon the wall. there stood forth
these words: Every moning your
chimbly is the first thing look at"
Had he meant it? Did he still turn his
eyes with the coming of morning light
down the little hill which lay between
| them? Did her lonely chimney still
claim his thoughtful care?
Five minutes later the dark plot was
| formed and Miss Tirzah was hurrying
| about her preparations for the night
| with cheeks that burned with fires she
thought long since gone out forever.
The following morning more aston
ished creatures there could not be than
were the kittens, cat, cow, hens and
canary of Miss Tirzah Hitchcock. Some
| thing, certainly, had gone wrong.
Six o'clock came, and the stable door
was not opened by the brisk mistress.
Half-past six, and still NO fire in the
kitchen stove. Seven o'clock, and no
breakfast yet for the mistress and her
| indignant dependents.
Loud and angry rose the protest OF
| Brindle from her snug stall, while the
old cat and canary did their best to stir
things up inside.
Meanwhile, hidden by the parlor cur
tains, crouched Miss Tirzah, wrapped
in huge red and green shawl, her heart
| fluttering between shame and dread,
while her eyes watched with fevered
anxiety the house just up the HILL
Oh! how pitifully foolish now looked
her deep-laid scheme when faced In
the broad light OF day.
Of course, he had forgotten, years
| ago, to watch her chimney. What was 1t
| to him now, whether she had fire or
not? She would go this very minute and
build 1t. She
Why, what was that? Some one was
coming out of Solomon's front door
Some one-why, it was Solomon himself.
creeping forth as if he had just been en-
gagged in stealing his own spoons and
was now making off with them to place
| of hiding.
Solomon was coming down the hill
| straight toward her tiny home. Coming,
| it is true, not as the conquerors come
| timid, slinky fashion of man who has
had his last timid advances in that d.
rection scorned.
| When it was certain past all shadow Of
a doubt that he was coming into the
house, Tirzah, the crafty creature, be-
took herself to the cane-seated rocker,
where, wrapped to the chin in the big
shawl, she waited with palpitating heart
for the timid knock which at length
| sounded on the door.
Come IN" she then called feebly, at
which the door was opened cautiously,
inch by inch, until the entire figure of
| the middle-aged lover was disclosed to
| view.
At the sight of Tirzah, bundled up and
| in the armchair, all of his hesitation
vanished
"Why, Tirzah, are you took sick?"
came in the loud, CHEEKY voice which had
not sounded in the room for five years
| past. can it's cold enough in here 70
| freeze the hair off dogs back. Let me
fix you fire."
In few moments a cheerful fire was
roaring up the chimney. To be sure,
there were more chips on the floor than
| Miss Tirzah would have scattered In
| twelve-month, and the cat was splitting
out her indignation in remote corner
over an injury done her sleek tail by the
| heavy boot of Miss Tirzah's new fire.
| man.
Tirzah, however, noticed neither the
chips nor the anger Of her cat. Not red
der than her cheeks was the blazing
| fire, for Solomon had taken courage and
was sitting beside her. inQuiring kindly
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